Newton’s go-to guy on student issues

By Calvin Hennick
Globe Correspondent

If you showed up late for a meeting of the Newton School Committee, you might wonder who the young guy is — the one adjusting his glasses, sipping from a water cup, occasionally chewing at his nails as others make their points.

The one doing far more listening than talking.

That’s Ben Miller, 16, a student representative from Newton North High. The rest of the committee allows him to speak early in the evening so he can go off to do his homework or hang out with his friends. But instead, he stays until the end, taking in discussions on budgetary and policy matters that would bore most adults, let alone teenagers.

‘‘The position doesn’t give you much,’’ acknowledges Miller, who will be a senior this fall. ‘‘You don’t get a vote. What it’s predicated upon is gaining the respect of the people who do have a vote to the extent that they’ll listen to what you say.’’

He adds, ‘‘You have to be willing to show up to a lot of meetings.’’

Miller’s strategy seems to be working. He tries to attend all meetings and often sits next to the unclaimed nameplates of his three fellow student representatives. And committee members say they turn to him to get a student perspective on important issues.

‘‘I would say Ben, more than most, has both stayed and contributed to the general discussion,’’ said committee member Dori Zaleznik. ‘‘You get the feeling that he is bringing more than his own point of view to the conversation.’’

Zaleznik said Miller particularly made an impact in the committee’s discussions of the district’s food services operations when he argued that more packaged meals should be made available to speed up lines.

‘‘I thought his observations were helpful and that he influenced the course of the discussions,’’ Zaleznik.

Committee member Geoff Epstein said he admires Miller’s thinking.

‘‘It’s like he doesn’t have some kind of constraint on him, like a political constraint,’’ Epstein said. ‘‘He looks at things and says, ‘Does that make sense?’’’

Miller fell into the position during his sophomore year, when no one ran for it and a teacher asked if anyone was interested in serving. He said he initially planned to alternate meetings with the other student representative from North, but he began attending all of the meetings because the other student wasn’t showing up.

‘‘Part of the job description of serving on a committee is going to the meetings,’’ Miller said.

‘‘At least to me, it seems pretty simple. Since no one else goes, I feel like it’s my duty to show up, and I don’t mind it.’’

A classmate, Jackie Assar, said he has redefined the role. ‘‘Before Ben Miller was elected, a lot of people didn’t even know what student representative was,’’ she said.

Assar said Miller was instrumental in keeping students informed during this spring’s budget deliberations, when the School Committee considered reducing the number of classes students could take.

‘‘He was informing us every day, really making sure that the student body knew what was going on,’’ Assar said.

‘‘He was always getting people’s opinions, talking to other students, seeing what they think.’’

The proposal ultimately failed.

In May, Miller ran unopposed for a third year on the board. Despite the lack of opposition, Miller forcefully made his case online, setting up a Facebook group dedicated to his reelection. ‘‘In times like these,’’ he wrote, ‘‘you need the best representation you can get. ... When I talk, Newton listens.’’

Although he takes his role on the committee extremely seriously, Miller brings more levity to his personal life, said his mother, Diane Fassino.

‘‘I think he approaches life with a good sense of humor,’’ she said.

Fassino said that during last year’s presidential election, she referred to him as the ‘‘house pundit’’ because he stayed so informed about the race, even making calls for MoveOn.org in support of Barack Obama’s candidacy.

He’s continued to stay active in local politics, serving as student cochair for Alderman Kenneth Parker’s mayoral campaign.

His interests aren’t limited to politics, though, and he said he’s not sure what he wants to do with his life. He plays cello in the school orchestra, participates in the Model United Nations organization, and has acted in a handful of school plays. His mother expects he will end up in a field that draws on his creativity and writing skills.

Still, Miller said, he is ‘‘absolutely’’ interested in running for elected office one day, and hopes to attend Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

‘‘I would like to do something where I feel like I’m working to effect change for the greater good,’’ Miller added. ‘‘I don’t know how that will play out.’’