Gonzalo Garza Independence High School

May21,2018

Dear Sir or Madam:

I write this letter on enthusiastically Oscar Garcia-Vargas's behalf. Oscar was a student of mine during the
Spring of2017at Gonzalo Garza Independence High School. During this time, Oscar completed English
Language Arts IV B, during which I had the opportunity to observe him as he engaged in research, analysis, and
creative writing. I came to know and respect his varied interests, emotional maturity, and academic abilities.
Oscar is an intelligent and perceptive student, capable of great success. He meets challenges with a sense of
humor and an open-mind, qualities that are keys to his success.

Throughout the course, Oscar displayed excellent communication skills. His spoken communication and
presentations were genuine and articulate. He excels when the project calls for integrating multiple topics,
applying past knowledge to new situations, and considering multiple perspectives. He shines when he has the
opportunity to lend his own insight, creativity and humor to a project. In these cases his work was both of high
quality and relevant beyond the classroom.

In the time he spent in my classroom, Oscar completed several assignments that stand out. The first was a
project that called for the analysis of advertising, and the creative production of an original advertisement. His
creative writing for this unit, a screenplay for a Nike ad, ideally aired during the super bowl, was particularly
thoughtful and witty. His final research project approached the topics of discrimination and prejudice in the 21st
century, particularly faced by Muslim Americans. This final project was excellent. His annotated bibliography
reflected thorough research and college-level thinking. He not only completed an essay that incorporated
analysis of the novel, Bilal 's Bread, by Sulayman X, as well as data from his sources, but he also drew a
creative poster to serve as a visual aid, and wrote an original poem that he read in front of a small group of
peers. The high-light of this project, however, was his presentation. Oscar is a communicative and social young
man, who is a natural when an audience is present. He speaks with poise, thoughtfulness, and humor. As he
presented his work, he answered student questions about the topic, his process, and how the information made
him reflect on his own thoughts and experiences. In turn, his responses to student questions caused his peers to
consider their own experiences. It was superb.

Oscar demonstrates maturity and responsibility in his ability to balance school, work, and social engagements.
While he attended Garza High School, Oscar maintained a part-time job at Chuck-E-Cheese, spending 20 hours
every week in kitchen and food preparation, and occasionally performing, in costume, as a human-size, pizza-
loving mouse. Also, until Oscar transferred to Garza High School, he volunteered with Latinos Unidos at his
previous school. This organization met weekly to plan and execute projects, such as decorating the school for
"Blue and Gold Night" - a celebration at his previous school, and performing in a Christmas Concert for a
retirement home. In addition to these tasks, Oscar volunteered 40 hours of his time on Spring Break to another
organization, and provides reliable transportation to his younger siblings, who attend elementary and middle
school in Austin ISD.

Finally, Oscar respects the process of learning and enjoys exploring ideas and knowledge over and above what
is required. He has expressed interest in pursuing a career as a teacher, and I have no doubt, he will excel in this
field. He will be a great addition to any class and I feel certain that he will be successful at any University he
 Gonzalo Garza Independence High School

attends, as well as any pursuit he chooses in his adult life. It is with delight that I recommend Oscar Garcia-
Vargas for any academic or employment opportunities.

Julia Mailloux-Huberdeau
English Language Arts Facilitator
(512) 414-8671