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Merced High School

H o m e

o f

S c h o l a r s

a n d

205 West Olive Avenue, Merced CA 95348

C h a m p i o n s

(209) 385-6465

February 12, 2016

To Whom It May Concern:
It is my pleasure to be writing this letter on behalf of Bethany Paige Hamilton. Bethany was a student in
both my Geometry and Algebra 2/Trigonometry classes her freshman and sophomore years. I have also
been fortunate enough to provide Bethany and her friends with a place to spend their lunches in my
classroom for nearly four years. It has been an honor to watch Bethany grow from a shy freshman to an
outgoing, hardworking, and resilient young woman.
Bethany has been a member of the varsity cross-country and track teams here at Merced High School.
She has shown her dedication time and time again throughout the many trials our running program has
faced. As captain of the cross country team, Bethany knows what it takes to be a true leader,
demonstrating her good character and sportsmanship in and out of athletics. Her junior and senior crosscountry seasons were anything but easy and Bethanys leadership and determination led their team to
overcoming their obstacles and representing Merced High as best they could.
While Bethany has always loved running, her true passion lies within her cooking. Bethany aspires to be
a chef and study at the Culinary Institute of America. She has been a member of the two competitive
cooking teams, FHA-Hero and Pro-Start. At this time Bethany has qualified for the state finals of the
FHA-Hero Bread competition and received the award of Best In Show at the regional competition.
Bethany truly has a passion for cooking and I am certain that she will reach the success she hopes for in
that field.
I am confident that Bethany will continue to excel in all she does and eagerly meet the new challenges
that face her. I believe that no better investment could be made than in furthering Bethanys educational
opportunities. She will return this investment tenfold with her intellectual gifts, leadership skills, and
natural drive to contribute to the world. I give my highest recommendation, without reservation, to
Bethany Hamilton.
Sincerely,

Victorino Jimenez
Merced High Mathematics Teacher
vjimenez@muhsd.org