Many students at Freedom have some kind of musical ability, but joining the FHS staff this year is a teacher who is classically trained to play tuba, trained to play the bass guitar, occasionally picks the strings of a ukulele and has a passion for the harmonica. Mr. Miklas, the new special education teacher, earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Music and a Master’s Degree in Education and Special Education from Slippery Rock University. He is from North Lima, Ohio, and lives in Mercer with his wife of 17 years. They have a son in middle school and daughter in high school who are also musically gifted. Together, the combined Miklas family plays a variety of instruments including piccolo, oboe, tuba, euphonium, bass guitar, harmonica and ukulele, in addition to singing. Miklas faces an hour-long commute to Freedom every day, which is a challenge he feels has been an opportunity for him. He listens to encouraging and uplifting music on 98.3 to get him ready for the day ahead of him. Miklas says his goal is to “always be available to my students, and all students, as well as the new staff.” By the time he was in eighth grade, he knew sports weren’t for him and he pursued music. Playing the harmonica, he has toured coast to coast, participated in symphony orchestras and played at 8,000 ft above sea level in the mountains of Idaho. His father played the harmonica for two generals in WWII: General George Patton and General Dwight Eisenhower, who later became the President. His favorite part of Freedom High School is “the students; [they] have welcomed me and in three short weeks. I feel like this is my home.”