Mr. Kenneth L. Hunter, Principal Dr. Karlen Lusbourgh, Assistant Principal

C. A. Prosser Career Academy 2148 North Long Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60639

Phone 773-534-3200 Fax 773-534-3382

April 5, 2013

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing this letter of recommendation on behalf of Jawuan Johnson. My name is Molly Rankin, and I have known Jawuan for over a year and a half as his OneGoal Program Director. In the spring of 2011, Jawuan applied for and was accepted into the OneGoal class at Prosser Career Academy. OneGoal is a three-year program designed to help students with leadership potential get accepted into and graduate from selective four-year universities. Of nearly 60 students that applied for the program that spring, Jawuan was asked to join my cohort based on his ambition, resilience and integrity. Our students make transformational academic gains throughout their junior and senior years of high school and freshmen years of college, and each Fellow shares the same overarching goal: to enroll in and graduate from college.

In the year and a half that I have known him, Jawuan has become more of a self-advocate and started to get himself more organized and on track in his classes on a consistent basis. He realizes that college is an opportunity for him to improve his life and reach the dreams that many of his family and friends could not. As such, he registered this year for his first AP course: AP Psychology and, according to his teacher, is doing well in the class. Jawuan often sets up after-school meetings with me to help keep himself on point with his academics and has recently reached out to get assistance contacting college admissions and financial aid offices by phone. When he applies himself, Jawuan is quite capable of creating amazing work; he is a thinker. His insightful comments during peer-led discussion often cause his classmates to pause and nod their heads in agreement.

At times school and life can get the best of us all; Jawuan is no exception. Like most young people, being a teenager can be challenging and emotional. Yet Jawuan works toward enduring; college is his dream, and sees himself becoming an athletic trainer or physical therapist in the future. His natural ability to get others to listen combined with his athletic abilities will make him an excellent candidate for such work. Jawuan has faced numerous obstacles in his pursuit of graduating from high school and attending college, but he has not let the roadblocks stop him. He has had to balance part-time jobs at Pizza Hut and Forman Mills with his studies, and his living situation is not typical as he is part of the Temporary Living/Homeless Program and receives such services as necessary. He was recently recognized as the Pizza Hut Employee of the Month. Though Jawuan has dealt with a variety of struggles, he hasn’t let them discourage him from pursuing his goal of attending college.

As I close this letter, I feel it is important to state that although Jawuan puts on a tough front from time to time, he is truly invested in creating a better future for himself. He sees college as a place where he can truly grow and come into his own. He has greatly matured in the time I have known him, and I see him on a positive path in life. He is a strong candidate for your scholarship.

Please send any additional questions to me at [email protected].

Thank you,

Molly Rankin OneGoal Program Director, Prosser Career Academy