For Cooper Miller, growing up in Idaho’s Silver Valley has meant being part of a close-knit community where relationships matter. A rising junior at Wallace High School, Cooper has spent his entire life in Wallace and wouldn’t have it any other way. Whether he’s spending time on the golf course, building LEGO sets, or staying active in his church, he appreciates the strong sense of community that makes the Silver Valley unique.
“Our community is very tight-knit, and everyone knows everyone,” Cooper shared. “Our community thrives on competition.”
That community connection eventually sparked an interest that has grown far beyond the classroom. While Cooper first became interested in politics during the 2020 election, it was local issues affecting his own hometown that inspired him to launch a podcast. As school funding measures and other community topics gained attention, he wanted to help local residents better understand the issues by bringing community leaders directly into the conversation.
Through interviewing local officials and community members, Cooper has discovered that meaningful conversations begin with trust. “I have learned that when you are transparent with people, and you create a base of trust, they are far more likely to talk to you and answer questions,” he reflected.
As Cooper pursued those interests, Idaho Digital Learning Alliance (IDLA) gave him the opportunity to explore courses that weren’t available locally while earning college credit. One class in particular, COMM 101, proved especially valuable as he continued developing his podcast and expanding his role as a sports commentator. “COMM 101 taught me strategies on how to effectively communicate and how to speak in public,” Cooper explained. “This has made me better at commentating games for Channel 3 News Sports – Silver Valley and has also helped me learn how to ask questions for my podcast.”
The flexibility of online learning also enabled Cooper to balance school, dual credit coursework, athletics, sports broadcasting, and podcasting. Supportive IDLA teachers helped him succeed in challenging courses while encouraging him to continue growing academically, making his experience both rewarding and meaningful.
Although Cooper plans to study accounting and finance before attending law school, he says his experiences with both IDLA and his podcast have allowed him to pursue interests outside of his future career path while developing skills he’ll carry with him wherever he goes. Looking back, he encourages other students with big ideas to start by reaching out to the people around them.
“Go talk to people,” Cooper encouraged. “Ask them questions about how they might go about starting something up… Through this you will likely find that the people that you talk to might even be willing to help you out.”
