West’s teachers play an integral part in the success of our community. Along with teaching classes, some faculty also elect to coach sports teams or act as club advisors. But in addition to these responsibilities, Mrs. Milla, known to many as JRod (a throwback to her maiden name, Rodriguez), has gone above and beyond in contributing to the school’s culture.

   One of the classes Mrs. Milla teaches is Anatomy and Physiology Honors, one of the most popular courses at West. Many students enjoy the numerous dissections they perform throughout the year. “I liked that it was really hands-on,” said Sarah Fong (12), who took the class last year. “It was different than my other science classes that I took in previous years.” Not only do many students love the course content, but others also appreciate the way the class is taught. Former Anatomy student Bethany Shim (12) noted how knowledgeable Mrs. Milla is: “[She] just knows so much about the stuff she’s teaching.”

   The other class Mrs. Milla teaches is one she created herself. EMR and Medical Occupations officially became a class at West High last year. A popular option for former Anatomy and Physiology students, the class continues to get students familiar with essential life skills: “I hope they’re able to take out any self-advocating skills that they have for their own health, and also help others that might need medical assistance …  with a life-saving skill that they learn in our classes,” shared Mrs. Milla. One of these skills is cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), which Mrs. Milla has obtained an EMT certification in.

   Many students have recognized and appreciated Mrs. Milla’s extra effort in creating the class. Shim – a current EMR student – stated, “I’m really grateful for it …  she went [to great] lengths to be able to provide this course and this knowledge for us.” Fong added that she saw the course as an opportunity to “get more in depth into the Emergency Medical Services and the possible career paths that I may want to enter in the future.”

   Aside from teaching, Mrs. Milla served as the Girls’ Cross Country coach up until last year. “I really love coaching,” Mrs. Milla said. “I love seeing my athletes progress … and help[ing] them become better athletes.” Her student athletes admired her dedication in coaching: cross country runner Mina Chung (11) remembered how one of her favorite parts of cross country was when “[Mrs. Milla] used to run with us.”

   Most recently, Mrs. Milla has taken up the mantle of West’s Athletic Trainer. “I became an athletic trainer because I have that EMT certification,” she explained. “Also, because I grew up in sports, I like to be able to help out all the other teams and get to know the athletes of the other sports.” As an athletic trainer, Mrs. Milla is responsible for all of West’s sports teams. “I have to make sure, if there’s any injuries, that I go and report to those sports to make sure that their injuries are safe for them to play,” she said. “I can help them treat those injuries after the fact” and “give them preventative measures in case they have a recurring injury.”

   From taking the time to make classes interesting for students to looking out for the health of athletes, Mrs. Milla continually surpasses the job description. It’s clear that she goes the extra milla to improve the school, whether it be in the classroom or on the field.