MacArthur High School

4400 Aldine Mail Route * Houston, Texas 77039

(281).985.6330

Aldine ISD

Dear Aldine Education Foundation Scholarship Committee Members:

I have known Ariel Velasquez for two years now. He was an absolute pleasure to
have in my AP Chemistry class. Ariel is an awesome young man who has so much
drive and passion in everything that he does.
As his AP chemistry teacher, I have always found him to be very hard working,
often going beyond what was required. Ariel is masterful at using time wisely as
evidenced by his preparedness for class. I could always count on him to contribute
wonderful insight to the lesson and he always finished his homework on time. He
is also involved in a multitude of activities such as National Honor Society,
Science National Honor Society, band, and Green is Love. He is so dedicated to
doing well in school by giving up his summers to do Pre-AP chemistry and PreCalculus classes. Ariel qualified for both Pre-AP classes and did really well by
excelling in these classes with As. He also invested his time by coming well
prepare for marching band every summer since his freshman year. Now he has
been award the title of Section Leader for his section. He only had two weeks of
his summer to actually enjoy which only proves how dedicated he really is to his
education. He also recycles plastic water bottles after school on Tuesdays and
plants trees for the organization, Green is Love. He was able to participate in a
program for the Houston Memorial Park planting trees and really making a
difference in our Downtown community. In addition to saving our planet, Ariel
tutors children at Olsen Elementary during his free time as a service to our Aldine
ISD community and at the Calculus program we have here on campus. He likes
working with children and his peers because he says, I want everyone to have the
same feeling that only hard work and perseverance can give you.
At school, Ariel has shown great academic prowess by accepting the challenge of
preparing for a higher education by developing an excellent work ethic. Although
Ariel comes from a humbling background, where his mother and father have
emigrated from El Salvador to manifest a better future for his family, Ariel pushes
past his adversities by staying involved in community service and mentoring his
peers in band about life opportunities after high school. I know Ariel is going to
do so well in his future and aspire to the petroleum engineer he knows he is going
to become. I also know Ariel will contribute a great deal to your scholarship
because he loves helping others and he works really hard at everything he does.
This year he improved his rank to 14 out of about 811 students.
Ariel Velasquez is indeed a young man of great character and fortitude. It is
therefore, with great pleasure, and without reservation that I recommend him to
you for consideration, knowing that he will always put his best foot forward.
Sincerely,

Where Tomorrow Begins Today

Megan Lyndersay
AP Chemistry Teacher
Mac Arthur High School

Where Tomorrow Begins Today