Letter of Reference....Look at my future FUCK YOURS

February 26, 2009
To whom it may concern:

I'm happy to be writing this reference letter for Jalen, a former student from last year's 10th grade English class. In September 2007, Jalen was the classic type of underachiever who couldn't quite hide his light under a bushel, and hence has earned this page on his behalf.

To be honest Jalen was misplaced. He would come late to class, sit in front of the window, and look utterly bored, as well he should have. Instead of challenging himself in an Honors class, he was twiddling his thumbs and yawning among the lesser lights in the average Regents class. Then he disappeared altogether, and I had to call his mother something I try to avoid doing if humanly possible.

After failing miserably one quarter from lack of attendance, Jalen came rebounding back into the classroom. He had this razor sharp mind and sense of humor, definitely leaning toward satire. I decided to use his excellent reading skills for all the main roles in the dramas we were reading. Jalen brought life to characters such as Walter Younger in Raisin in the Sun, the Reverend Brown in Inherit the Wind, and Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. Frankly, Jalen's gift for dramatic reading made the class a lot more interesting than any teaching skills I supposedly have.

Jalen's keen mind was also "usually" helpful during class discussions. He was the match to light a fire under the other students. Typically, he started saying something slightly controversial, which perked up his peers. He was, in fact, quite insouciant about his ability to stir things up, a trait I definitely admired. Once again, Jalen's presence made life interesting.

Overall, Jalen's writing skills were above average, especially if he enjoyed a topic. His ability to reason with the written word is not as developed as his verbal flair. Right now, his 11th grade teacher, a renowned taskmaster, says he is working hard to developing his writing proficiency.

Frankly, Jalen is one of those kids I wish could just skip high school and go on to college, or at least be electrified by some university major that would motivate him to obsess over a project and earn himself a scholarship. He's a great person and an extremely talented one. I know, I know, it sounds as if this is just another"if he could only realize his potential" case, but in this situation, it would be a great pity not to hitch his star to a wagon.

Please accept Jalen into your summer program. He's very bright and needs a vehicle to start him on his very exciting journey called life.

Sincerely, Regina Fris