WORDS Tara Crutchfield
PHOTOGRAPH Regina Walden
Dr. Vincent Miller A world-traveled performer, accomplished educator, and leader promoting community growth and diversity, Dr. Vincent Miller brings his talent from the stage to the board of Theatre Winter Haven.
and entered the education field with Polk County Public Schools. Dr. Miller teaches secondary math at Winter Haven High School and dual enrollment for Southeastern in Winter Haven. Miller leans into his entertainment background for his work in the classroom and the community. “I always say that being artminded… allows me to be able to see the diversity in our world, to be able to communicate with people better. It allows me in my current profession to build relationships with my students because I’m well-rounded and open to all conversations that kids or students or people, in general, may have.”
Dr. Miller was born in Winter Haven. “My grandmother’s roots are here, my great grandfather and grandmother’s roots are here, so this is home,” he said of the Chain of Lakes city. While in high school at Lake Region, Miller figured his path would be sports. “My brother was a football player, so I thought I was going to become a football player. I was great at it; I was great at athletics,” he said. But he was also great on the stage. Miller came from a musically inclined family and grew up singing in the church choir. His first performing gig outside of high school productions and the church was with Disney, recording the Candlelight Processional and Massed Choir Program with Louis Gossett, Jr. Signing that contract with Disney gave Miller a different perspective on his future, one that would take him around the world.
FILLING THE LANE In 2007, Miller started the non-profit organization Filling the Lane with the mission to “Bridge the gaps between education, sports, arts, and community.” According to a press release by Theatre Winter Haven, of which Miller now sits on the board, “Dr. Miller works with at-risk youth to engage them in various activities, such as STEM programs (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) through basketball.”
Miller attended the University of South Florida, studying Vocal Performance under Annetta Monroe. Monroe suggested he audition for a show at Busch Gardens. Miller took her advice and landed the lead role. After that, he started working for the company Choozi Entertainment, which took him from Dubai to Africa and many places in between. Miller has performed on every continent but Antarctica. The arts are a continued passion for the globe-trotting performer, though that passion has found other avenues for expression that don’t always involve a spotlight.
“Filling the Lane is my baby,” said Miller. The organization was born after a summer team under the Police Athletic League (PAL), with whom Miller had been working with through his job at Denison Middle School, lost funding. Students on the defunct summer team were left asking Coach Miller if they’d get to play the next year. “I told them, ‘You come up with a name, and we can do something. We’ll figure it out,’” he said. The kids came up with the name, Filling the Lane. He thought, “How can we tie that to education, and how can we tie that to growth? [...] That was that goal. If I was going to create something or build something, how do we tie this into growth in our community and growth for our youth?” The students came up with their mission to “Bridge the gaps between education, sports, and community.” Miller was insistent on adding the arts into that mission.
Miller’s grandmother babysat many neighborhood kids out of her house. Hers was a home that parents knew they could drop off their children, and they would be fed and well taken care of. A young Vincent Miller took note of the loving environment his grandmother created. At 98 years old, Miller’s grandmother passed away. Many of those who at one time or another were in her care spoke about Miller’s grandmother. “Listening to the youth that she directly impacted, now grown men and women, saying how she was the reason why they were at the point in their life with success in their lives, means a lot,” he said.
“The goal is to bridge the gap between students who are in middle school and high school to get them into college,” said Miller. Through the program, economically disadvantaged students travel across the country to play basketball. “Everywhere we go when we play a tournament, whether we’re in Oklahoma, Tennessee, New York, California, we take a tour of the city. We do a history piece of the city, we do a fine dining experience,” said Miller. The goal, he says, is to give his FTL kids experiences they might not otherwise have.
His grandparents’ love and stewardship of community instilled the same within him. Growing up, Miller would volunteer in summer programs, even earning awards for his service. Stepping into the role of educator was natural for Miller. “Growing up in that environment … and seeing the appreciation that the people have for my grandmother and my grandfather – I think that’s why I’m here today.”
The program has gifted Miller memorable moments over the years. One, in particular, stands out in his mind. He took a student to the Florida State University football field. The field was empty, and the boy asked, ‘Coach Miller, do you feel that?’ Miller didn’t understand what the student meant at the moment.
His father passed away five years ago while Miller was in South Africa, bringing him back to Florida, where he finished his PhD
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