To whom it may concern,

I had the pleasure of teaching Manuel Saravia in his 7th and 8th grade honors English class at
Foshay Learning Center. From the first day of class, Manuel pressed me with his ability to be
articulate about difficult concepts and texts, his sensitivity to the nuances within literature, and
his passion for reading, writing, and creative expression- both in and out of the classroom.
Manuel is a talented literary critic and poet, and he has my highest recommendation as a
student and writer.

Manuel is talented at considering the subtleties within literature and the purpose behind
author's' works. he produced an extraordinary year-long thesis paper on creative identity
development, in which he compared works from three different time periods and synthesized
cultural and historical perspectives to inform his analysis. When called upon to give his thesis
defense in front of his peers, Manuel spoke clearly and eloquently about his conclusions and
responded to questions in a thoughtful way. Outside of the classroom, Manuel dedicated to his
literary pursuits, especially to poetry. he is an insightful, sensitive, and deeply self-aware
individual driven to explore art, writing, and a deeper understanding of the human condition.

Throughout the year Manuel was an active participant in our discussions, and he always
supported his peers. his caring nature and personality allow his to work well with others in a
team setting, as he always respects others' opinions even when they differ from his own. When
we held a class debate about gun laws, Manuel opted to speak for the side opposite his own
views. he explained his choice as motivated by a desire to put himself in other people's shoes,
view the issues from a new perspective, and gain a clearer sense of the issue from all angles.
Throughout the year, Manuel demonstrated this openness to and empathy for the opinions,
feelings, and perspectives of others, along with shrewd powers of observation, all qualities that
makes his outstanding as a student of literature and burgeoning writer.

I am certain that Manuel is going to continue to do great and creative things in his future. I
highly recommend his for admission to your undergraduate program. he is talented, caring,
intuitive, dedicated, and focused in his pursuits. Manuel consistently seeks out constructive
feedback so he can improve his writing skills, which is a rare and impressive quality in a high
school student. Manuel is truly a standout individual who will impress everyone he meets.

Sincerely,

Tracy Jones-Adzaho
NAI English Middle School Teacher