Nichole Goff February 12, 2018

VAHS English Department

Vail Academy and High School
7762 E. Science Park Drive
Tucson, AZ 85747
goffni@vailschooldistrict.org

To Whom it May Concern,

I am writing this letter to commend my student, Christopher Mazzei, for his academic
excellence. I am a new English teacher at Vail Academy and High School, but I grew up in the
Vail School District. As someone who has always been academically focused, and who
recognizes good students when I see one, I believe that Chris is an perfect example of what a
Vail student should be. I believe, because of his intelligence and flexibility as a student, that he
will find success as a law enforcement officer or in whatever endeavor he decides to pursue.
Chris is in my Modern Literature class. He is has received A’s in my English class for the
first two quarters, in addition to working hard in his other classes. Chris impresses me most with
the types of work that he puts out.
At the end of last semester I asked my students to write an analysis of a piece of literature
of their choice. In addition to the analysis, students were required to do a presentation. Chris
chose the poem “The Man-Moth” by Elizabeth Bishop - one that is difficult to grapple with!
However, Chris’s analysis of the poem was spot-on. It was obvious that he understood the poem
on a deep level, had spent time with it, and took the time to write about it in a careful and
considerate fashion. He also did a better job that almost all my other students at applying the
criticism I gave him on his first draft to improve his second draft.
On top of his excellent paper, Chris’s presentation of the poem was one of the most
creative I’ve ever seen. He simultaneously presented his analysis, and had the class participate in
the “Man-Moth Olympics” - a series of games to thematically link with the poem. I was excited
to see him engaging with literature and getting the class to engage with literature in such a novel
way.
Chris is a good academic, a good person, and has an excellent personality. He is friendly,
kind, and funny, and hard-working. He is a great example of what it’s like to be a good student
and good citizen, and I believe that Chris will be successful in his life endeavors, regardless of
whether he goes into law enforcement or chooses another life path.

Sincerely,

Nichole Goff