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Gonzalo Garza Independence High School 1600 Chicon Street Austin, TX, 78702 Phone (512) 414-8669 akasha.banks@austinisd.

org December 6, 2011 To Whom It May Concern:: Gabriel Padilla is nothing short of remarkable. He is the opitome of the well-rounded individual, a point on which I will elaborate shortly. Ive had the pleasure of knowing Gabi for the past few years as a student at Garza High School. He took my honors-level Independent Studies in Technology Applications course, but Ive gotten to know him even more deeply through our frequent chats. Gabi is a person of strong character. He is articualte, intelligent, confident, and compassionate beyond measure; he communicates clearly and expressively, both in writing and speech; and, perhaps most importantly, he knows himself thoroughly. He has excellent interpersonal skills: honesty, passion, and integrity, as well as the utmost respect for the individual. And he is an experienced leader, having founded, lead, and/or organized a number of student and community organizations. He knows how to motivate and mobilize people, and he can visualize both the big picture as well as the logistics and details required to execute it. As I mentioned above, Gabi took my Independent Studies in Technology Applications class recently. This particular class requires instructor approval because the student must be selfdirected in proposing a multi-faceted project; acquiring the resources, information, and skills necessary to complete that project; and, of course, executing it. Only students that are highly disciplined and self-motivated are considered for this class, and Gabi is certainly that. Gabi has a high interest in art and media and has taught himself filmmaking and editing, webmastering, graphic design and Photoshop, and music engineering using a program called Ableton Live. In addition to being quite tech savvy, Gabi is creative. For my class, Gabi proposed and produced a 5-track experimental hip-hop album, using the concept of being under water as a subject. The result was an intricate, layered, and complex soundscape with a wide aural diversity. The disc itself came housed in original artwork, designed by Gabi. He also produced two versions of the album one that plays forward, and another that plays the tracks in reverse order; people who were given the CD choose between the two versions, making them an interactive participant in their own listening experience. Music is a deeply satisfying part of Gabis life. In addition to his being a trained guitar and upright base player, Gabi is a skilled lyricist. His lyrics, which tend toward poetry, rather than prose, are often designed to educate and raise awareness. Gabi aims to spark self-exploration with his music, with the intent of inspiring the audience to question who they are, why they do what they do, and why things are as they are. One of the things I admire most about Gabi is the maturity with which he approches his artistic work. Unlike many students his age, Gabi is concerned with more than the technical requirements of becoming good at something. He has reached the point in his artistic journey where he is most concerned with using his talents to say something worth saying, often using his

music, videography, and art to affect positive changes in his community. Deep down, Gabi is a uniter with an innate sense of equality and purpose. A born conduit for change and societal improvement, he believes people want a better world and are ultimately interested in the betterment of others. His beliefs about the world and human interactions are logical; insightful; and based in right human relations, fairness, equality and respect for the individual. Gabi is one of the most extraordinary people Ive had the pleasure of knowing. I admire many things about him, and I am so glad there are people like Gabi in this world people who will make this world a better place and who are creative and talented in ways that make their positive message heard and accessible. I give Gabi my highest recommendation. Hes something special. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns at 512.414.8669.

Warmly,

AkashaBVillalobos
Akasha Banks Villalobos Technology Applications/Speech

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