Creating
Glowing and
Glorious
Letters of
Recommendation
Copyright 2002 by Susan E. Whalley, M.Ed.
All rights reserved
Counselor’s Toolbox
P.O. Box 653
Carlisle, Massachusetts 01741
www.counselorstoolbox.com
email: counselorsresources@counselorstoolbox.com
phone: 978-371-9094
fax: 978-371-7873
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Introduction
Thoughts on Letter Writing
As a counselor, it is common to be asked to write a letter of
recommendation for a student. Some students I know better than I do others.
The majority of counselors carry a case-load of three hundred students...or more!
Teachers may have over one hundred fifty students each year. Some of us think
we don’t know enough about a student to write an effective letter. But there they
are anyway, standing before us with a request.
How can an educator write an engaging letter of recommendation for all
students whose post-secondary plans require one?
Writing a letter of recommendation requires vitality, concentration, and
knowledge of the student. Recommendation letters can be merely positive, or
they can be glowing and electric. How can you muster the required
enthusiasm? This book is meant to help you to jump-start your own thinking
process.
To begin:
1. Try not to put it off. Every day is as strenuous as every other day. Many feel
“Tomorrow I’ll have the time and energy.” This is a comforting thought, but can
add to a build-up of anxiety as the deadline for the finished letter nears.
2. Close the door, refuse phone calls (except emergencies of course), and
eliminate possible distractions. Sometimes we can sabotage our letter writing as
we unconsciously welcome a distraction. Then we are back at #1.
3. Sit quietly at the table, desk, computer and look at the blank page facing you.
Visualize a full page of text you are proud of having written.
4. Picture the student in your mind. Focus on the image of this person. Try to
penetrate the core of this person’s character, their essence. What did this student
look like at birth, age two, four, six, sitting in their grade four classroom, grade
six, the first day of high school? Try to see the person as a bundle of promise.
5. Once you have this deep feeling/insight into the student, imagine them five
years from now, then ten, then thirty. The person is a capable, confident adult.
Picture them in their adult work environment, their home environment.
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Now you are ready to write.
You may simply begin with Letter of Recommendation for: Albert Jacobs.
This is crisper than: To whom it may concern. A counselor or administrator can
simply left justify:
School Recommendation
Albert Jacobs
Describe the person’s essential character based on the deep thought you
have given them at the start. Let the words flow, don’t edit the letter as you
write it. Edit later.
Include specific anecdotes about the student in a clear, concise, yet
comfortable easily-read fashion. This will help to keep the reader’s
attention and make your student’s application stand out from those of
others. What makes this student special?
Comment on how the above information relates to the student’s choice of
college program or job opportunity.
Stress the potential of the individual and why that person is qualified for
the job or admission to the college.
Write about how you feel about the student and what they have contributed
to your classroom, your experience, your life.
If it will help the student, it is fine to share with the reader how students,
staff and administration feel about this student. They will probably earn the
same kind of respect in their new environment.
The reader will want to know how the applicant will add to the life, the
culture of the college or next setting. What sets this student apart from
others?
If you know of the business establishment or have visited the college
campus (or if you went to school there!), it is a great idea to mention that
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you feel this person would be a good match for the school and list some
reasons why, if possible. Will the student add to participation in the
classroom? Be a good role model? Lead others in activities?
Include any irregularities that may have negatively influenced this person’s
life and caused their record to suffer (death in the family, other tragedy,
new family responsibilities).
Does the student have a true love of learning? Do they take challenging
courses? Did the student take advantage of any programs that demonstrate
a desire for more opportunity than just taking classes at your school ? Did
the student take advantage of classes at a local college, summer internships
or adventures that enabled them to grow in new directions? Is there
continuity in the interest area of the student over time? Does s/he do extra
projects or just required work? Is s/he excited by the work or just diligent
and dutiful?
After your letter is written, proofread and edit until it is a letter you feel
represents the student and will be captivating to the reader. Look at it
again the next day and edit once more.
How long should it be?
Letters are generally one typed page.
If you think it is warranted, you may provide a different letter for each school the
student is applying to, or a generic letter. For the most selective schools, it is
better to provide a letter designed exclusively for that school. Then, remove the
particular school’s name from the letter, and create a more generic one for the
student’s file. This letter can be used again and again by the student, as it will
remain in their file at your school.
Things to consider:
When the student requests a letter of recommendation from you....
Ask yourself if you know the student well enough to write a helpful
recommendation. What are your impressions of that student? Can you be honest
in writing this letter? If you have reservations, let the student know. If you fear
your credibility will suffer if you write a positive letter and don’t include
weaknesses you feel the reader should know about, you can include those
weaknesses and still write a positive recommendation.
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It is a good idea to keep a copy of the letter for your files. Employers may call to
clarify information, the same student may come back to ask for another letter, or
it may help you get started when you have to do one for someone else. Also, ask
the student to let you know if s/he was accepted or rejected.
Ask for an outline of interests and activities.
Students may think that their teachers and counselors are all-seeing and allknowing. Therefore, some are surprised to learn we might write a better letter
for them if we had a (typed) list of their interests and activities for your
reference.
Set up an appointment to meet with the student. Ask the student to bring the list
to the meeting. This will provide you with information about the student’s
background in addition to an awareness of other areas of her/his life.
Use the meeting to ask the student about his or her specific purpose (e.g., "Why
are you going on to college?" Is there one area of interest that you have had
throughout your life?).
The student should give you the name and complete address of the person you’ll
be writing to, along with the date by which the letter is needed. Ideally, they will
provide a stamp, addressed envelope for the recipient. You can ask them to do
so.
To waive or not to waive?
Are the students or their parents going to see your letters? My policy is not to
share them with the students or parents. I let them know that the admissions
officers reading their applications will see them differently if they are sure the
letters of recommendation were written in a totally candid manner. I advise them
to waive their rights, but I also tell them they can do as they wish. I let them
know that the reader may have, in the back of their minds, the thought that the
writer may have been less than candid because they felt that the letter would be
scrutinized (criticized) by “interested parties”.
Most colleges include a space for the student to declare if they choose to waive
their rights to review the supporting documents sent with the application. When
they get to college, however, they are free to view the entire file, including letters
unless the college has a policy of destroying these after admission.
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And finally:
If not on your letterhead, include your title and telephone number, email address
or the postal address where you can be reached.
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Creating Glowing and Glorious Letters of
Recommendation
What do college admissions officers want to know?
They ask us to report:
“…whatever is important about a student, a description of his or
her academic and personal characteristics. They ask us to describe
the student’s intellectual promise, motivation, maturity, integrity,
independence, originality, initiative, leadership potential, capacity
for growth, special talents, enthusiasm, concern for others, respect
afforded by faculty and reaction to setbacks. They ask us to
differentiate this student from others.”
Taken from the Common Application
The letters below do just that.
To make a hard copy for easy reference, simply press “Print”. All
70 letters will print out as one document. You can also print out
one letter at a time by pressing “Print”, and indicating the page
number of the item you need in the dialogue box provided.
In addition, a list of Descriptive Words and Phrases is available in
the latter part of the document.
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School Recommendation
Silvia Morconi
Silvia Morconi has been a student at the Academy School since grade six. She came to us
engaged and conscientious, but by ninth grade went through some growing pains, which
manifested themselves in a variety of ways including weaker academic performance. She
is rallying now, returning to her focus on learning. Happily, the past two years have
proven a period of significant growth for her.
With a fresh interest in her studies, Silvia has chosen to take a college level course in
mathematics, last spring and this fall. The commute is lengthy, the challenge,
praiseworthy. We find Silvia fulfilling her academic potential and fully focused on her
future plans to study science and math in order to pursue a career in engineering.
When not involved in her studies, Silvia is employed at the Local Car Fix-It Company,
fixing parts on pumps and motors and helping customers diagnose mechanical problems.
She’s matured greatly from this work experience, learning how to build customer
relationships and team with others in a small business. Silvia has chosen to apply herself
to an off-site project this semester. Her goal is to discover “What is behind the walls?”
She is researching heating, ventilation, air conditioning and HVAC Design. This unique
choice of topic exemplifies the direction we see unfolding for Silvia. Her native curiosity
about the world around her has emerged and she has the ability to achieve in her field of
interest. This combination of intellectual curiosity, emotional growth and readiness and
observed daily effort is a promising one.
Initially reticent to become involved with the greater school community, Silvia has
initiated new extra-curricular involvements. She is a valued member of our girls’
basketball team, and also a participant in student government. She is truly in a steady
period of personal growth.
If accepted to your institution, I believe Silvia will continue to develop herself and will
become even more invested in acquiring the skills necessary to establish a fulfilling
career direction for her future. Please call me if you would like to discuss her candidacy
in more detail.
Sincerely,
9
School Recommendation
Jean Fillipi
It is a pleasure to offer this letter of recommendation on behalf of Jean Fillipi. She
is a delightful young woman who is highly respected by peers and faculty alike. She is
sensitive to others and genuinely kind. Her humanism and sincerity of purpose are gifts
that benefit the lives of all who come to know her.
Jean is an eager and curious student whose work has matured and continues to do
so. She thrives in our academic community, which emphasizes learning through
engagement. Victoria's contributions to the school and her own natural gifts go far beyond
the classroom.
Jean has been editor of our school yearbook for the past four years, and it's a
beautiful product. She readily unites with others to do the job, and sets a tone for other
students to follow. She leads in a quiet, understated way. As a member of the school's
successful Mock Trial Team, Jean is articulate and powerful, and has grace, confidence
and determination. In situations she finds a little anxiety-provoking, Jean ventures into
the unknown and pulls out the best within her. This must come from a lifetime of training
and performance in dance. She is a member of an elite troupe that works to compose and
develop choreography. Most importantly, she also has the benefit of a supportive and
loving family.
We regularly entrust Jean to represent our school to visitors who come here to
study our program and see our philosophy in practice. Her great listening skills and
inclusive, embracing personality are some of the reasons she has been chosen for this
role. Some students might find it difficult to guide adults through a "typical day", but Jean
has the maturity to see to their needs and help them get a sense of the school community
feeling.
Jean is courageous but not fearless. The strength she summons up is a result of her
hard work over many years. She has invited challenges that others might avoid and
learned to meet her fears and master them. This was never more evident than last
summer; during the month she gave serving the disadvantaged of Malaysia. Over and
over again Jean was faced with stark realities for which she could never have prepared
herself. With each encounter, she could put her own fears aside. She was able to muster
the skills needed to deal with each situation at the small community hospital. Jean worked
daily with beaten women, starving children, the homeless…quite a different reality from
anything she had known. Jean stayed with it, and this experience continues to shape her
growth.
Please accept my enthusiastic recommendation on behalf of Jean Fillipi to your
institution. She is a gem and will excel in her studies and contribute to your school's
culture. Please call me if you would like to discuss her candidacy further.
Sincerely,
10
School Recommendation
Ellen Poisnos
Ellen Poisnos has stands out as one of the most respected students of our graduating class
of 2222. She is also one of the best liked. Quiet and modest, she maintains strong relationships
with teachers and peers, and has exerted herself in many ways to expand on her experience.
Teachers are uniformly impressed by Ellen's high quality work, even for the smallest
assignments. They comment on her passion for learning and her excitement. She does not hesitate
to ask questions when she needs clarification, nor does she hesitate to reach out to others who
might need a hand with a concept that is difficult to grasp. Although she sometimes gets frustrated
with material that she finds difficult, as she did with calculus last year, she works through her
frustration until she arrives at an understanding.
Through her many seasons on the soccer field since she was in pre-school, Ellen knows
how to work side-by-side with teammates and make progress toward shared goals. She does so in
a manner that demonstrates her respect for those around her, creating good will and camaraderie.
Well-grounded and confident, Ellen has taken the initiative in many endeavors to create
opportunities for herself and others. She began "at the drawing board" and built a school travel
club, managed a fundraising effort and assisted with all the details so that the group could travel to
Europe and, on another expedition, the wilderness areas of the Northeast coast of the United
States. These efforts enabled her to nurture her love of the out-of-doors, benefit others, and
develop many leadership and organizational skills that will last a lifetime.
It gives me great pleasure to offer Ellen Poisnos my highest recommendation to your
institution. I feel confident that Ellen, will not only take much away, but will have much to
contribute to student life on campus.
Sincerely,
11
School Recommendation
David Nguyen
David Nguyen is a very bright student, and a talented, earnest young man an equally
inquiring nature. He’s an eloquent speaker and writer, and thinks critically and deeply “in
the moment”. Though his transcript shows uneven performance in the past, we have
witnessed tremendous growth this year.
Teachers have been very impressed with the strides David has made. He had greater than
expected difficulty with some elements of his academic experiences, particularly in his
ability to complete work on time. He has overcome this and has shown strength in
organizational skills and thoroughness in his work. We see his previous lack of
assignment completion as a result of his perfectionist style. Now he has turned this
around had does beautiful, meticulous, thorough work. Technically talented, David has
learned some computer programming and graphic design on his own.
Thoughtful, reflective, mature and extremely well liked, David has, in many ways,
“ brought himself up”. He hasn’t always had the kind of family support we would wish
for our students.
David has devoted himself to helping others and strongly participating in the greater
community. The enclosed resume speaks to the variety of experiences he has invited into
his life, including being and exchange student, teaching and mentoring students, and
working at a variety of jobs and charitable endeavors.
I recommend David confidently. Because he has demonstrated evidence of incredible
growth, we have every reason to see him advance steadily in his studies in the future.
Please call us if you would like to discuss his candidacy in further detail.
Sincerely,
12
School Recommendation
Jane Ruiz
In Jane Ruiz you will find a young woman of unusual depth and thoughtfulness. She is
serious, authentic and incredibly creative. Centered and mature, Jane commands respect
from teachers and friends alike.
Jane is the most talented visual artist in our school. Her work is accessible, quirky,
elegant, deeply thoughtful, wonderfully executed and mature. She is also an accomplished
violinist and composer. Her artistry emerges from the depth of her perceptions and her
ability to synthesize and bring to the fore the essential qualities inherent in the world as
she sees it.
Teachers consistently find Jane a compelling force in the classroom. This is because her
thoughtful and incisive perspective is fresh and unique. They find her very self-motivated,
and a truly original thinker. Jane’s teachers also comment that she genuinely enjoys
listening to the thoughts of her peers. She’s open to learning and new ideas, quick to
notice things others don’t. She reacts quickly and spontaneously to things others don’t
even see.
Jane is able to balance her wonderful sense of humor and fun with a solid, serious work
ethic. Her priority is always to focus on academics first. Actively engaged in her work,
she consistently brings a lively curiosity to all discussions. She also readily makes
connections between the academic disciplines.
I wholeheartedly and enthusiastically recommend Jane Ruiz to your institution. She will
bring creative thought, insight, and depth to the classroom and student culture next year.
Sincerely,
13
School Recommendation
Katherine Tsindar
It is a pleasure to offer this letter of recommendation on behalf of Katherine Tsindar. This
intelligent young woman is insatiably curious and hard working and has a depth and
sensitivity rare in someone her age. The personal style that Katherine brings to all she
does is rich with grace, freshness and a desire for excellence.
Because Katherine always puts in her best effort, even for subjects that are not her
favorites, her teachers have the highest regard for her. She knows how to focus on the
work at hand and sift out the substance, and then integrate it into a broader framework.
She is a serious student with a whimsical side to her personality. Teachers consistently
say that she is great fun to have in class, with her unique sense of humor and an
unparalleled ability to spin tales about her adventures. Sometimes dramatic, sometimes
funny, Katherine has been known to bring a crowd to tears!
Katherine is sincere, cheerful and truly unaffected. Her sense of wonder and joy helps
others to also take more time and see things in new and uncommon ways. A visual artist
and student of dance, Katherine has discipline and enormous amounts of energy. She has
taken numerous courses at a local museum of modern art and also commuted to the
capital for two semesters to continue her studies at the Art Institute. During this same
period of time, Katherine studied dance, often managing a class each night of the week in
addition to her studies. She knows how to maximize her time and never forgets to enjoy
herself.
During the summer of her sophomore year, Katherine stepped out of her comfort-zone, by
traveling to Mexico and living with a family for a few weeks. Relying completely on the
Spanish she’d learned at school, the venture propelled her to speak with courage and
expression. She made great friends with her “sisters”, and also began to understand the
true diversity of our world. This sparked her to realize how much she loves to observe
people and study the underpinnings of culture.
Katherine’s supportive family has created a strong foundation for her growth in so many
areas. As the second child and second daughter of the family, Katherine’s talents emerged
differently from those her sister, a national award-winning athlete just one year older.
Katherine has carved out her own strong identity. She is not weakened or withdrawn as
some children might become in the shadow of an accomplished sibling. She has
cultivated her many gifts and established a reliable inner core that promises to blossom
even more during the next stage of her life. Should she be admitted to your institution,
she will bring the powerful force of her self-motivated inquisitiveness and passion to your
classrooms and your student culture. I recommend her wholeheartedly.
Sincerely,
14
School Recommendation
Robert Giovanni
Robert Giovanni is one of the most intuitively intelligent students in our school.
He is a kind and thoughtful young man with a genuine interest in making knowledge
relevant to the world in which he lives.
Robert ’s sophistication and worldview lead him to consistently seek deeper
understanding. Teachers really enjoy having him in their classes because of the sorts of
things that interest him. They also value his informed commitment to taking action in the
world, and the way this tends to influence his peers. His sincerity and need to apply what
he is learning to efficacious and beneficial use, drives discourse and propels participants
to care more deeply about their own learning and its application.
As a math student, Robert has a real talent for problem-solving and analytical
thinking. He has successfully competed in regional math competitions, and is consistently
one of the highest scorers. He especially enjoys being challenged by difficult problems
and issues, ethical and scientific. A lover of theoretical physics, Robert is a student who is
energized by difficult questions. His self-motivation is unsurpassed when a project
stimulates his interest and challenges him.
We have recently seen Robert become more self-aware. In the past, if a topic did
not interest him he would have trouble producing work and his follow-through was
problematic. For a time, he made excuses for a decline in his work. This may have been
caused by the upheaval of his parents’ fairly recent divorce. Robert can now more readily
reflect on his learning process and head-off the stalemates that caused him so much
frustration.
A talented musician and composer and an able software developer and website
designer, Robert is engaged and excited, putting in the time and hard work to advance on
many fronts. His personal warmth and good humor round out this quick, personable and
delightful young man.
I am happy to recommend Robert to your institution. If accepted, you will gain a
student with dynamic brilliance and a great capacity for friendship that easily creates
harmony with others.
Sincerely,
15
School Recommendation
Elena Roberge
Always smiling, full of energy, creative, sensitive and mature, Elena Roberge has
a remarkable depth and inner confidence that is rare in a person her age. She has an
incredible musical and artistic talent, is driven by it and disciplined because of it.
Elena has always set high expectations for herself, and is talented academically
across all disciplines. Imaginative and creative in the classroom, Elena sees things as an
artist sees them, with a different perspective than most. She understands things in a way
that makes them “her own”, then uses her insights to spark discussion. This then affects
others who pick up the thread and keep the discussion moving and advancing. Teachers
consistently say that they delight in having her in the classroom because she has a special
kind of vision and is able to share this with others. They also see her as a student who
exceeds their expectations and takes ownership of her learning process. Though not selfabsorbed, she’s very comfortable with herself, and she’s sensitive and aware of those
around her.
Not one to sit by the sidelines, Elena makes things happen for herself, she gets
involved and takes risks. She has also emerged as a leader of our community, and has
demonstrated her abilities by organizing and planning many events for our school. She’s
skilled at harmonizing the energies of the people she works with, managing all details,
delegating responsibility and acting as liaison with members of the surrounding business
community.
We think the world of Elena and are confident that she will continue to bring her
warmth, humor, talent and curiosity into the next chapter of her life. Please accept my
wholehearted and enthusiastic recommendation of Elena Roberge to your program.
Sincerely,
16
School Recommendation
Eric Soh
Eric Soh is an upbeat, engaging young man with a keen intellect and a
wide range of interests and abilities. Good humored and inquisitive, artistic,
considerate and a person of substance, Eric leads others by example and is
highly respected by peers and adults alike. His wide-ranging interests reflect his
natural curiosity. They include reading (on a wide variety of subjects),
backpacking and studying nature, studying piano, working as a potter, playing
soccer, and skiing.
Eric has a keen mind and is disciplined and capable in all academic areas.
Teachers have noted steady growth and strong skills. When Eric meets with
difficulty, he always faces this head-on with deeper study and more focus on the
subject at hand. He is able to synthesize many complex patterns and ideas,
reason and discuss them with students and teachers, and communicate his
thoughts effectively and inclusively. Though he has many gifts, perhaps the
most important one is his impartiality and generosity toward others.
A hard worker who takes his responsibilities very seriously, when Eric
makes a commitment to a sports team, a school project or a position of
leadership, he does his best to fulfill his role. If a project or responsibility does
not come easily, Eric keeps plugging, and in the face of disappointment, he
perseveres. Because of his inner resolve, Eric has seen many efforts bear fruit
early in his life. For example, this past summer, Eric spent seven weeks in
Paraguay as a community health volunteer with a community service program.
He chose to do this out of his desire to help others as well as to become more
fluent in Spanish. His courage and passion for adventure enabled him to learn
many lessons from the experience with these mountain people, where he
discovered a dramatically different lifestyle and culture from his own. He built
latrines and stoves for the citizens of the small mountain town. With only one
other English-speaking student accompanying him, Eric relied entirely on his
ability to speak the Spanish he learned in school and the fortitude and spirit he
could muster. He succeeded and is so much richer for it.
Closer to home, Eric was able to garner support to create a dark room here
at school. With space at a premium, he put forth powerful arguments that
enabled him to secure the needed space to establish this space where he works
and also teaches other students his craft. He also wrote the grants to provide the
necessary equipment and materials. Similarly, as a skilled skier Eric's inclination
is always to share his abilities with others. For the last three years he has been
teaching six year olds to skate, each week during the winter, encouraging them
with his patience and kindness. He also teaches adults, and does so in a
respectful, non-threatening way.
Eric's track record is proof that he gets results. For this reason, combined
with their deep affection for him, students have elected Eric president of the
senior class.
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Eric approaches his responsibilities to the school community with his
characteristic warmth and good-humor, qualities which sometimes belie his
deep and abiding commitments. All those who have worked with Eric admire
his integrity and understated resilience. Eric also began the Mountain Valley
Pizza business at school four years ago, providing alternative lunches for
students, negotiating with the school on business issues and learning to delegate
responsibilities. Through his efforts, the business has prevailed and is quite
successful. Currently, Eric is the captain of the Mountain Valley soccer team.
He encourages his teammates, gives direction, mediates disputes, and is
instrumental in unifying his team.
Eric Soh has an inexhaustible curiosity. He is also compassionate, nonjudgmental, patient, hard working and supporting of others. He has the strength
of spirit to meet any challenge and the intellectual ability to contribute in the
demanding academic climate he will, if accepted, enjoy at your institution. I am
proud to offer Eric my highest recommendation and have the utmost confidence
in him.
Sincerely,
18
School Recommendation
Ann Pierce
Ann Pierce is a remarkable student and a remarkable person. Her tireless,
extraordinary inner drive for knowledge has made her a formidable scholar, and
consistently taken her beyond the requirements of school. Yet her delight in learning is so
obvious and infectious, and her lack of pretense or arrogance so disarming, that students
and teachers alike find her a real pleasure to work with. And, wonderfully, her desire for
knowledge is matched by an equally strong determination to use her gifts to serve others.
Ann’s passionate approach to studies originates from a comfortable confidence in
herself unusual for someone so young. She thinks deeply, then moves into action. She
grapples with how to make an assignment or project her own, and from there her
purposeful energy is boundless. This depth and energy is apparent in the enclosed
research paper on the “Biological Basis of Schizophrenia”, researched and written during
a single semester of her junior year. Another example has been her work as co-chair of
the Youth and Health Advisory Panel, for which her local community selected her. For
the past year Ann has traveled to __________ regularly, collaborating with thirty likeminded students from a variety of backgrounds and areas. A third, again typical example
of Ann’s energy and follow-through is one of the projects she did to move from grade 10
to grade 11. She wrote and published a refreshing, informative, and upbeat “magazine”
about body image that addresses eating disorders and our society’s expectations of
women.
Ann has the natural ability and drive to master many different areas of study, and
she has in fact excelled in all areas of our curriculum. She really makes the connections
and sees the interrelationships. Yet we find ourselves most moved by another quality that
shines through constantly, and that is her commitment to others. For example, during the
summer of her sophomore year, with the guidance of a teacher, she organized a group of
students from our school to travel to Peru. There the group worked to renovate a small
school in the mountains.
Teachers see Ann as “on fire” intellectually, committed to learning, committed to
success. She thinks hard about the way things work and does not stop until she has
mastered the problems at hand. She is also a good listener, which no doubt contributes
both to her quick grasp of material and to the pleasure of working with her.
As a young woman who has taken the lead in many aspects of school life –
academics, athletics, government, and service – Ann has repeatedly demonstrated the
depth of her maturity, her moral commitments, her trustworthiness, and her reliability.
She is a leader more by example and commitment than by an actual desire to lead. She is
gentle, soft-spoken, and good-humored, characteristics that belie the strength of her
character.
This semester Ann is enrolled in an Anatomy and Physiology course through Dual
Enrollment in order to pursue her studies beyond the high school curriculum.
We enthusiastically recommend Ann for admission to your institution, where we
would expect her to flourish in a community of talented and thoughtful students like
herself.
Sincerely,
19
School Recommendation
Joseph Miller
Joseph Miller is a writer and a thinker. He is also a passionate and creative young man
whose awareness of the world around him moves others to look more deeply, too. An
adventurous spirit, Joseph has had the courage to challenge a variety of personal frontiers
during his high school years. These tests of courage and ability have served to increase the
momentum of his life toward continuous meaningful contribution and service.
Truly on a path that springs from his own inner depths, Joseph is fiercely independent
and at the same time extremely sensitive and politically aware. He has a deep social
conscience and has demonstrated his compassion in a variety of ways. Whether working to
preserve Native American culture, demonstrating against political injustice or volunteering in
homeless shelters, Joseph naturally integrates his beliefs and his actions. In addition, his
writing is evidence of remarkable talent in this rugged individualist…rarely is the work of so
young a person able to bring the reader to tears and laughter, but it does.
Joseph is an independent thinker who chooses to create his world. At those times
when academics don't spark his interest, Joseph holds back, and does "just enough". But at
other times, he selects out what he feels is of value to him, and puts his best effort into the
work. Much independent work has been done outside of school requirements. Joseph is
extremely well read and well informed on issues of politics, the economy, and international
events. He thrives on intellectual conversation and has a keen analytic mind.
If accepted, I am confident that Joseph would utilize the opportunities that your
excellent institution provides to make significant contributions, for that is his nature. These
contributions may be in writing, social science, politics…he has the ability to advance in many
directions. I recommend Joseph Miller with enthusiasm.
Sincerely,
20
School Recommendation
Joseph VanDerbuilt
Joseph VanDerbuilt is a delightful young man whose energy and genuine interest
in the world around him cause him to be one of the most well-liked students in his class
and a natural leader in many ways. He is spontaneous and genuine, has a wonderful,
warm personality and a terrific sense of humor.
Joseph feels a strong connection and responsibility to those in our school
community. Joseph has served for years as a member of our school’s Student Council.
Taking this experience a step further, Joseph now serves as a regional representative and
committee chair to the State Student Advisory Council. This experience has helped him
to develop excellent leadership skills that will serve him throughout his life. He has also
served as the coach for our soccer teams and devotes enormous amounts of time to this
effort. He took the initiative several times to organize and lead our players. He deals
capably and maturely with the outside sports organizations and coordinates the
complexities of making sure the teammates work well together.
In a very deep sense, Joseph is committed to learning. The accompanying records
may not seem to bear this out, but the contradiction exists within Joseph himself and
because of his life experience. Many students balk at attending to subjects and work in
areas that are not favorites. Joseph will readily admit this to be true for him. In science
and math he simply did not put forth the same effort as he did in the arts and humanities
and in Spanish. Some teachers reported a lack of focus and consistency in producing
strong work over time. When he did find the work interesting, however, he pulled out all
the stops, worked thoroughly and diligently and produced excellent results.
Part of the disparity in his academic progress may be due to the stress in the
VanDerbuilt’s family for the past three years since his father was diagnosed with cancer.
Joseph has, for the most part, remained focused on his goals, his work and enjoying his
life, but the constant fear and worry has to have taken their own toll. There is no way to
measure how much different Joseph’s concentration and focus might have been without
this painful and constant reality. We admire what he has done and what he has given back
to our community.
Your institution would be a fantastic arena for the next chapter in Joseph
VanDerbuilt’s life. In the stimulating, thoughtful environment you offer, Joseph will have
a chance to further deepen and grow. I am confident that he will continue to find ways to
serve the larger community, and to bring his warmth and humanity to student culture. I
recommend him wholeheartedly. Please call me if you would like to discuss his
candidacy
further.
Sincerely,
21
School Recommendation
Antonia Pucci
Antonia Pucci is a student who is deeply enthusiastic about her learning and dives
in full-force, energized and curious. She is sincere and genuine, humble and
compassionate, and has endeared herself to students and faculty alike. She is the kind of
person who is always welcome, who makes others feel comfortable, and whose sensitivity
and consideration benefit all who come to know her.
An extremely hard working student, one teacher described her as "the little engine
that could". She's a self-starter who is very disciplined. She sees her work through to the
finish and does her very best, even when it's an assignment for which holds little interest
for her. A true "plugger", she truly owns her work, and strives to learn and do well.
Teachers feel that she is always pleasant to have in class, even on her worst day!
Initially quiet and observant in class, Antonia blossomed here as she began to feel
the support of our student-centered learning environment. As a member of our first
incoming class, Antonia was instrumental in creating the structure and by-laws of our
school. She had the courage to be part of our brand new school. Over time, she began
taking on leadership roles as a member of our yearbook committee and softball team. Her
activities here have been long-standing. Once involved she made a personal commitment
to continue them throughout her high school career. We trust Antonia.
A young woman with old-fashioned values and a richness of character, she is from
a close-knit, supportive and loving family. Her parents are truly the wind at her back,
providing her the encouragement and resources needed to embrace new ventures. This
solid foundation at home enables Antonia to invite new activities and challenges into her
life. These activities always include helping others. As a member of her church youth
group she has mentored younger children and led them in a variety of community service
initiatives. She has also emerged as a strong role model for others in her dance ensemble,
and has been a member of that company for many years.
I am happy to offer Antonia Pucci an enthusiastic recommendation to your
institution. She is invested in her growth and preparation for her future, has clear vision
and is sure-footed. Please call me if you would like to discuss her candidacy further.
Sincerely,
22
School Recommendation
Robert Hearbst
Robert Hearbst is an extremely creative and clever young man. He has a rich and
deep character, and is completely genuine and kind. Teachers love to have Robert in class
not only because he asks good questions, but also because he is upbeat, and is
comfortable with himself. They remark that they rarely meet a high school student who
is so completely unselfconscious. One might call Robert a true student of life; he notices
what others miss and he loves to ponder life's paradoxes and ironies. He sees the world
through a lens most don't. Through brings so much to those around him, just because he
is who he is.
Where does his depth of character originate? Through struggle. Robert has
worked to overcome stuttering, and has done so in leaps and bounds. His accompanying
essay details this journey, but characteristically modest, he omits discussing the victories
we see on a daily basis. Robert has developed strategies for overcoming long-standing
expressive language disabilities. He occasionally needs extended time for assignments
and alternate opportunities for demonstrating his mastery of course material. He has
always been held to the same high academic standards as all students and has been able to
meet or exceed those standards. Although speaking and writing were difficult for Robert
early on, he has gone out of his way to embrace opportunities to challenge himself and
has overcome them. Though eligible for extended time on the SAT, he chose to take the
test as it is regularly administered and this probably lowered his scores significantly.
In class, Robert is seen as a creative problem solver and hard worker. When
making presentations to other students, he is poised, patient and confident. He works hard
at his studies. Robert also regularly delivers spontaneous monologues to fellow students
during our student performance night, a forum for those who wish to share their creativity
and thoughts. He has also performed in our annual school plays with courage, humor and
class. There is a real seriousness about Robert. He has studied karate for six years and has
earned a black belt. For the last four years he has honed his skills in drama and archery.
He stays with things and puts real effort into all he undertakes. One has the sense that
Robert figured out long ago that all his work is for his own growth and benefit, not for a
grade or someone else's approval. Hence, his drive to learn and master things is powerful.
If accepted to your institution, Robert will certainly add to student culture and the
depth of discourse in the classroom. He is a kind and thoughtful soul. I am delighted to
offer my most enthusiastic recommendation.
Sincerely,
23
School Recommendation
Tomas Crowe
When I first met Tomas Crowe I was astonished at how well the name Tomas fit
him. He’s a genuine, salt-of-the-earth kind of person. Teachers consistently remark that
he is an incredibly caring, compassionate, and sensitive human being.
Academically Tomas has grown enormously, in that he has learned to demand
more from himself and discipline himself. He has also learned what kind of effort it takes
to produce quality, substantial work. While he still struggles with expressing himself in
writing, he has been working hard. Tomas has learned to train himself to work
relentlessly until he produces work that meets his expectations and those of his teachers.
He holds his own during classroom discussions and has truly grown in oral
communication skills. He is no longer content to merely observe others from the
sidelines. Each year he sees himself more and more as a thinker, a doer, and a participant.
This area of personal growth will serve him well in the future.
Tomas is one who leads through example. Everybody likes him. He is perfect role
model for our younger students, and has been a volunteer ice skating teacher for four year
olds. Tomas has also been playing hockey himself for thirteen years, and soccer and
baseball for our school for the last six. Because he has the respect of his peers, he is now
the captain of both teams. He knows how to encourage and inspire people, and they trust
him. We also find him a dedicated member of our school community, eager to step in
whenever help is needed. As a peer mentor, he has helped our younger students navigate
through the school year, helping them to our unique school culture and to understand the
academic expectations. He also helps them with their schoolwork. Tomas has a heart of
gold.
Tomas’s career goal, to work in the field of broadcasting, is perfectly suited to
him. He loves cameras and working with video. He’s outgoing and just the type of person
that would attract a loyal audience. If accepted to your school, you will find him a delight
and a positive force in student culture. I have the utmost confidence in his ability to work
hard to achieve his goals and wholeheartedly recommend him to your communications
program.
Sincerely,
24
School Recommendation
Elizabeth Puente
Elizabeth Puente is an extremely strong student, and an active leader in our school
community. Her teachers find her a joy to teach, and they comment on this over and over.
She is a bright, curious, young woman with an infectious desire to learn. Every class she’s
in is enriched by her presence. She is also a young woman with an extraordinarily deep
and genuine concern for others. Her maturity, sensitivity and academic gifts, along with
her unflagging tenacity to achieve her own personal goals, distinguish her even in a
school with a fiercely independent student body. She is immensely liked by the adults and
students alike in our community.
Elizabeth has made enormous contributions both inside and outside of the classroom. She
has a natural tendency to set high goals for herself and then do whatever it takes to reach
them. For example, she determined to become fluent in Spanish. She worked in a
systematic, step-by-step way to master her grammar and verb tenses, and has achieved her
goal of fluency in everyday conversation. Similarly, her diligence, work habits and high
personal standards have enabled her to excel in all academic areas. Elizabeth understands
how to work hard; she puts her soul into it. She is dedicated in her pursuit of
understanding. In Physiological Chemistry last year, she advanced from an early feeling
of being overwhelmed by the new discipline to becoming the class powerhouse. She
attacked all problems with a calm and considered determination that showed incredible
maturity.
A serious-minded student, Elizabeth loves to discuss ideas and debate opinions. She is
consistently active in class discussions. Her technique for learning has been through the
asking of questions, and refining those questions to move the discussion to new levels.
Besides her inquiry skills, her presentation skills have emerged strongly over the years
and have provided her the means to improve in all areas of the school’s curriculum. She
has also developed the ability to do effective and original research over an extended
period of time, as she so ably demonstrated in a study of the conflicting educational
philosophies of prominent educational reformers.
Elizabeth is an able and dedicated leader of our school community and government, a role
she has undertaken for the last five years. Her talents emerged as students worked
together with staff to define values for our new school. She helped to create our
constitution and to develop the infrastructure of our daily life as a community. She is
presently co-advisor of our student body and has been selected to represent the Mountain
Valley High School at many workshops and conferences. At these events she engages in
articulate discussions with educators from all over the country. As a partner in and a
student of educational reform, she is as comfortable answering questions as she is asking
them of more seasoned conference participants. Many have remarked upon Elizabeth’s
understanding of complex issues of school reform, as well as her poise and confidence,
intelligence and maturity.
25
Elizabeth has endearing personal warmth and humor, many friends, and many dimensions
to her life. An avid soccer player for six years, she consistently works to improve her
skills while simply enjoying the camaraderie, the exercise, and rewards, and as she
says…the fun! She's very "down-to-earth". Eager for new experiences, eager to try new
things and venture into untested waters, she takes on many challenges and commitments.
What we so admire is her ability to be upbeat and positive, even with these many
responsibilities. Because of her strength, ability to follow-through, and optimism,
teachers feel that they can trust her in any situation.
If accepted to your institution, Elizabeth Puente will add her gifts and passion for
discovery to classroom discussion and will add her warmth and friendship to the college
community. She's a natural leader and a great person. I offer Elizabeth Puente my highest
recommendation.
Sincerely,
26
School Recommendation
Trevor Salazar
Trevor Salazar is a true humanitarian with a quick, creative mind. He has
demonstrated a rich moral character and a deep concern for human rights and social
justice. Trevor is also an extremely intelligent and engaged student. He not only cares, but
also takes action in a variety of ways to work on issues of social concern.
Trevor questions what is before him, but doesn't stop there. He engages in the
questions and sees them through to new insights and fresh conclusions. Trevor’s own
interests lie in the humanities rather than in math and science, yet his pre-Calculus teacher
remarked that Trevor was the quickest thinker in the class. Trevor sincerely felt he was
"not that good at it." Modest, he tends to downplay his exceptional academic abilities. His
Physiological Chemistry teacher described him as "a very strong student…serious when
necessary, clever always, and a very positive influence on the class." Trevor’s teachers
consistently find him a pleasure to teach and have in class.
Trevor’s real interest is in discovering just how a subject being studied truly
meets his needs. This might determine the effort he will expend to master it for his own
sake and for his own needs in the future. A lover of discourse, Trevor is skilled at moving
the discussion to higher levels. He is an intellect who cares passionately about the world
and its people.
Anthropology, Trevor’s chosen field of study, will be an excellent match for his
naturally inquiring mind and his interest in human variation. At a very early age, Trevor
began to look for ways to get closer to the city, to experience more human diversity. He
would travel into ___________ from his small hometown in ________________. He
began a career as a volunteer, giving his time to work at a soup kitchen. He is committed
to making a difference. Each Sunday for the past year and a half, Trevor makes the
lengthy commute, and finds his own nourishment in the people he works with and serves.
The deeper understanding of human beings in all their variations that he has gotten from
this experience serves him, as well. He has also taken on other responsibilities. One
moment he was a new participant in our local Walk for Hunger. The next he was taking
on the official role as school contact for the Walk for Hunger organization to the state of
_____________. He now plans and fully manages this event to involve members our
school community. Because Trevor is respected for his humanitarian efforts, he was
chosen as a delegate from our school to attend a week-long conference of students from
many different areas. This was right up his alley. The conference focused on how to work
together to alleviate societal oppression and discrimination.
I enthusiastically recommend Trevor Salazar to your institution. Should he be
accepted, I am confident he would be an active member of your student body, bringing a
kind heart, compassion, and optimism to student culture. He will also provide a spark of
insightful, well-informed and truly intelligent participation to his classes. Please call me if
you would like to discuss Trevor’s candidacy in further detail.
Sincerely,
27
School Recommendation
John Clark
John Clark is an extremely interesting and complex young man. His fresh approach to life
and his own guiding and emerging philosophies make him stand out among others. John
endears himself to us, in part, because though very serious he does not take himself too
seriously. He is flexible and open and willing to entertain life’s contradictions as they
arise before him. He studies life and himself at the same time. He’s deep… with a great
sense of humor.
Teachers consistently speak of John’s growth, especially over the past two years. His eyes
have opened, he’s awake, bright and interested in the world. He’s certainly grown in his
commitment to his own education, and has developed a strong sense of self, no longer led
by others as he once was. He has his a strong, reliable backbone.
What we have also seen emerge is John’s concern with humanitarianism and human
rights. His interest in politics and making a difference in the world led him to initiate a
group called ______________, which he discusses in the accompanying essay.
Concomitant with this is his work to involve those in the larger world community by
using print and electronic media. He’s also worked as a staff member of our school
newspaper and literary magazine, and put many hours into helping a school-based radio
station get off the ground. Primarily, the theme that runs throughout all of his efforts is
the expression of his deep beliefs in social justice and his efforts to communicate these
beliefs to others. He is driven to make a difference in the world.
Last summer, John took a course at a local university, committing time, money and a
lengthy commute to do so. Introduction to Philosophy was earmarked for him. I can’t
think of a more perfect confluence of the two streams…that of a sensitive and thoughtful
young man observing his world for better or worse…and the thoughts of the great
philosophers throughout history. Truly, John is being born into the next important chapter
of his life.
I am delighted to offer this serious, funny, humble and refreshing young man my
enthusiastic recommendation to your institution. The thoughtful and expansive learning
environment offered, combined with the rigor and independence required of your
students, the interdisciplinary model your institution provides, all will offer John the rich
soil he needs to take his education and personal development to the next level.
Please call me if you would like to discuss his candidacy further.
Sincerely,
28
School Recommendation
Tomas Bracks
It is a pleasure for me to write a reference on behalf of Tomas Bracks. Tomas is a serious
gymnast, a warm and exuberant personality and a true intellectual. Tomas is a natural
leader, whose social skills and wonderful sense of humor draw others toward him. Many
of Tomas’s teachers describe him as a mature and thoughtful member of their classes.
We are extremely impressed with Tomas’s dedication to his gymnastics. He possesses the
self-discipline and determination needed to succeed in such a competitive arena. Always
eager to strive for the top, Tomas spends long hours training each. Day. The fact that he is
modest regarding his talent and passion for gymnastics is one more credit to Tomas’s
character.
Tomas has struggled with the developmental issues of adolescence. At school, he works
to capacity at times, while at other times he does not put in the effort needed to complete
required work. We feel his brilliance needs to be tempered with more self-discipline in
the academic realm in order for him to truly fulfill his potential in his studies.
Tomas’s ability to relate to both peers and adults at Mountain Valley is truly a gift. He
takes his relationships quite seriously and will think nothing of going to the extra mile for
a friend. Often Tomas surprises us with his well-developed sense of self and insight that
is rarely seen in young men of his age group. We will miss Tomas dearly when he
graduates this spring.
Sincerely,
29
School Recommendation
Rory Fox
Rory Fox, in a word, gleams. Her positive attitude, confidence and tenacious work
habits have served as an inspiration for both students and teachers. In the twenty years I
have worked with students, Rory stands out as a shining, energetic, dynamic personality.
Rory puts enormous amounts of effort into her schoolwork. Her drive is so strong
because it is generated from within. Through her effort, she has developed intellectually,
and she is always looking for new ways to challenge herself. Our school philosophy and
culture, which emphasizes learning through deep engagement with the subject on a
variety of levels and through many disciplines, has been ideal for her. Rory’s teachers
comment about her command of the subject as a result of her study, and also her ability to
articulate her process and understanding clearly to others. Her passion for her own
education causes others to feel the same way. She leads others, bringing out the best in
them.
When talking with Rory it is easy to feel uplifted. She is full of enthusiasm and it
is contagious. What is she enthusiastic about? Learning and improving herself, growing,
exploring, and embarking on new adventures. Rory’s dream to live in Spain, learn the
customs and use her Spanish, was realized because of her own determined efforts to
navigate the complex requirements to make the trip. Not satisfied to see the world from
the point of view of a tourist, she lived with a family in Madrid for a month, working at a
fishery and at a day care center. There she also took time to explore that country's rugged
landscape. Similarly, the previous summer, at the end of her sophomore year, Rory
planned and raised money to participate in a two-week trip to Argentina, living with a
family, working in a school, and again, exploring the National Parks.
An avid backpacker-naturalist-outdoorswoman, Rory has a curiosity that
overpowers any reticence that might arise in the face of uncharted waters. She helped our
school develop a recycling policy and maintain a system to ensure our participation. This
year she is an Environmental Education Intern at the _____________, a position that
requires a substantial commute from her home in ________________ to ___________.
Her respect for the environment comes from first hand experience. She's hiked the Grand
Canyon in winter, rafted the Colorado River, taught rock-climbing to beginning students,
and helped six year olds to learn to ski for the past two winters. Her greatest fulfillment
comes from extending herself to benefit others and working for a cause; including, yet
transcending her own needs. She loves nature and loves sharing her skills so that others
can love it as well. I'm sure enormous credit is due to her close and supportive extended
family. Her love of the outdoors must originate from their tradition of adventures
together.
30
Rory has not been happy with the results of her standardized test scores. As we
have seen the quality of her work demonstrated repeatedly since she began here in grade
seven, we believe the scores are not a reliable indicator her academic promise.
If admitted, Rory will add so much to student life next year. She will be greatly
missed here. I am delighted to offer her my highest recommendation. Please contact me if
I can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
31
School Recommendation
Daniel Sambau
Daniel Sambau is a young man with a number of exceptional talents. His high
school record is non-traditional in many ways, and for this reasons his application may
require more in-depth review than most.
Daniel is an accomplished flautist. When asked why he did not list flute as an
interest area on an application to attend our school, Daniel replied (surprised):
“Performing on flute isn’t something I do. It’s who I am!” He does not remember a time
when he did not have his flute and play music. He has grown up with it; it has been a
measure of his physical, intellectual, emotional and musical growth. It is the language
with which he is most comfortable, a way to communicate his feelings.
A student of dance for the greater part of his childhood, Daniel performed
professionally with the local ballet company. The resumes that accompany his application
attest to his special abilities and also his devotion to developing them. The enclosed CD
is also an example of his accomplishment. Behind these is the story of a child prodigy on
the flute and a gifted dancer. Summers were spent at music camp. Hours not spent in
school were spent in travel to lessons and practicing, practicing, practicing. For sixteen
years Daniel has continued to grow as an artist and also mature into a many-faceted
human being. Each year Daniel, now famous for his talent in his mother’s hometown in
Arkansas, visits every nursing home giving concerts for the residents.
Because he is extremely quick, and picks up abstract concepts with ease, Daniel
moves at a rapid clip. He is technologically gifted, as well, and has donated hundreds of
hours assisting in the creation of our school’s computer-network infrastructure. He is able
to troubleshoot almost any computer problem in the school, and when called upon to help
his positive attitude and willingness to be involved is a comfort to our entire staff.
A debilitating illness, described in depth in another part of this application, caused
Eli to miss a great deal of school during his first years with us. Although he received
home tutoring, much required work went unfinished. The result was a need to postpone
his expected year of graduation. Initially disappointed, Daniel overcame those feelings
and has been able to produce more written work, showing us a new sense of
responsibility and diligence. He has consistently refused to request special
accommodations for an Attention Deficit Disorder that was diagnosed in the seventh
grade. His lower than expected SAT II scores may be related to attentional processing and
sequencing problems.
There is so much to Daniel, and so much yet to blossom. We have seen him grow
and mature, so that his natural generosity and curiosity allow him to explore new ideas
and new material with genuine interest. He has overcome stumbling blocks to success as
a student caused by the complex factors of illness and his mild learning disabilities. We
expect that he will continue to astound us with his insights and abilities. Many doors are
open to this talented, spirited, and insatiably curious young man. If accepted to your
institution he will be able to explore his talents even more fully, continue to develop in a
variety of ways, and will also find ways to give back to the larger community. I am happy
to offer my heartfelt, positive recommendation.
Sincerely,
32
School Recommendation
Lucy Recorro
Strong of spirit, insightful and creative, that is Lucy Recorro. Her inner voice is clear and
sure, vibrant and penetrating.
As a student, her genuine thirst for knowledge and keen desire to make meaning of what
she learns moves others around her to think more deeply, too. We have seen a dramatic
unfolding and blossoming of her innate intellectual gifts over the past three years. At the
start of her program here she might have been considered but an average student. Now
she is at the top of her class in all academic areas. Teachers find that she is committed
and involved, and takes the time to learn even the most difficult subjects before her,
gaining mastery over them. She consistently participates in class discussions and takes
pride in the polished work she submits, seeming to grow with each new effort.
This is a result of her ability to take feedback constructively. She also takes risks in her
learning, letting each project evolve as she evolves, as it moves to completion.
Everything Lucy does seems to flow from a powerful inner source. As a modern dancer in
our elective program, her buoyant spirit surges. The choreography she creates is
spontaneous and unrestrained. Lucy knows how to tap her creative powers and let them
free. She unlocks her own deep wisdom and she shines. This same creativity is evident in
all she does; the dance is a metaphor for her approach to life.
This young woman has the depth and breadth to include all those around her. As a
mainstay of our school community, Lucy has been involved in so many of our activities.
She is always a steady presence, a confident yet quiet and unassuming leader. Whether
editing, writing, or producing artwork for our school paper or guiding visitors who come
to learn how we apply our unique philosophy of education, Lucy understands the big
picture and communicates in powerful and effective ways. Always giving of herself if
there’s a prom to be planned, a class trip to be arranged, a fundraising event to take place,
she takes responsibility. Lucy has our trust.
If accepted to your institution I am fully confident that your student culture and classroom
discourse will be enriched by the depth and sincerity of her character. I am delighted to
offer her my highest recommendation.
33
Sincerely,
School Recommendation
Ann Worney
Ann Worney is an incredibly lively, confident, engaging young woman. She is a delight in and
outside of the classroom, and has earned the respect of peers and teachers alike. One of the most
inner-directed students I have known, she gets an idea, a desire to try something, to experiment, and
she makes it happen. She has enormous energy and seems fearless, eager to experience, to go, to do.
What impresses me most about Ann is her heart. She has deep concern for other people, for
social causes, and seeks to be a force for justice. Ann also has the uncanny ability to see into the
substance of things, to recognize the essential nature of a person, a cause, a principle of physics (she
read Schrodinger's Cat about Quantum Physics and reports that now, she "really sees the world
differently").
Her values are the kind of underpinnings that will sustain her for a lifetime, because they are
essential values of respect, desire to uncover truth, desire to understand the world and the people in it
more fundamentally. For example, her interest in language led her to take a linguistics course through
the local university. The content of the course was extremely challenging and Ann traveled sixty
miles round trip each week to attend the class. This experience brought her to a new level, and she
plans to continue studying the effect that language has on gender issues.
Ann has learned through her years here how to work hard at something that does not come
easily. She has also learned how to listen to others and fully absorb their perspectives before rushing
in with her own convictions. Teachers remark that she has excellent organizational skills, that she
knows how to "get the job done". She can look clearly at her work, refine it, and use her knowledge
and abilities to influence others. She, along with classmates, created the school debate team and won
a number of tournaments. Last year she assisted a lower level Spanish class, often teaching it herself!
The teacher could rely on her so thoroughly that she could let Ann "run with the ball", finding that she
instinctively knew what to do next and how to prepare in advance in order to teach successfully.
Equally at home in her family's country of origin, France, Ann is bilingual and bi-cultural. She
visits there regularly, maintaining life-long friendships and connections with her extended family.
34
Often she will take a friend from the United States with her and show them the ropes. Ann is an
outdoorswoman and initiates her own hiking expeditions. This spring she will be going to Utah to
participate in a wilderness expedition. In addition, she spent part of last semester in Georgia studying
film production on an independent movie set.
Ann wants to make a difference in the world, and I know that she will. She has the flexibility,
the energy, the imagination and the foundation to continue make great contributions to our world.
Your institution would be an excellent academic and social arena to nurture her gifts even further. The
flexibility of studies and rigor of coursework will continue to hone Ann Worney's talents and
character, and I am happy to offer my highest recommendation. Please feel free to call me for any
further information.
Sincerely,
35
School Recommendation
Marcia Robbins
Marcia Robbins is an outstanding and talented student with a deep drive to master her
world and her work. She works unstintingly to penetrate the core of any material before her.
When challenged, she enlists support from those who can help, finds success, and is rewarded
by new understanding. She then incorporates her new skills into a repertoire of abilities that she
uses, in turn, to benefit others.
Marcia is most at home in highly analytical classes that provide for discussion and
debate. Outside this realm, she may start out feeling "all thumbs" in a new and difficult subject;
and she works so diligently that she becomes completely confident in that area and a resource to
other students. For example, forced by scheduling requirements into a Physics class last year,
before she felt she'd had the background she needed, Marcia found the content demanding yet
enjoyable. In fact, because of her capacity to attempt the difficult, to put in the effort, to stick
with a problem to its conclusion, Marcia has much to offer others. She is a natural leader.
Marcia is also remarkable in her calm, understated individuality. From this inner surefootedness Marcia has been free and able to enjoy a variety of adventures in remote places,
learning from her experiences and giving back to others, as well. From the enclosed essay about
her weeks in Peru the reader can sense the timelessness of Marcia 's inner voice and her
sensitivity. For this young woman to invite this kind of experience and not shrink from the daily
difficulties of the villagers is uncommon and telling. She has guts.
From a close, supportive family, Marcia has been given wings. She is strong. During the
summer of her sophomore year, Marcia was about to leave for a back-woods expedition to
Oregon when she first learned of her mother's diagnosis of cancer. With her mother’s
encouragement, even knowing she would be out of contact for three weeks, Marcia drew on her
incredible personal courage and continued with her plans. Marcia and her mother found strength
in each other's resilience under duress.
Although I have mentioned many strengths in this letter, the one strength we most
admire is Marcia 's capacity to stand up alone. Marcia will put herself on the line for what she
believes is just. Unswayed by others' opinions and not needing their approval, Marcia is an
uncommon gem, and has the respect of all faculty and students alike. Her understated but
unswerving commitments have inspired other students. As leader of our Student Affairs
Committee for many years, Marcia has shown truly remarkable leadership with peers, and also
the faculty and administration. She simultaneously is able to achieve and retain a fair-minded
quality when dealing with conflict regarding individuals. She also demonstrates clearheaded
attention to process, due process and precedent in matters of justice and governance.
I am happy to offer Marcia Robbins my highest recommendation to your institution. She
will grow even further from the academic rigor and the climate of intelligent discourse. If
accepted I am confident that she will also take this opportunity to the next level, utilizing her
opportunities and her gifts to make significant contributions to others. Please feel free to contact
me of I can provide further information.
Sincerely,
36
School Recommendation
James Tsoukalas
It is a great pleasure to offer this letter of recommendation on behalf of James
Tsoukalas. He is a remarkable young man whose interests, background and native ability
indicate that many adventures and much success lies ahead for him. In addition, his
warmth and humble, embracing nature enable all who know him to feel comfortable and
at ease. He can talk to anyone about anything.
James grew up in Greece, returning to the United States for the seventh grade.
This bi-cultural background enables James to appreciate diversity and understand the
relativity of cultural values. To maintain his fluency, James has taken Greek language
instruction privately for the past five years. An eager learner, James has found many ways
to advance his education within our school and beyond its walls as well. Last summer he
took a computer science class at the University of ___________________ , a lengthy
commute from home.
Grounded and confident, James works hard, and rarely gets frustrated. A quick
thinker and a debate enthusiast, he emerged as a strong leader of the Mountain Valley
Debate Team. In order to fund our team and support its activities, Along with other
students from our school, James initiated a now popular website for other debaters around
the world to connect with each other and share information.
James is deeply committed to others and to his community and is genuine and
sincere in all that he says and does. He is prepared to serve as a missionary for
____________. Each day for the last three years, James has arisen at 5:30 am to attend a
religion class that meets at 6:00 am. He has been ordained a priest and regularly blesses
the sacrament and gives prepared talks on spiritual subjects at church meetings. He
maintains the highest personal and moral standards.
James’ strong desire is to further develop his abilities to ask insightful questions,
work out answers conceptually, and think beyond the expected. If accepted, your
institution would provide James the necessary rigorous academic climate to further
develop his gifts. He is an extremely intelligent young man with remarkable humanism
and a deep sense of purpose. I am delighted to offer him my wholehearted and
enthusiastic recommendation.
Sincerely,
37
School Recommendation
Alexia Smith
A joyful and highly motivated student, Alexia Smith is a young woman who leads by
example inside and outside of the classroom. Her kindness and optimism are matched by
her energy to excel academically and the contagious thrill she takes in learning. In
satisfying her true passion for knowledge, her heart and mind become fixed on the
challenging goals she sets for herself.
Teachers consistently remark at the pleasure that they have taken watching Alexia’s
evolution into such an able student over the years. Once unconfident and reticent, Alexia
is now poised and powerful. She holds her own in classroom discussions…able to sustain
an opposing point of view and not cave in to pressure from others. Teachers find her
driven to understand her work, not merely to complete it. She monitors her own
understanding well, asks incisive questions, and forces others to think in more directed
ways.
Alexia has given deeply of herself in many areas of our school community and the
community outside our walls. We find her truly blossoming and creating opportunities for
others as she forges new territory. Taking the lead with a ready sense of humor and an easy
camaraderie, Alexia brings people together. Whether as a youth minister at church, a camp
counselor, an intern-guide at the local aquarium, or co-editor and “pillar” (for five years) of
our school’s yearbook, she is quick to reach out to others and bring them into the
excitement of the project at hand. As captain of our softball team for the last six years
Alexia has been deeply committed to skill development and team building. Her singular
optimism enables the team to maintain high spirits and a sense of perspective. Similarly,
Alexia has taken leadership in our debate club competition over the last four years. This
effort involves detailed preparation for the presentation of cases and the development of
material for the cross-examination of witnesses. Emotional preparation and stamina is also
required, as students feel the roles they take on and begin to truly live out the emotions of
their characters. In these competitions, Alexia truly shines.
If accepted to your institution, I have complete confidence that Alexia Smith will continue
to enrich school culture in every way, as she has here. In her you will find a true leader, a
devoted team-player, a student who always strives for excellence in all she undertakes. She
has the energy, enthusiasm and the embracing nature to move others as well. She is an
exceptional young woman! She has my highest recommendation.
Sincerely,
38
School Recommendation
Teresa Tsui
Teresa Tsui is a gentle, kind, well-liked young woman with a very strong inner voice and
a steady, sure sense of self. She is one-of-a-kind in her active devotion to her love of
animals and the understated way she contributes to those around her each day.
Teresa’s love of animals is legendary, and for years she has been active in the local 4-H
Club. She’s always had animals and cared for them, learning the science behind the care
and matching her knowledge with compassion. For example, Teresa and a friend rescued
a pregnant dog from the ASPCA and raised her through the birth of her puppies, then
assisted in finding them homes. She also nursed her family’s horse through a difficult
illness years ago. The work left its mark on Teresa, and also enabled her to carve out a
mission in life for herself. She wants a career caring for animals.
Teachers find Teresa really coming into her own over the past two years, working hard
and putting her heart into all of her school projects. When she presents her work to
classmates, she does so with confidence and poise. She can field questions from the other
students, answering accurately and thoroughly. She is well respected for this. Teachers
feel she has an exceptionally high aptitude for research and investigation. They also feel
she is an exemplary student, and has grown into real a leader happy to help others with
their academic struggles when needed.
Teresa is also a strong student who is able to work well on her own. Teachers find her
very self-aware, and she responds to feedback with humor and humility. She’s easy to
guide and takes suggestions as they are given, always using them for her own growth and
development.
It would be hard to find a student who could be kinder through-and-through to enhance
the student culture at your college next year. I offer Teresa Tsui my most sincere and
wholehearted recommendation to your program.
Sincerely,
39
School Recommendation
Bradford Caper
Earnest, honest, talented and creative, Bradford Caper has earned the respect of
teachers and classmates alike. He is a self-directed learner, exactly the type of student
who will not only find success on any college campus, but will inspire those around him
to excel as well.
Whether working in the area of arts and humanities or the area of math, science
and technology, Brad shows evidence of unusual talent and creativity. His gifts enable a
special kind of intuition to flower, and he brings tremendous insight and originality into
classroom discussions. Not one to avoid complex and difficult topics, Brad often leads
more hesitant classmates into new realms of thought, provoking even More depth from
the chemistry within the group. Teachers consistently remark about his enthusiastic
participation in class and his rich, deeply thoughtful approach to his work.
Brad is excited about life and about learning. He has begun to teach himself to
speak Japanese. At the same time, Brad has been teaching himself computer
programming, animation and drawing. He has also created and produced numerous films
using these self-taught animation techniques.
At the outset of his adventures in animation, Brad drew all two hundred of the
animation “cels” for a movie, by hand. He then scanned all the cels, converting them into
electronic files. After adding color he animated them and recorded the voices of friends
who assisted as voice actors. Another friend was enlisted to write music for the
production. Bringing many together to work as a team, Brad found incredible personal
satisfaction as the artist, director and producer of the film. Through devoting time to what
he loves to do, is Brad has found his passion and his life’s work.
In wanting to share his excitement and skills with others, Brad established
"Anime", a Japanese animation club at school. This has woven together the variety of his
interests and propels him toward his goal of video game production. His joy is
contagious, and he has influenced many students to "go for it!" He is also a constant voice
for our Gay/Straight Alliance, and has emerged as a visible and vocal leader and advocate
for others over the past two years.
Bradford Caper is determined, inquisitive and gutsy. What we also find constantly
refreshing about him is that he is so down-to-earth and such a great human being. He is a
joy to know. If accepted to your school, you will also find him a clear voice, a great
talent, a hard worker and a devoted artist. I am delighted to offer him my highest
recommendation.
Sincerely,
40
School Recommendation
Phoebe Camden
Phoebe Camden is a kind, hardworking student who has taken full advantage of
her educational opportunities over the last four years, and has also created many new
challenges for herself. A person who feels things deeply, with a kind and sensitive heart,
Phoebe has developed many strong friendships with students and faculty members alike.
She is respected by our community for a variety of reasons. Hard-working and fully
engaged in learning, her optimism and wholesomeness has a positive impact on us all.
This evolution has been conscious and purposeful. Phoebe has been seeking out
new kinds of experiences, all the while subduing fears of trying something new. She has
recently spent time volunteering at a local prison, and she has also offered her time again
and again to assist with feeding the homeless. She has also given of her time to be a
reader to Spanish speaking third grade students in a nearby city. Whether teaching skiing
to children, mediating disputes among peers (she has received formal training in peer
mediation) or participating in our Mountain Valley Student Council, Phoebe is involved
with those around her in meaningful ways. Because she is trusted, she has served as a
student interviewer of potential teachers and also assists our own staff and students
during our evaluation periods.
Phoebe has been pursuing art classes independently for the last three years,
learning side-by-side with people of all ages at a nearby museum-school. In the process of
becoming an artist, Phoebe has translated her experience so that it can serve her in many
different ways. She has learned to use feedback and has lost her self-consciousness when
she doesn't "get it right" the first time. She has also learned to see the benefits and growth
that can come from taking manageable risks.
Phoebe recently wrote, "I feel that it's socially cool to be smart and to ask
questions." Everything Phoebe does, she does with a special flair, as artists will. She
strives to make even the mundane more beautiful or interesting or thought-provoking. Her
focus now, combining art and graphic design, is a fitting match for her passion and
creativity.
It has been a joy to witness Phoebe 's emergence from a quiet young girl to a
young woman who can express herself with clarity, confidence and style. Please call me if
you would like to discuss Phoebe 's candidacy in further detail.
Sincerely,
41
School Recommendation
Jean Lopez
Jean Lopez is a delight. She is spirited, ebullient, and enthusiastic. Classmates and
teachers alike find her to be a joyful young woman of energy and striking humanity. She
is expressive and creative with an irrepressible artistic flair.
Jean has evolved into an able student. At first shy and happy to observe lessons
and discussions without taking too many risks, Jean now is confident and freely offers her
thoughts and opinions in class. One of the greatest changes in Jean is that she is no longer
afraid of giving a wrong answer or appearing foolish before her peers. She is spontaneous
and confident, comfortable with herself. She is also a student who understands hard work
and the investment required for active learning. Her native strengths are in the areas of
arts and humanities. Science and mathematics required more concentration and effort
from her. Initially she put more of her energy into the humanities, but she steadily learned
what was required to advance in the areas of math and science. She recently remarked, "I
really love statistics!"
Emerging as a student leader, Jean has taken responsibility for many senior class
events. Her personal warmth and embracing nature enable her to attract different kinds of
students to work side-by-side with her. Because she knows from her own experience the
reticence of the quieter student, she is effective at reaching out to them and including
them in group work. She's thoughtful and considerate not only to her peers, but to
teachers and staff, all the members of our school community.
Jean has devoted much time over the years in the service of others. As early as
grade seven she worked in missions helping to feed those in need and doing what she
could. Her enclosed resume details those experiences. In addition, over the past three
years Jean has spent summers traveling to different countries. Two of those trips provided
opportunities for her to work as a member of a mission. The other afforded Jean the
chance to live with a Venezuelan family, use her Spanish and learn the culture. Jean
began to give of herself in new ways, helping children working in a small hospital and
teaching, being a young ambassador of our country. Her sustained efforts to move out of
the realm of the familiar and leap into the unknown have enabled Jean to become a young
woman of courage and depth.
Now Jean has a new and more profound perspective on her life and on what is
important in the world. Her strong desire is to continue to explore and develop her
spirituality. She feels that the environment and student culture at your institution will
provide the necessary content and structure. We agree. If admitted, we are confident that
Jean will succeed academically and will bring joy, energy and a natural leadership to
student life. Jean has our heartfelt and enthusiastic recommendation.
Sincerely,
42
School Recommendation
Robert Vigliotta
Robert Vigliotta is a delightful young man with a sense of adventure and boundless
energy to go with it. He’s earnest, he’s active, he’s a thinker and he’s a risk taker. Robert
is excited and engaged in the world. He’s got pluck and the world is his oyster.
Though Robert sometimes lacks confidence in his abilities in math and science, he has
much strength in these areas. He is much more at home with the social sciences and the
humanities. Robert gets excited about what he’s learning and he is interested in so many
areas. Last year he chose to do an independent project about Piaget as an extension of his
natural interest in psychology. His teachers see him as a budding intellectual. They see
him as a genuinely curious person, loving to learn about life, fine-tuning his own
perspective and often challenging conventional wisdom. He is always into a book,
reading independently on a variety of subjects.
Not too many young men have the fortitude required to stand alone, the sole
representative of the male gender in a women’s studies class, but Robert does. Though
given the opportunity to elect another subject when the gender imbalance arose, Robert
chose to stay. What fertile ground for his active mind and spirit! This arena was terrific
for him to hone his skills in the art of debate and influencing others with his ideas. Robert
can adopt a new perspective, determine its value to him, and integrate it into his life.
Characteristically, Robert learned much and contributed much, and the class was a growth
experience for all involved.
Robert’s tendency to engage with ideas and people and to think on his feet enabled him to
emerge as a strong leader of the Mountain Valley Debate Team. He is now its Captain.
Our school, just five years old, has relied on the passion and interests of its citizens to
establish teams and clubs that reflect these interests. Because of Robert’s efforts and
those of other students, our team has competed nationally and is well known and
respected.
Please accept my wholehearted and enthusiastic recommendation of Robert Vigliotta to
your institution. He’s dynamic yet calm, a “regular guy” with a kind heart, a hunger to
learn, and an unabashed natural sense of wonder. He will bring these great qualities and
contribute enormously to your campus culture next year.
Sincerely,
43
School Recommendation
Antonia Shapiro
It is with great pleasure that I offer this letter of recommendation on behalf of
Antonia Shapiro. Antonia is a young woman of intelligence and determination. At the
core of her life lies the desire to contribute to humanity through medical science. She has
already begun the journey.
Energetic and at the same time, thoughtful, Antonia has an insatiable desire to
move past the limits of her experience, to innovate. Teachers' observations consistently
highlight her ability to analyze complex relationships and to go a step further,
synthesizing what she takes in and developing her own ideas in the process. She is not
afraid to take intellectual risks, basing her conclusions on evidence gathered from her
studies and her experiences.
Antonia spent the last three years expanding her intellectual foundation by taking
academically rigorous classes at a variety of local colleges. At the end of her freshman
year Antonia studied playwriting. This contributed to her emerging interest in the theatre.
She began reading plays during her free time. An avid reader since childhood, Antonia
has taken hold of the existentialists and enjoys making connections between their world
views and her own life, carving out a structure for her own emerging values. As a junior,
Antonia sought to enhance her program by studying Chemistry at the state college. She
felt this would be good preparation for becoming a doctor and wanted to advance more
quickly into this area of science. She wanted to start doing. The class increased her desire
to continue in scientific research, and last summer Antonia enrolled in a Biotechnology
class at -----------------.
Antonia is a natural leader and has earned the respect of her peers and teachers.
She is excited by ideas. She loves to connect the principles that emerge from her studies
in literature to the work she has been undertaking in the sciences. She seeks to apply her
knowledge to her experience. Her strengths are anchored in her attention to detail and her
motivation to do what she undertakes to the best of her ability. She knows how to work
hard, take criticism, learn from her mistakes, and continue on to the next challenge.
If admitted to your institution, I have full confidence that Antonia will excel. I
offer Antonia Shapiro my highest recommendation. Please feel free to call me for any
further information you may require.
Sincerely,
44
School Recommendation
Elizabeth Puentee
Elizabeth Puentee is one of the students who make this school a better place. Elizabeth
has a quiet but effective presence in her roles as editor-in-chief of our newspaper,
representative to the Student Affairs Committee, engaged class participant, and member
of the school community. She is tenacious, thoughtful, and singularly able to keep her
eyes on the heart of the matter or job at hand.
In writing and in speaking, Elizabeth communicates eloquently. She will tell you that
down deep, she is shy. This does not stop her. Her self-reflection enables her to
understand the voices of the quieter, more behind-the-scenes students, and she is often an
advocate for these hidden voices. Not content to merely speak her mind, Elizabeth takes
action. This manifests itself through her editorial work on the paper (when the issues are
controversial), and also through the voice she has on our Student Affairs Committee.
Elizabeth has the courage to take a stand. As an elected student representative for the last
three years, Elizabeth has helped create solutions and sensible consequences for students
who have run afoul of school regulations. She works quietly and unassumingly, never
seeking recognition. She concentrates on the issues she cares most about—social justice,
and helping to create the best environment for quality education to take place.
Teachers see Elizabeth as one of the most selfless, giving students they know. They also
consistently remark that she is an extremely hard worker. When she struggles with a
subject, as she did in Spanish and in Physics, she truly shakes the bull by the horns;
taking risks and not letting her fears get the better of her until she understands the
material. Elizabeth also uses feedback effectively and has made huge strides in the quality
and depth of her work over the last three years.
Although Elizabeth is focused and goal oriented, and willing to take on tasks that need
doing but that others will not step up to, no one should get the impression that she’s staid.
On the contrary, Elizabeth has a subtle but hilarious sense of humor.
I enthusiastically recommend Elizabeth Puentee to your institution. We believe she will
continue to excel in her academic work, and also lead others in her own effective,
sensitive, thoughtful and humanistic way. Please call if you would like to discuss her
candidacy in further detail.
Sincerely,
45
School Recommendation
Antonia Cliban
It is a rare pleasure to be able to write on behalf of Antonia Cliban. She stands
alone as an independent student, a distinguished athlete and a quiet yet powerful leader
among her peers. Teachers find that Antonia loves a tough challenge, sets high goals for
herself, and meets them. They feel that it is an honor and a privilege to teach her. We also
find that kindness and a ready smile adorn her sparkling intellect.
Antonia's exceptional talent, her drive to excel and her deep and genuine desire to
understand the world through many lenses have enabled her to accelerate her education.
Because of this energy and drive, Antonia was able to advance in one year from grade
seven into grade nine. Even with an older group of students, Antonia has emerged as a
uniquely gifted individual. She is disciplined person whose work is always of the highest
quality.
Antonia knows how to direct her efforts, to focus and to dig deeply into her
studies. I believe that the skills and stamina that Antonia has developed through her years
of athletic training and competition have functioned to establish a foundation of
confidence and, at the same time, humility. Always open to suggestions, intellectually
mature and embracing of others, Antonia naturally creates a feeling of camaraderie in her
study groups. She is ambitious in a very positive way, not in competition with
others…but ambitious to make connections and to discover the themes and underpinnings
of life.
In class discussions, Antonia's insightful comments and thought provoking
questions help to push the group to higher levels of understanding. Teachers note that she
tends to offer up her thoughts more spontaneously in the areas of math and science and
may be more reticent in the arts and humanities, yet there; too she is an able leader. Her
calculus teacher was thrilled with the extraordinarily complex problem that Antonia
chose to tackle: the analysis of a mathematical model for a nuclear arms race. He felt that
she was successful in her analysis, and was also able to effectively communicate to her
classmates how she was able to extract meaningful information about the model's
behavior. This is a young woman with a commitment to learning.
As a regional champion at the debate team’s competition, Antonia did a superb
job. She has also won championships for gymnastics at the national level.
I am pleased to offer Antonia my highest recommendation to your institution. If
admitted, she will continue to explore the world through a variety of disciplines and will
find her way to make the connections and make a worthy contribution.
Sincerely,
46
School Recommendation
Laurie Mider
Laurie Mider is the daughter of a Russian immigrant. She has one foot in each
culture in many ways. We find her a very bright, deeply interesting, evanescent spirit with
a gentle character and a quirky, ironic view of life.
Laurie grasps ideas and new information in every field of learning quickly and
easily. For her the challenge has been taking ideas and using them in classroom
assignments. Her first years here, she struggled with the desire to produce perfect work
and an inability to harness her own curiosity, sometimes creating overly-ambitious
projects for herself, then meeting with a stalemate. She turned the corner with this
tendency during her junior year of study in the Ukraine. There she became a much more
productive and determined student.
Before her trip, Laurie typically began her schoolwork with energy and
determination, only to leave most of her work unfinished. In the Ukraine she felt that as
an exchange student, the teachers were not overly concerned about her progress, so she
began to feel safe turning in her work. This year, teachers consistently report that she has
been advancing steadily, submitting work that shows confidence and displays her superior
ability in oral and written expression. The coming together of her newfound assurance,
her breadth of knowledge and her outstanding ability to express her inner thoughts is
coming to fruit.
To say that she is a voracious reader would be an understatement. As a youngster,
her background in two cultures was sometimes an impediment to the creation of easy
friendships with schoolmates. As the youngest child in a large family (that occasionally
became even larger with foster children), Laurie sought refuge and solitude in her books.
She grew up within the pages. At this stage of her life, her strong interest in math and
science now leads her into reading mathematical books on her own for entertainment.
Laurie’s first impulse is to help others. She can be found cheerfully volunteering
for any number of tasks that others might not consider fun or interesting. She devoted
enormous amounts of time to our school last summer, packing and unpacking supplies
into our new building, cleaning, or serving up lunch to teachers. She is a wonderful,
gentle human being. If accepted to your institution you will find a humane, sweet soul
with a deep inner life. She has an unflagging commitment to learning about the world
around her, and will be an active member of your student community. I offer Laurie
Mider my most enthusiastic recommendation.
Sincerely,
47
School Recommendation
Mary Alba
It is a pleasure to offer this letter of recommendation on behalf of Mary Alba. This
young woman has faced enormous obstacles due to her health over the years. The
diabetes she lives with has not beaten her down; rather, she has used her condition to
define her mission in life.
As you will learn from the accompanying documents many days Mary was too
sick to get to school and function along with the other students. She never used her illness
as an excuse, and always did her best work in every subject. She has steadfast selfdiscipline. This discipline is a well-known characteristic of those whose every meal,
snack, beverage or bite of food has been measured and portioned out day after day, year
after year. To stay alive she tests her own blood many times a day, monitoring her blood
sugar and giving herself insulin shots. Her struggles to master her situation have caused
her to mature and experience life at a deeper level than most her age, and because of this
she is an inspiration to our students and staff.
Mary has a range of academic and artistic talents and a natural curiosity and zest
for life. She also has a positive energy that influences all who come to know her. In some
ineffable way, this energy is communicated through her calmness and self-assurance. An
enthusiastic learner, Mary meets her challenges by jumping in, and she is always willing
to give things a try, to be fully engaged and with a whole heart.
Teachers feel that Mary is one of the warmest, most compassionate and gentlest
students they know. They consistently remark that she has masterfully managed to move
forward academically despite the complications from her disease. In her early years here,
she used to keep her medical issues quiet, but now is an able student leader and advocate
for the Juvenile Diabetes Association. She recently gave an interview to a regional
newspaper about her condition, her life, her goals and dreams. It is on display in the main
hallway of our school.
When I meet with Mary I am moved by her grace, poise, intelligence and warm
consideration. A recent note she sent me, (without parental prodding), said it all. In
thanking me for a small favor she detailed not only her appreciation but also her
understanding of how I might have been inconvenienced while extending myself on her
behalf. I have worked with students for almost twenty years and rarely meet a student so
“tuned-in” to others.
Mary is a striking and bright-eyed young woman, compassionate, disciplined, a
fighter and a determined student. I have complete confidence that she will meet the
academic challenges before her. She will also continue to be a role model for others and
will add depth and dimension in the classroom and within student culture. She has my
enthusiastic recommendation.
Sincerely,
48
School Recommendation
Roberta Negrin
Roberta Negrin is an energetic, diligent and serious student who consistently infuses a
healthy playfulness into all she does. An optimist, she is the person who makes lemonade
from lemons and finds the sunshine behind the clouds. Her natural gifts of thoughtfulness
and patience are the anchors that make her an able, hard-working student and a loyal,
trustworthy friend.
Teachers consistently remark that Roberta takes real ownership of her schoolwork, and
consistently demonstrates her mastery in all subject areas, including those she likes the
least. Over time she has developed into a clear and confident communicator. She has also
naturally evolved into a leader, and has begun speaking up more regularly, even when it is
not easy to do so, and is taking risks. In project-based groups teachers find her
trustworthy and reliable. Initially shy but friendly, over time she has opened up and now
it’s clear just how bright, clever, articulate and sensitive she truly is. She is also strong
and can take criticism, using it to advance.
One thing that stands out from all her other strengths is her love of learning. She is guided
by an inner drive to know more, to uncover, to research and to make sense of the world.
This characteristic is what makes her a solid and successful student. It is also what causes
others to be attracted to her. This motivation and sincere, deep yearning for “all the
pieces” makes her a pleasure to know and an inspiration in the classroom. When
combined with her energy, optimism and genuine caring for others, Roberta Negrin is a
true joy. Her radiant smile and humility enable those around her feel at ease.
An avid softball player and swim team member through the YMCA, Roberta is great at
encouraging others. She brings this enthusiasm and real caring into her work teaching
swimming to children. Roberta recently told me that one of the greatest pleasures in her
life is helping the little ones learn to swim, keeping a smile on their faces through the
splashing and the bobbing. This girl has a world of patience.
Roberta has what it takes to be successful at your institution. She works hard, takes her
studies extremely seriously, is a great friend to others, and exudes a buoyancy of spirit.
She is also a natural leader who will move with passion into her future. I am happy to
offer her my enthusiastic recommendation.
Sincerely,
49
School Recommendation
Donald Sizek
Donald Sizek is a high-energy, dynamic young man with a keen eye on the future.
He is also a person of warmth and tremendous heart. He is much loved by our younger
students, who benefit from his big-brotherly care and patience. His character spans the
best of both worlds. Donald’s drive and passion is to further develop his entrepreneurial
skills in the context of the information technology industry.
Donald has evolved and matured greatly over the last few years. Initially his
distractibility and lack of commitment to his studies stood in the way of his growth.
Especially toward the end of last year we witnessed a dramatic shift in Donald 's
engagement. As a result he was able to produce the quality work that demonstrated the
abilities we knew he had. His skills in both the arts/humanities and
math/science/technology areas enabled him to more fully understand what kind of effort
was needed in order to advance. Advance he did!
What is truly exciting to all who know Donald is the way he took the "bull by the
horns" and started his own graphics interface company. First, he researched what was
required to create a start-up company, and then he applied his research to his own life. As
he became empowered, he also could see the reason to engage with the educational
opportunities offered.
As an emerging computer scientist, Donald has taught himself numerous
computer languages and taken distance-learning classes through the local technology
institute. He is also an assistant to our information technology teacher, and helps him to
learn new content for the classes that he teaches!
Teachers feel that Donald 's growth over the last twelve months as been
remarkable. He is focused and patient. He has more friends, he's confident. Teachers also
view him as genuine and pure. I recommend Donald with confidence.
Sincerely,
50
School Recommendation
Jack Morin
Jack Moren is exceptionally bright. His verbal skills are sharp, his humor and
capacity for abstract thought are striking. Jack’s talents are keen in the areas of math and
logic. He is a well-liked member of our school community, and has added dimension and
a refreshing perspective to all his endeavors.
An avid reader with numerous interests, Jack is self-directed and has a natural
desire to probe deeply and understand his world, whether through history, literature, or…
flying an airplane! Jack is currently in the process of earning his pilot's license.
A computer programming enthusiast, Jack has gone above and beyond our curriculum,
taking dual enrollment classes in logic and C++ at a local college. He has also taught
himself a variety of programming languages and has worked with others his age at a
computer start-up company developing a web site especially for teenagers.
At school, he works to capacity at times, while at other he doubts his abilities. He
is adept at using humor to cover up perceived inadequacies. This has manifested itself in
Jack finding himself at odds with teachers when his needs to control what he was learning
and how well he was learning did not coincide with theirs. We have seen surges in effort,
then a furtive step back, then another strong, excellent effort, then a step back. A pattern
emerged. Jack has had a fear of letting down his guard for many complex reasons, but
since last spring we have witnessed his strong, serious and consistent effort toward his
studies.
Jack has begun to tap his academic potential, the interference that was prevalent in
the past no longer seems a hindrance. It is a joy to see Jack emerge into this chapter of his
life, and move with stronger, surer steps, no longer plagued by self-doubt. The program at
your institution would provide an excellent match for his abilities, interests, and desire for
flexibility. I am happy to recommend him.
Sincerely,
51
School Recommendation
Monica Salazar
Monica Salazar embodies a special brilliance that combines raw, energetic artistic gifts and
keen intellectual ability. She has depth and sensitivity. These qualities seem to provide the fuel that
drive her to create, to advance, to invest enormous energy in her endeavors that go far beyond what is
expected in the classroom.
Monica’s special combination of gifts has led her to take courses at the college level during her
junior year. The trip from ___________________ to _________ was not an easy one each week. She
gladly made the commute, put herself outside of her "comfort zone" to take these classes, and matured
enormously as an artist as a result of this commitment.
In other ways, too, Monica has sought out real-life experiences wherever she could. She wants
to be a part of real enterprises. As a ninth grader she participated with ______________, and she was
invited to be part of a pioneering group of students and to begin an Internet company. Their Monica
has designed and put into motion the interface for the company's software, and is currently networking
with schools to create more of a customer base. In addition, Monica is a regular contributor to a
website created by a local company, programming and designing its website.
Monica’s unique, shining character and personality do not always prepare one to see a quiet
river of vulnerability that runs steadily underneath the surface. There have been periods over the past
five years when Monica’s struggle to maintain a sense of equilibrium in the face of the tumult of
adolescent identity formation has affected her academic experience. Her progress during these times
has been significant, but uneven. This was particularly true during the second half of her tenth grade
year. Monica’s academic talents and achievement had allowed her to accelerate through our programs,
but she was still learning to handle the emotional and social challenges her rapid progress and
intellectual strengths had precipitated. Monica and her family have worked carefully to address the
conflicts she faced, and she has grown steadily through this progress. Her developing sense of personal
responsibility and maturity increasingly serve as a rugged foundation for her intellectual wings, and her
resilience is becoming more apparent daily.
With a strong sense of self, an inexhaustible wealth of creativity, dynamic energy and a quick,
observant mind, Monica is a diamond in the rough. The next stage of her life will be the study of
architecture, a perfect marriage for her abilities in art and science and mathematics. This career path is
ideally suited to her. Monica Salazar is a young woman with a strong desire to succeed and the talent
to do so. Nothing will stop her. She is her own toughest critic. Funny, witty and clever, Monica is a
force of nature. If admitted, I am certain that Monica will contribute dynamism and humanism to the
classroom and student life, as she has here. I am delighted to offer my strongest recommendation.
Sincerely,
52
School Recommendation
Talya Marcus
When teachers talk about Talya, superlatives dominate the conversation. Some say she is
the definition of wonderful. Let me define wonderful and describe Talya. She’s an old
soul in a teenager’s body. Creative, talented, diligent, and hardworking; she is a
determined student and a great person. She is also an incredibly gifted singer and
songwriter. Talya is kind to everyone. She really cares about people, and she is loved by
our entire community. Deeply self-aware, Talya feels that her mission in life is to
somehow make everything better for everyone. She takes this very seriously, yet is
constantly cheerful.
As a member of the first generation in her family to consider a college education, Talya
takes nothing for granted. Because of her deep sense of appreciation you will never hear
her complain, she will just challenge herself and advance further. A conscientious
student, Talya works at all assignments and projects with uncommon diligence. When the
subject matter is tough, she works harder until she gets it. Nothing stops her and
discouragement is no obstacle. Her struggles are both a challenge and a work of the heart.
Talya’s strong sense of self, strong values, inner clarity and ethical standards are an
inspiration to others. Even those who don’t agree with her positions admire the strength
she has to stand behind them. Last year Talya organized an anti-dissection campaign at
school. She respectfully solicited the advice of our administration, made an impassioned
speech to the entire school community, posted a paper banner in the hallway for students
to participate in a “chalk-talk”, writing their comments in silent dialogue over a week’s
time. She single-handedly raised the consciousness of our school community around an
issue of great concern for her, and made the argument with skill and tact. Talya stepped
out of her “comfort-zone” because of her powerful sense of justice. She is both
committed to her convictions and open-minded.
Talya has depth, maturity, cheerfulness and poise, and is able to connect and create warm
bonds with others no matter their age or background. She is humble, embracing and…the
definition of wonderful.
Talya is ready for college. She is eager to explore her many gifts, and in turn will give
back so much more to the college community. She has our highest recommendation.
Sincerely,
53
School Recommendation
Helaine Ridley
Eager, energetic and enthusiastic, Helaine Ridley is an impressive young woman.
Everyone first notices Helaine’s sparkle and bounce, but she is also a person with a deep
sense of purpose, who demonstrates an interest in and a broad grasp of big societal issues.
Keenly aware of all the suffering in the world, Helaine recently told me that she has been
trying to find ways to make a more meaningful life for herself. She wants to make a
difference…the sooner the better!
Helaine’s greatest sense of fulfillment comes from her relationships with others. She
works hard on her relationships, not taking them for granted. Whether warmly engaging
with her many friends (on and off the basketball court), rehearsing for our theatre
productions, or devoting herself to institutionalized orphans last summer in Malaysia,
Helaine brings full power to any project. She jumps into the work before her just as a
child might dive headfirst into the batter bowl. Unafraid to give a new venture a go or to
show unabashed enthusiasm and delight, she literally throws herself into all she does and
creates a warm and positive energy for others in her midst.
Journeying to Asia last summer, Helaine initiated and maintained a tough personal daily
schedule of caring for young children in an orphanage. Her efforts helped to support the
strained staff. This was her second trip to do this kind of relief work. She arose early each
day and made her way to the institution where she connected with many neglected and
malnourished children. From this and also from the influence of her parents, Helaine’s
interest in language acquisition grew. Her senior project this year will center on the effect
of neglect and institutionalization on children’s acquisition of language. She will be
returning to do this research.
Helaine is a strong student in all areas. Teachers consider her a great thinker and a strong
writer. She is intellectually curious and strives for excellence. They find her attentiveness
and willingness to take risks during class discussions a great benefit to other students. Her
focused and thoughtful contributions help move the class into new areas of thought.
A meticulous planner, Helaine works hard to achieve her goals. When obstacles arise,
initially she may struggle to accept the test, but we find that once she assesses the
circumstances, she moves on, not lamenting a disappointment. She finds other ways to
achieve her goal.
Helaine will continue to set her sights high and will work to attain her dreams. We are
confident that she will contribute enormously to student life next year. She has our
enthusiastic recommendation.
Sincerely,
54
School Recommendation
Laurie Snyder
Laurie Snyder is insightful, quick and creative. She is also an artist, a committed
and talented actor. A sensitive and loyal friend to others, she is a respected member of our
school community. Laurie has also overcome many personal obstacles during her years
here.
We’ve seen Laurie’s confidence in her academic ability grow considerably.
Previously, Laurie had put much effort into hiding her learning difficulties rather than
confront those areas that caused her the most trouble. In grade nine, she underwent testing
for learning disabilities, and discovered that dyslexia and other issues had been
preventing her from accomplishing all she could. With special tutoring and developing
learning strategies that helped her to progress, Laurie has learned how to overcome a
lifetime of discouragement in her academics and has begun to redefine herself, to believe
in herself.
As a junior, Laurie demonstrated that she could fight to achieve her academic
goals. At times this meant that she put work aside in one class in order to focus on
another. Meeting deadlines has been difficult for her when she is faced with long-term
projects in more than one class. With support, she was generally able to meet her goals
and complete her work.
As a talented actor, in the rehearsal process, Laurie demonstrates a thorough
understanding of creating a credible and deeply authentic character. She works with
tremendous patience and maturity toward the development of a character, and her ability
to observe the world around her and synthesize and create from this makes her an
exceptionally fine student of the arts. She is a rare one for her age.
Laurie’s greatest passion is the study of dance. She has taken a leadership role in
our dance club, helping to involve many students and organizing performances for
various events throughout the year. She is great with people, and builds rapport easily
with students and staff alike.
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Laurie Snyder has many gifts and strengths. When engaged with the material at
hand she works with passion and determination. Her greatest love is in the arts, which she
will continue to pursue in college. We are happy to recommend her to your institution.
Sincerely,
56
School Recommendation
Antonia Levinada
Gifted with all of the qualities of a successful student, Antonia Levinada is ambitious,
well organized, disciplined, outspoken and willing to take risks. We find her to be serious
and engaged in her work, creative, passionate and determined to create value for others.
She is a young woman who takes pride in all that she does.
Dependable and thorough, Antonia is a perfectionist in the best sense of the word. Her
energy and enthusiasm lead her to find deep connections between herself and the projects
she undertakes. As a sophomore Antonia regularly commuted an hour to a local clinic in
order to support research on the connection between heredity and cancer in humans. She
undertook this important topic because of a pattern of disease in her own family, so the
project took on immense personal meaning. As a junior, Antonia chose to study women’s
rights and the cultural norms of Saudi Arabia. Both topics are of immense relevance and
importance for the future.
Antonia loves to debate, and she engages readily with peers and instructors. Her goodhumored, sometimes sharp-edged approach in discussions is refreshing and upbeat, and
she’ll never shy away from a challenge. She also never hesitates to help other students
with their work, her underlying attitude is one to assist when needed and she easily gives
of herself.
Clearly, Antonia Levinada has the character and ability to take advantage of the
personalized and rigorous offerings at your school. We feel that she will also contribute
her unflagging zest and excitement for learning to the school. We are happy to
recommend her with enthusiasm.
Sincerely,
57
School Recommendation
Mason Ringe
Mason Ringe has a rare combination of intellect, wit, and talent that enable him to excel
at many things. He has flourished in a variety of school sports and academics, and is an
integral member of our school community.
What is so impressive to all who know Mason is his willingness to challenge himself, to
explore and discover new venues for his talents, to develop new abilities. He is quick but
never facile or arrogant about it, and he quickly sees connections that others miss. His
early training in music has given him the ability to persevere, and this has served him. His
ability to tackle new and challenging areas enables him to be versatile, grounded and
confident, much more so than others his age.
Quiet and self-assured, Mason is a leader in the classroom. He is always eager to help
other students, and can see the “big picture”, enabling the group’s work to advance. We
find him conscientious, thoughtful, and strict with himself. During a recent project in
Chemistry, Mason took responsibility for finding resources for all the members of the
group. He helped to organize the work, and fulfilled his own personal responsibility for
its completion as well.
Mason has lived with the stress of his father’s battle with cancer over the past two years.
He has remained focused on his goals and his work. I believe that the constant reality of
his father’s vulnerability has helped him become a very earnest human being. His senior
project, a year-long effort to bring together one’s passions, academics and to ultimately
serve the larger community, is to produce a benefit concert to support research into cures
for lymphoma. Clearly, this ties together many aspects of his life. Mason is taking
purposeful and creative action.
Mason is a phenomenal musician, and seems to have an internal sense of timing that
carries over into his participation in conversation, his sense about others, and his way of
seeing the world. We recommend him to your institution with enthusiasm, knowing that
the rigor, both in academics and in the arts, will enable Mason to continue to excel.
Sincerely,
58
School Recommendation
Phoebe Geller
Phoebe Geller is capable student, independent and spirited. She has also come into her
own as an artist, blossoming over the years. Initially quiet and shy, she is now so
comfortable within herself. As a poet, a dancer, and a talented writer, she is mature and
sensitive, attentive and wise. We have enjoyed witnessing her growth as she has
consistently taken more responsibility and ownership in all academic areas.
A wonderful writer with an affinity for the romantic, Phoebe is an accomplished poet
with increasing confidence. As a regular contributor and performer for our bi-monthly
exposition of student talent, Phoebe has shown courage and assertiveness in presenting
her work. Whether reading poetry or performing modern dance, Phoebe clearly has a
beautiful soul and is able to move out of her comfort zone again and again, engaging and
enriching our community.
Academically, Phoebe has grown into her own and found resonance even in the domains
of science and math, which had been more of a challenge. She has learned to put her own
unique imprint on the work, bringing creativity into problem solving and finding ways to
weave it all together to make it personally meaningful. She is also confident in class
discussions, willing to speak up in class when others won’t risk it, engaging with issues
and classmates. Her potential to be a leader continues to reveal itself.
Phoebe Geller is a deep-thinker, a kind friend and a talented artist. She will continue to
excel because her foundation and intellect are strong. We recommend her wholeheartedly
and enthusiastically!
Sincerely,
59
School Recommendation
Joseph Tebron
Joseph Tebron is an outstanding student leader and citizen within the Mountain Valley
community. He is also a talented, hard-working student, an adventurer focused on
personal growth, and a young man with a strong, optimistic character who is invested in
challenging himself and benefiting others.
Recently, Joseph spent the better part of a weekend meeting with his advisor, putting the
finishing touches on the design of his Senior Project. His strong desire is to attempt
something really tough. They agreed on a plan. By Monday Morning Joseph scrapped the
plan entirely to begin anew. This project had to be tougher. Now, the work to come
involves studying the art of photography this winter, and soliciting donations from
businesses to raise money for a worthy cause as he cycles cross-country from early March
through early May. Joseph will be chronicling his journey through writings and pictures
and will post his progress on a web site of his own creation along the route.
This Senior Project exemplifies Joseph Tebron, but it is a new challenge for him
personally because of the solitude inherent in that kind of journey. In his role as coAdvisor of our Student Council (student government), we see Joseph as a person who is
as comfortable with himself as he is working through complicated issues among students
and faculty. He leadership is understated, and is based on compassion and good listening.
He is consistently thoughtful and considerate of others. Coaches see Joseph as a true
“team player”, whose values are those of camaraderie and promoting the enjoyment of the
game for all. Peers as well as staff have the highest regard for him.
Joseph’s academic work is polished and of the highest quality. He consistently puts the
highest priority on learning and truly enjoys the struggle to master new areas. For him,
sport is finding new ways to approach work, toying with new solutions, finding new
themes and connections. Teachers consistently find him delightful to have in class
because he creates a sense of enthusiasm for the learning that is contagious.
In stepping beyond the confines of our school community, Joseph is a member of the
Regional Student Advisory Council and the ___________________ State Student
Advisory Council, both requiring a full day each month for meetings, advance preparation
of materials, and substantial travel commitments. He has not let this interfere with his
academics. In addition, because he has completed all the math requirements for
graduation, he is currently taking an Honors Calculus I class at the University of
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___________________. He consistently demonstrates a positive and determined attitude
in the face of all the new challenges this year, and seems to be at the “top of his game”, as
if to say “bring it on!”
Joseph Tebron goes the extra mile. He is constantly setting new personal goals, reaching
and growing. He’s a genuinely nice kid with big dreams, a lot of determination, and the
talent and character to see these dreams through. I enthusiastically recommend him to
study at Briar University, a school that will offer the academic rigor, flexibility of
curriculum and diversity that will continue to promote his growth.
Sincerely,
School Recommendation
Edward Carrington
Edward Carrington is a young man with many interests and a love of learning. Whether
tinkering with a motor, a computer or an idea, he has an active mind, an appreciation for
the moment, a dry wit, and a sense of optimism for the future.
Edward is a bright student who is a pleasure to have in class; he has a good understanding
of the material in all subject areas, an idiosyncratic and original point of view, and
excellent writing skills. He has sometimes lacked the discipline to bring the depth and
clarity to his written work that he manifests in free-flowing discussion. He is always eager
to move forward, to engage novel ideas, and attempt new intellectual challenges; he is
learning to harness his abilities and to sustain his attention beyond the initial moments of
discovery, and into the careful exposition of problems. He has been a consistently strong
and talented student of the arts and humanities; more recently he has shown tremendous
growth in the sciences and mathematics as a result of applying himself to challenging
material, and to persevering through the details.
Edward is curious, and has tackled a wide range of experience-traveling with serviceoriented youth groups, being a camp counselor for extended programs, starting his own
computer consulting business for adults in this community who are computer-phobic,
playing the trombone in the school’s jazz band, attending national conference on school
reform-and he does it all in a wry, understated manner.
Edward is a respected member of our school community. We value his intelligence,
insight and sense of humor, his creativity, and his good and thoughtful nature. He is
looking forward to a flexible learning environment at college next year, an environment
that will provide the latitude to explore his many interests. As he continues to search and
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discover we feel that even more of Edward’s gifts will have an opportunity to emerge. We
are happy to strongly recommend Edward to your institution.
Sincerely,
62
School Recommendation
Ann Weiss
Ann Weiss is someone you can count on. She’s a serious student, also a serious
friend…in fact, whether performing a service to the larger community, the school,
helping others, or at work, Ann does her very best, she puts in her utmost. A quiet young
woman with character and wisdom unusual in someone her age, Ann takes commitments
to heart.
Ann’s detailed approach to schoolwork enables her to overcome the obstacles in her way.
Once she joins in class discussions, her insights demonstrate that she ponders issues
deeply. Reaching outside of her comfort zone, Ann opted to take a Dual Enrollment class
in Honors Calculus this semester at the University of ___________________. This
commitment involves a two hour round-trip commute four times each week. She’s a
serious math student and wanted a challenge, having accelerated through our math
department offerings by the end of her junior year. She expects to continue with Honors
Calculus II at the local university in the spring. Her work is polished, thoughtful and
extremely well organized.
Ann has traveled and taken part in home stays in a variety of countries. In Ecuador at the
end of her sophomore year, speaking Spanish for the entire visit, her language skills grew
in leaps and bounds. That trip was a big risk for such a young person to take.
Ann has taken on the enormous responsibility of creating our school yearbook, her sixth
year on the staff, she is now the editor-in-chief. As a leader on our softball and basketball
teams, Ann has the respect of team members, coaches, parents and faculty. She is able to
inspire others and take care of them, as well.
We are confident that Ann Weiser will continue to make significant contributions at
college next year. Her values, ethics and moral fiber are beyond reproach. She leads by
example. Your school, with its personalized culture, variety of offerings and rigorous
coursework is a perfect match for this bright, sensitive and thoughtful young woman.
Sincerely,
63
School Recommendation
Allan Westover
It is a pleasure to recommend Allan Westover to __________ College, a school that is
perfectly suited to his interests, passions and ideals. An active young man with a love of
the outdoors, Allan has an irrepressibly adventurous spirit. It has been a thrill to watch
Allan’s enthusiasm for post-secondary work soar as he learned about your school’s
philosophy, curriculum and training opportunities.
Allan has attended the Mountain Valley School since grade seven. In that time, we’ve
seen him mature and develop a deep seriousness of purpose. Since beginning his high
school career, we have observed him consistently putting effort into his studies and
persevering in the face of some learning challenges. Allan also leads others by engaging
enthusiastically in class discussions. Teachers love having him in class and students
admire him. His enthusiasm is catching.
By completing enough work for submission into his graduation portfolio, Allan has been
able to free himself from “in-school” time this semester. He is currently on a group trek in
Alaska, and the research he is gathering will become the substance of a Senior Project, a
public exhibition of multi-disciplinary work that answers a question initiated by the
student. In addition he expects to extend his enthusiasm for outdoor learning to the larger
Mountain Valley community, a requirement for graduation, by designing and constructing
a climbing wall.
Allan has shown us that he truly knows how to set a goal and see it through. His
leadership at Mountain Valley has set some precedents for our school, and he creates a
positive tone through his example. Allan is a great role model for others, leading by
supporting them. Sometimes wildly expressive, always refreshing in his outlook, Allan
has an ebullient spirit and savors the joy of being invested in what he loves most,
adventures in the wilderness.
I wholeheartedly and enthusiastically recommend Allan Westover to ___________
College. I am confident that he will continue to hone his humanity and his skills in the
programs you offer, and will in turn bring much personality, zest and experience to
campus life.
Sincerely,
64
School Recommendation
Robert Lopez
Curious and interested in the world around him, over the past two years Robert Lopez has
grown to see the value of academics in his life. As he has become more serious in his
work, his teachers have now come to expect him to produce the thoughtful work he is
capable of producing. What sets Robert apart from others is his warmth, his humor, his
confidence, his positive attitude and his inspiring sense of adventure.
Last year, as Robert was discovering for himself that academic success was important and
attainable, he chose to do a project centering on reform in American education. He
produced a film, including interviews with educational reformers, incorporating the tenets
of progressive schools into his work. He came to understand his own school more deeply
as a result, and traditional high school, helping to bridge understanding among local
educators. He is confident and spirited, and can think on his feet.
This semester Robert will be off campus, having fulfilled all course requirements for
graduation in June. His problem centers on the effect that outdoor education can have on
inner city youth, and will take him for training to a wilderness course as well as to an
Outward Bound program. He will then be working with inner-city youth as a volunteer
mentor. When he returns to present his findings, his research will have been based on
valuable first-hand experience and will tie together his love of adventure, the outdoors
and his ability to be a warm and encouraging role model for others.
Robert knows how to communicate with people. With his trademark energy and passion
for self-expression, Robert has established his own construction business. He taught
himself how to hire and supervise help, negotiate with customers, procure materials and
handle payroll. He also learned how to make a profit!
In spite of a long illness last year, Robert’s resiliency and determination enabled him to
keep on top of his studies from home as he recovered. His optimism enabled him to
maintain his academics and he pulled through with a deepened sense of appreciation for
his health and his life. This is a new lens through which he now sees the world before
him and his emerging role.
I am happy to offer Robert my heartfelt recommendation.
Sincerely,
65
School Recommendation
Brian Curtz
Brian Curtz is a versatile athlete, a loyal and compassionate friend, and a young man who
can bring focus and energy from the depths of his life to overcome the obstacles before
him.
Brian is an able student, and also has natural social leadership skills. He is inclusive,
kind and generous and has the affection of all his peers.
Since junior year we have seen steady growth in Brian’s ability to manage time, plan
work, and spend necessary time and effort revising work to meet the expectations of his
teachers.
As a competitive ballroom dancer, Brian week typically includes ten hours or practice.
Through his involvement, he has learned how to harness determination in order to reach
his goals. Three years ago he broke his leg dancing and was unable to try out for his
club’s annual show. He petitioned the board of directors for a solo spot and was denied.
That setback caused him to determine that he would be #1 the following year. He truly
became a man on a mission! At tryouts Brian danced better than he ever had and took the
#1 title on the night of the show
We are happy to recommend Brian to your institution. He will bring warmth, humor and
kindhearted generosity to campus life next year.
Sincerely,
66
School Recommendation
Heather Cooper
Delightful, full of energy, insightful and compassionate, Heather Cooper is young women
who we have seen grow tremendously over the past few years. She has spark, sincerity
and humility, and unflagging enthusiasm about her future.
Heather has taken leadership in Statistics class this year, blossoming under the direction
of one of our most demanding teachers. Others look to her because she is highly
organized and engaged in the material. She also has a point of view that enables others to
see how the material connects with the rest of the world. She works harmoniously with
the other students, from time to time telling them “That’s in your notes! Go look it up!”
in her own, good-natured way.
Upbeat and daring Heather is often the first to try something new. Although Heather’s
tendency to procrastinate has sabotaged some projects from time to time, we recently are
seeing growth, in that she is more consistently putting forth her best effort to produce
quality work. Especially when she feels a connection to her teachers, she has a strong
desire to work hard and to live up to their expectations.
Growing up in a rural area, Heather has been an avid equestrian since she was a child.
She has earned recognition hundreds of times in a variety of competitions, but the truest
part of her is the girl who loves caring for each horse, who reaches into their souls in an
empathic way, whose efforts are based on respecting the animal in her midst. We see the
same depth and sensitivity to others at school. Heather does not follow the crowd. She is
centered, forms her own opinions and respects the humanity of others.
Heather is starting to sense her talents and is making a commitment to developing them
further in order to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse. I feel this occupation would be
a perfect expression of who she truly is, and I believe she has the stamina, drive and
compassion to provide excellent nursing care.
Sincerely,
67
School Recommendation
Susan Jonas
Susan Jonas is a student whose depth of character, sincerity and concern for others are as
strong as her outstanding academic talents and versatile and remarkable athletic ability. I
am impressed by this forthright, confident, and determined young woman. Her energy
and enthusiasm, her thoughtfulness and spark make her the kind of person that enhances
and enlivens her surroundings.
Susan puts 100% into all she does; with this spirit to never hold back, her powerful
independent voice inspires those around her. Peers find her intuitive and compassionate.
A role model for others, Susan has a strong sense of ethics, and has lent this voice to help
others. Her humanistic nature enables her to confront issues that need to be addressed,
but she does so in a humorous, non-threatening way. People respond very warmly to her.
Nothing will stop Susan. She is energetic, focused, mature and exceptionally bright. She
knows how to connect her studies with the world around her, always seeking to apply
what she is learning and take her work to the next step. Susan has had a strong and longstanding interest in psychology and also an interest in primate cognition. Leaving no
stone unturned, she contacted leaders in the field of primate cognition, receiving
encouragement and direction. This led her into two programs, one shadowing the chief
veterinarian at the __________ Zoo; the other took place last summer at the
____________ Veterinary School. These experiences continue to fuel Susan’s passion to
train in the fields of psychology and anthropology, and her search for the right school to
provide this training propelled her to investigate your school.
We have the utmost confidence in her academic ability and her character. We are
delighted to offer her our enthusiastic recommendation to your institution.
Sincerely,
68
School Recommendation
Daniel Hart
Daniel Hart is a very bright student with an engaging personality, a clever wit and a keen
sense of social justice. He is committed to making a deep and authentic contribution to
others. The world is his classroom. He is also a gifted artist and a kind, thoughtful and
good-natured young man.
Daniel had to face family challenges during the early part of his high school career, and
these difficulties affected what we feel could have been a stronger academic performance.
Deeply philosophical and interested in global politics, Daniel has made many community
connections in ________ with human rights groups. In addition, Daniel has taken a
leadership role in our Amnesty International Club, putting his dreams and beliefs into
action.
Next semester Daniel will be studying art off-campus, and will return to present his
artwork at an exhibition this coming spring. Daniel needed to complete all classroom
work in order to be freed up to travel in this way, and he accomplished this goal.
Daniel is the kind of student who must find his own way to engage with the subject at
hand, and once he finds the connection his energy is focused and sustained. I am happy
to recommend him to your institution where he will be free to choose the paths that hold
the most interest for him. Then, the sky is the limit.
Sincerely,
69
School Recommendation
Josef Curtana
Extremely intelligent, unique and consistently expressive, Josef Curtana stands out as
one-of-a-kind. His humor, quirky wit and energy sometimes hide the thoughtful,
reflective, highly philosophical thinker beneath the surface.
A strong student in math and science, Josef also excels in the arts and humanities. Josef
has earned the respect of his teachers because he works to understand the subject before
him, gets excited about the material, and becomes truly and deeply engaged.
This exuberant young man full of energy and intellect sometimes lacks focus, but is never
complacent. His is serious about his work.
Josef is truly a class leader and an active and dynamic personality. He is also frequently
the first to take a risk and answer a question that no one else wants to attempt. He
enlivens the room with his wit, and is developing a sense of when it is appropriate and
when he should hold back. Josef is also an effective teacher of other students who often
look to him for ideas as to how to approach a particular problem. He conveys his own
understanding with clarity.
Last year Josef played the starring role in the school’s production of “Kiss Me Kate”. He
put enormous effort into the performance, memorizing lines, taking direction day after
day and adhering to a strenuous rehearsal schedule. He was the perfect match for his role.
He is a character in the best sense of the word, versatile as a student and wild with
personality. More compassionate than he lets on, deeper than he may want others to
know, Josef’s energy sparks those around him.
Josef is beginning to understand that he has many intellectual gifts, and he is enjoying the
process of self-discovery. We have enjoyed witnessing his development. I am delighted
to offer him my enthusiastic recommendation. Life on campus will not be dull with Josef
Curtana around!
Sincerely,
70
School Recommendation
Henry Winters
Quiet and unassuming on the outside, intense and competitive on the inside, Henry
Winters is a completely intriguing person. An exceptional writer and an avid reader,
Henry is also a talented visual artist. He is curious and open to the world around him. He
is also a presence on the soccer field and basketball court when not involved in
landscaping, lawn maintenance and construction. He is a versatile young man!
Always true to himself, Henry takes a serious approach to his studies and all of his
interests. He is a self-motivated student with a great sense of humor who can really get
people going. A pensive, gifted writer, Henry processes ideas thoughtfully and
deliberately. He is inventive and imaginative, and makes quick and insightful
connections. Henry has a keen sense of independence to match the keenness of his mind,
and while at times this has prevented his engaging in tasks that seemed unimportant to
him (but not to his teachers), the same sense of independence is evident in his deep sense
of personal responsibility and integrity, and has allowed him to excel in all areas of our
academic program.
Henry has cultivated a variety of deep interests that he is determined to continue to
develop in college. His art, his writing, his love of sports, the need to continue enhance
and really use the fluency he has attained in German, these are of tremendous importance
to him. He has invested much energy and wants to continue to build on what he has
already attained. We have found these avenues open to Henry at your institution.
Please accept our wholehearted and enthusiastic recommendation of Henry Winters to
your school. He is one of a kind!
Sincerely,
71
School Recommendation
Anita Wolfe
Anita Wolfe is one of the most hard-working students we have known. She has devoted
herself to her studies and has established the habit of persevering through obstacles in
order to realize her dreams. She is also devoted to the study of dance and hopes pursue
this in college.
Anita is thoroughly engaged in the process of learning, finding her way through difficult
material and then enlisting support of teachers when she can proceed no further. With
strong self-discipline, every success has given her more confidence and she has
progressed from a child with little self-esteem to a confident young woman; furthermore
she has developed compassion for others along the way.
Although quiet and shy, Anita mixes easily with others, working with people at her each
summer and attending ______________. She has learned to express her needs and assert
herself. She has also developed a variety of strategies to overcome her language-based
learning disabilities and she understands how to employ the learning style that works best
for her. She loves learning and is always willing to take on a challenge. Teachers view
her as solid, with a steady keel, mature and self-possessed.
Taking the initiative, Anita established a youth group for teenagers at her place of
worship. She recognized that the congregation was made up of parents, and that
youngsters had no organized activity. She single-handedly began the group that now
includes over a dozen teens. Together they raise money and give their time to community
service activities. In addition, they have started attending church services and established
a spiritual base.
Anita will be successful because she never gives up. She steadily overcomes all the
obstacles before her and holds steadfastly to her goals. We are confident that she will
continue to advance based on the solid foundation she has established and are happy to
recommend her to your institution.
Sincerely,
72
School Recommendation
Ellen Whistler
Ellen Whistler is an independent learner and a hard worker who cares deeply about
academic success. She is also a thoughtful, insightful student whose character and
personality enable those around her to feel comfortable and valued. Her humor, whimsy
and originality shine within our school community.
This year, having exhausted some areas of our curriculum, Ellen has taken on two college
level classes, studying Latin and Anthropology at a local college. Both classes require a
substantial commute and a significant amount of outside preparation. Teachers find Ellen
utterly dependable, a hard worker who consistently turns her work in early. She has been
able to teach herself statistics and has applied her learning to social sciences, learning to
decipher research and include that research in applied work. Ellen is careful, very detailoriented. She also sees the big picture.
Ellen has contributed to our community in numerous ways. In every endeavor she
embraces other students and gets them involved. She has been a member of our softball
team and is presently its captain. She has also worked on our school yearbook each year,
devoting evening, weekends and vacations. A talented French speaker, she has been a
teaching assistant to younger students of French, providing help with work and, because
of her enthusiasm, we feel that she is a great role model for others.
Ellen has earned the respect of staff and students alike. I feel confident that your
institution offers a perfect academic and cultural environment for her, with a climate of
serious academic thought, a variety of offerings, close relationships between faculty and
students and many extracurricular activities for her continued growth. We
enthusiastically and wholeheartedly recommend her.
Sincerely,
73
School Recommendation
Nicole Otis
I am delighted to offer this letter of recommendation on behalf of Nicole Otis. Nicole is a
bright, sensitive and determined young woman with a strong inner drive to succeed at all
she does.
Although teachers find Nicole to be modest and at times too self-effacing, she is
beginning to understand what her teachers have long known—she is very capable and
intelligent. She fared extremely well in a challenging philosophy course last year, and
although the content did not naturally fit her interests, what was most evident was her
emerging belief in herself. She displayed remarkable personal growth during her junior
year, and developed into a very positive spirit who could approach the challenges before
her with enthusiasm and a sense of adventure.
Nicole works with focus and energy to complete work and to meet deadlines. This year,
though math has always caused her some anxiety, she is not letting it get in her way. In
math and physics classes, although sometimes she feels over her head in grasping more
conceptual ideas, she sticks with it.
Nicole has long-standing and varied interests that she continues to pursue. She brings her
sensitivity to others into all her endeavors, and is engaging and forthright with peers and
staff alike. She is not bashful about letting others know exactly how she feels, and takes
responsibility for her actions. Last year, while practicing for a major gymnastics
competition Nicole let her coach know that the model drill the coach designed could
stand improvement. She was invited to take up the challenge for the following year. She
and a friend worked together to create a ten minute routine that included finding a theme,
making costumes, individual and group choreography, and tumbling, with all components
corresponding to the theme. They worked for months. The routine won first place and
the team exalted in their victory.
Deeply involved in her own education, Nicole has developed critical thinking skills and
inner resourcefulness to work through a variety of challenges. It is with pleasure that I
offer Nicole Otis my most enthusiastic recommendation to your institution.
Sincerely,
74
School Recommendation
Robert Roarke
Robert Roarke, a disciplined and thoughtful student, is also a talented performer with a
knack for making others laugh. As whimsical and funny as he can be, this is balanced by
the seriousness he brings to his academics.
A young man who puts learning first, Robert has thoughtfully organized his life in order to
maximize the opportunities before him. He knows how to manage time and how to
evaluate and prioritize the items on his busy schedule in order to devote himself to
mastering the challenges before him. His work is consistently thoughtful and thoroughly
done.
Academics do not always come easily for Robert. He has learned to seek help without
pretense or worry about what others will think. He also has the courage to ask the
question that no one else has the guts to ask, but that everyone wants to know the answer
to! When faced with repeated frustration in math, Robert underwent diagnostic testing to
see if a learning disability was hampering him. He does not have a learning disability, but
the testing revealed “math anxiety”. The report provided our staff new information so
that they could offer more specific kinds of strategies to help him be successful. The
attached report, enclosed at the request of the Roarke family, explains these strategies in
more detail. Since these new approaches have been implemented, Robert has been a
more confident and able student of mathematics.
Robert is well known and loved in our community as a skilled entertainer. His
extraordinary talent Performing for children and adults alike, Robert has turned his talents
into a small business enterprise. He has developed an understanding of market practices,
creating a website, business cards, and working to gain visibility in our area. His family
is supportive and loving, their encouragement is the wind at his back as he embarks on
this new endeavor.
Robert thinks deeply about the world around him, developing insights that he weaves into
his artistic and creative pursuits. His take on the world is woven with strands of humor,
coupled with self-discipline, focus and determination.
I am delighted to offer Robert my enthusiastic recommendation to your school. Your
offerings and your campus climate and culture will be an ideal place for Roberts’s
continued growth.
Sincerely,
75
School Recommendation
Daniel Chernon
Daniel Chernon, a quiet and good-natured young man, has recently begun to harness his
innate gifts and has become more invested in his own learning. He has solid intellectual
potential that is now beginning to emerge.
In class Daniel has recently begun taking a leadership role, where once he seemed content
to take a back seat to more vocal and assertive students. We are thrilled to see him bringing
his humor and quick wit into all class discussions. This year one would never guess how
reticent Daniel had been to take risks and to participate as he now does. He is eager to
answer questions and pose his own. Perhaps one could call him a late bloomer, but Daniel
has made substantial personal growth and has shown a willingness to overcome
longstanding communication patterns that have their origin outside of school. As Daniel
becomes more independent, in keeping with the opportunities of adolescence, he becomes
more authentic and more willing to take intellectual risks in the classroom and out.
Daniel has always been an attentive student and excellent listener. Through his ability to
carefully observe his world, he has become insightful and empathic. Recently he is
developing his creative and artistic abilities by taking an adult education course in
photography. The instructor and the other students have been absolutely amazed by his
work and ability. He far surpassed the adults in the class who have years of experience.
In fact, the instructor has recently requested that Daniel do so some photography for her.
All this from someone who just recently picked up a camera!
When working outside of school, employers are uniformly impressed by Daniel’s
excellent attitude and work ethic. He brings a cheerfulness and elbow grease to all
undertakings, even though in most cases he is the only happy, energetic and hard-working
employee on site.
Daniel is beginning to set goals and to work toward them. He has a strong and longstanding interest in the field of engineering. This is a perfect outgrowth of his thoughtful,
observant nature and his creativity. We see and feel the change in Daniel this year, an
important year as he plans his next steps. We are happy to see his increased seriousness
about the future, and are happy to recommend him to your institution. He is a capable
student.
Sincerely,
76
School Recommendation
Jennifer Clay
Jennifer Clay is an energetic, bright, and positive young woman. Her talents and
outstanding qualities are many. She is a versatile artist, a serious student, and an
insightful and mature member of our school community.
Disciplined and passionate, Jennifer puts 100% into all her work. She is serious and
determined to understand the concepts to be mastered. She makes every effort to think
through the material, and she knows when to ask for help and how to advocate for herself.
An active class participant, she works effectively with others and is responsible about
meeting deadlines, often submitting polished work before it is due.
The accompanying documents detail the many ways that Jennifer has earned the respect
of students and staff. She is articulate, confident, and able to think on her feet.
Jennifer has had a long-standing commitment to developing her talents in song, theatre,
and dance. Since childhood she has found ways to work extensively in each discipline,
developing and polishing her skills, growing and challenging herself at each juncture. As
a freshman and as a sophomore Jennifer attended ___________________. She lived in a
dorm for five weeks, developing her acting ability and creating strong life-long
friendships with a diverse and talented group of students from around the country and the
world. From this, Jennifer developed greater independence and confidence as an artist.
She has also developed and taught her own summer dance program for children at a local
arts camp, putting into practice what she has been learning for many years.
Although the accompanying standardized test scores do not reflect her true academic
ability. We know the quality of her work and are fully confident that she will successfully
handle the most demanding college work. She has our wholehearted and enthusiastic
recommendation.
Sincerely,
77
School Recommendation
Ruth Letarte
Ruth Letarte is a young woman with artistic talent and a strong, keen aesthetic sense. She
is a student who will fully but quietly immerses herself in her work as she discovers its
connection to her own life. Through her relationships to teachers and mentors and as a
result of encouragement from her family, Ruth has begun to carve out a path for her
future that builds on her very real talents and interests.
Ruth is a disciplined student who takes her work very seriously. She has struggled to
overcome a significant processing learning disability, and the affects of a physical
problem that, before it was diagnosed last year, caused fatigue. When she came to our
school, Ruth had little confidence in herself and her abilities. She has grown
academically and personally in our program, and has learned that with a little extra time
and the support of her teachers, she can accomplish everything she sets out to do. Recent
very positive experiences have enabled Ruth to achieve substantial academic success in
all areas of the curriculum. We have seen sustained growth in her self-esteem over the
past year as she has tackled challenges that she is certainly able to meet, but had been
reluctant to engage earlier. Her independent research project last year was disciplined,
and thoughtful. She worked hard on both the research and the presentation. She is
sensitive and authentic and insightful.
I am consistently drawn to her artwork on display in the halls of our school. The colors,
the forms, and the creativity surpass those of neighboring pieces. She recently presented
a large acrylic painting to a group of three hundred students. The visual work was
inspired by Ella Fitzgerald. As the music resounded throughout the auditorium, Ruth
stood holding her piece, calm and confident, as the music played on for quite a while.
That took courage.
We are delighted to recommend Ruth Letarte to your institution. She is a good and gentle
young person, a lively and spirited friend, and a gifted artist.
Sincerely,
78
School Recommendation
Wanda Williams
Wanda Williams is an extremely bright young woman with leadership skills who has
taken on numerous positions of responsibility within our school community.
Wanda at times gives 100% to her academics. At other times she has been unwilling to
fully commit to the challenge and has not lived up to what we feel is her true potential.
This may be due to developmental issues of adolescence. Sometimes Wanda is negative,
sometimes positive, and her school performance rests on her relative engagement in the
material. At school, she works to capacity at times, while at other times she doubts her
abilities or loses interest. We have seen surges in effort, then a furtive step back, then
another strong, excellent effort, then a step back. Since last spring, however, we have
witnessed a stronger, more serious and consistent effort toward her studies. She has
become more patient.
Wanda accelerated academically, taking “junior” level classes during her “sophomore”
year. This fall, Wanda has enrolled in a German class at a local state college. This class
requires a substantial commute and a significant amount of outside preparation. She has
been able to handle this new challenge and also fulfill her commitments at school.
The documents supporting her application attest that Wanda has tremendous potential in
academics and as a leader. We believe that she is “stepping up to the plate” for the next
chapter in her life, and once established on campus, she will be able to reveal the gifts we
have seen. We are happy to recommend her to your institution.
Sincerely,
79
School Recommendation
Lorraine Wendell
Lorraine Wendell is a young woman with great enthusiasm for learning and strong
determination to meet the challenges before her. She has an overflowing energy and a
genuine curiosity about the world that acts as a motivating force for the learning she
undertakes.
As a sophomore last year, Lorraine felt the need to accelerate her academic program and
petitioned our administration to graduate a year early. Although she was clearly advised
against this, her perseverance overrode the advice given. In technical terms, fulfilling
graduation requirements was within the realm of possibility for her. This endeavor left
her no leeway in that she needed to complete all assignments. She dove in to the
challenge and strove to complete her work, often going above and beyond what was
required if her interest was aroused.
Lorraine works long, hard hours after school to help her family with finances, and is a
valued employee. She’s smart, upbeat and knows how to harness her strengths to
progress. She loves theatre and will pursue study in this area in the future. Though she is
still young, your institution would be a great next chapter as she strives to fulfill the
dreams she presently holds.
Sincerely,
80
School Recommendation
Jon Puentee
Jon Puentee has the deep respect and affection of staff and students alike. During his
high school career he has earned a reputation as a hard working, sincere, compassionate
member of our school community. We find him honest, helpful and consistently kind. He
is seen as an overall wonderful human being. Teachers describe Jon as one of the most
genuine, sincere, warm, good-natured students that they have taught.
A diligent, enthusiastic and conscientious worker with a talent in the visual arts and craft
science, Jon has pushed himself consistently over the years and grown in his research,
reading and oral presentation skills. Jon asks all the right questions and does not relent
until he fully understands the material. His learning habits, especially in class, are
exemplary.
Jon’s math teacher, a demanding instructor, regards him as one of the most consistently
focused and attentive members of her class, giving even the knottiest problem his best
effort. She feels that his commitment to his work is a pleasure to observe, that he is truly
engaged in the curriculum. Jon uses class time effectively, is always connected with the
material at hand and is consistently supportive of classmates.
Jon brings integrity and dedication to his work in all areas. His exemplary character and
compassion for others ensure that he will truly contribute to your campus life next year.
We recommend him with enthusiasm.
Sincerely,
81
School Recommendation
Roberta Grandell
Roberta Grandell is a sincere, committed young woman whose head, heart and actions
work in concert as she makes efforts to improve the world around her. She is a socially
aware and committed citizen who consistently takes her learning beyond the classroom.
Roberta has deeply held beliefs, yet is also open to questioning them, and continues to
grow into an evermore independent thinker. She maintains a solid core of friends, yet one
could just as easily find her engaged in a heated debate with them as agreeing with them
on issues. She seems to thrive on discussion and conversation, though not too far beneath
the surface one senses a person with a shyness that she will not let impede her growth.
Roberta is bright, a good student and a very hard worker. Her work is consistently of the
highest quality. She is thorough, plans well and thinks through each assignment. She is
not afraid of hard work, nor will she shy away from challenges.
Devoted to soccer for the past eleven years, Roberta is now captain of our basketball
team. She is also a member of her town team and a local club team, at times finding
herself scheduled to play for all three! She is a terrific role model for other students, is
patient, encouraging and has earned their trust.
As a member of the larger community, Roberta has taken the lead in planning a variety of
charity fund-raisers and has used her creativity to make interesting and fun events for
people of many different age and interest groups. She has served on the Youth
Committee of her church for the past four years, and has been the social action
coordinator, group facilitator and is now its treasurer. She also works for her church’s
conference center each summer, hosting conferences, as a server, teaching art and leading
children in sports.
There is much more to Roberta, she’s an uncommon young woman. She walks to a
drummer with a strong beat and a sense of purpose. She is also a catalyst for social
change, leading by example.
We are delighted to offer Roberta Grandell our most enthusiastic and wholehearted
recommendation to your institution. She will take the lead in her own very positive,
confident and warm way.
Sincerely,
82
Descriptive Words and Phrases
A
able
active
admirable
adventurous spirit
ample reservoir of expertise
articulate
asset in the classroom
authentic
B
best is yet to come
bright
brilliant
broad-minded
buoyant spirit
C
calm
calm under pressure
change-agent
committed to developing self
compassionate
conscientious
considerate
courageous
courageous but not fearless
creates harmony with others
creative
D
depth
83
desire for excellence
determined
devoted
diligent
disciplined
dynamic
dynamic spirit
E
eager learner
earnest
ebullient spirit
eloquent speaker
embracing
energized
energized by difficult questions
engaged
enormous energy
enthusiastic
excellent character
exceptional young woman
exerted self
expansive
exudes confidence
F
focused
follows through
forthright
forward-looking
free-thinking
friend to others
full of life
funny
G
generous toward others
84
generous with time
genuine
gifted
go-getter
good head on shoulders
great listener
H
high ethical standards
high-energy
highly motivated
honest
humanism
humanistic
humble
I
I admire her (him)
I like him (her)
incredible human being
independent
inner reserve
innovative
insatiably curious
insightful
inspires others
integrity
intelligent
invested in own growth
involved
K
keen intellect
kind
85
kind-hearted
L
leads by example
lifelong student
lively
loyal
M
maintains strong relationships
makes things happen
mature
modest
much to contribute
N
natural leader
non-judgmental
not swayed by others
nothing stops her
O
old-fashioned work ethic
one-of-a-kind
optimistic
outgoing
outstanding verbal skills
own person
P
perseverance
person of grace and perseverance
86
personable
plugger
poised
positive
positive attitude
positive influence
possesses a quiet intelligence
powerful
pulls out the best within
Q
quiet
quiet confidence
quiet strength
quintessential student
R
radiant
radiates enthusiasm
reaches out
readily unites with others
reliable
S
seeks deeper understanding
self-assured
self-aware
self-confident
self-directed
self-effacing
selfless
self-possessed
self-sufficient
sense of commitment
sense of purpose
sensitive
87
serious
sets standards for excellence
significant growth
sincere
skilled
special kind of vision
stands alone
strict with self
strong confidence
strong inner voice
strong sense of responsibility
strong volition
success story
sunny disposition
supports others
T
tackled challenging subjects
takes ownership of learning process
team-player
tenacious
terrific interpersonal skills
thinks critically
thorough
tremendous drive
tremendously talented
trustworthy
U
undisputed academic talents
unflagging tact
unusual depth
upbeat
uplifting personality
88
V
valued
valued negotiator
versatile
vibrant spirit
W
well-mannered
well-traveled
whimsical side
wholesome
wide range of experiences
will continue to blossom
will enhance student culture
89