To: Scholarship Committee From: Scott J. Thompson Science Department Head AP Physics & Robotics Teacher North Oconee High School Re: Letter of Recommendation for Lena Konzelman I am writing to recommend Lena Konzelman for this scholarship opportunity. I have known Lena since the Fall semester of 2019 as a student in my AP Physics C – Mechanics class. I find Lena to be an outstanding student both inside and outside of the classroom. In addition to excelling academically, Lena is also active in school clubs and the community. Lena was one of the top students in my AP Physics C – Mechanics class last year. I am looking forward to having her in class again this spring when she takes the Electricity and Magnetism course. I can also say that I am a little stressed about the course this spring, as Lena will be testing my ability to explain the material in depth and explain why the concepts are important. Lena is one of the most naturally inquisitive students I have encountered throughout 18 years of teaching physics. She always asks Why. In fact, even though she is not currently in one of my classes, she still regularly comes by to ask why certain things are done in her Calculus 3 class that she is taking online through joint enrollment this semester. While both of us joke about her asking why, she is really after practical applications. Lena has a deep understanding of the material, which she develops through a high level of intelligence and a strong work ethic. However, she really strives to understand the reasoning behind the concepts and where the material she is learning can be applied to other aspects either in future academic pursuits or in life. I believe that these traits will serve Lena well in college, and can already envision her testing the depth of knowledge of her professors with detailed questions on the Why. In addition to being academically talented, Lena is also extremely personable. She gets along very well with her peers and her teachers. In class, I often saw Lena switch behaviors depending on who she was working with. She could respectfully argue with other top students on the approach to a difficult problem, and then turn around and explain that problem to a struggling peer showing an incredible amount of patience. Lena would often help others, and this extended outside of the classroom. When the district switched to online learning last year, Lena continued to work hard and ask the questions that I relish as a teacher. She also actively encouraged some of her peers that did not have her level of self-motivation to keep working on the course material. This resulted in higher scores and a better base of knowledge for everyone. In conclusion, Lena is an exceptional student who possesses outstanding academic and personal skills. As a former college and current high school educator, I would rank Lena in the top 1% of all the students I have taught over the past 18 years. I know that Lena has the ability to excel at the college level, and strongly recommend her for this award. Respectfully, Scott J. Thompson, Ph. D.
To: Scholarship Committee From: Scott J. Thompson Science Department Head AP Physics & Robotics Teacher North Oconee High School Re: Letter of Recommendation for Lena Konzelman I am writing to recommend Lena Konzelman for this scholarship opportunity. I have known Lena since the Fall semester of 2019 as a student in my AP Physics C – Mechanics class. I find Lena to be an outstanding student both inside and outside of the classroom. In addition to excelling academically, Lena is also active in school clubs and the community. Lena was one of the top students in my AP Physics C – Mechanics class last year. I am looking forward to having her in class again this spring when she takes the Electricity and Magnetism course. I can also say that I am a little stressed about the course this spring, as Lena will be testing my ability to explain the material in depth and explain why the concepts are important. Lena is one of the most naturally inquisitive students I have encountered throughout 18 years of teaching physics. She always asks Why. In fact, even though she is not currently in one of my classes, she still regularly comes by to ask why certain things are done in her Calculus 3 class that she is taking online through joint enrollment this semester. While both of us joke about her asking why, she is really after practical applications. Lena has a deep understanding of the material, which she develops through a high level of intelligence and a strong work ethic. However, she really strives to understand the reasoning behind the concepts and where the material she is learning can be applied to other aspects either in future academic pursuits or in life. I believe that these traits will serve Lena well in college, and can already envision her testing the depth of knowledge of her professors with detailed questions on the Why. In addition to being academically talented, Lena is also extremely personable. She gets along very well with her peers and her teachers. In class, I often saw Lena switch behaviors depending on who she was working with. She could respectfully argue with other top students on the approach to a difficult problem, and then turn around and explain that problem to a struggling peer showing an incredible amount of patience. Lena would often help others, and this extended outside of the classroom. When the district switched to online learning last year, Lena continued to work hard and ask the questions that I relish as a teacher. She also actively encouraged some of her peers that did not have her level of self-motivation to keep working on the course material. This resulted in higher scores and a better base of knowledge for everyone. In conclusion, Lena is an exceptional student who possesses outstanding academic and personal skills. As a former college and current high school educator, I would rank Lena in the top 1% of all the students I have taught over the past 18 years. I know that Lena has the ability to excel at the college level, and strongly recommend her for this award. Respectfully, Scott J. Thompson, Ph. D.
To: Scholarship Committee From: Scott J. Thompson Science Department Head AP Physics & Robotics Teacher North Oconee High School Re: Letter of Recommendation for Lena Konzelman I am writing to recommend Lena Konzelman for this scholarship opportunity. I have known Lena since the Fall semester of 2019 as a student in my AP Physics C – Mechanics class. I find Lena to be an outstanding student both inside and outside of the classroom. In addition to excelling academically, Lena is also active in school clubs and the community. Lena was one of the top students in my AP Physics C – Mechanics class last year. I am looking forward to having her in class again this spring when she takes the Electricity and Magnetism course. I can also say that I am a little stressed about the course this spring, as Lena will be testing my ability to explain the material in depth and explain why the concepts are important. Lena is one of the most naturally inquisitive students I have encountered throughout 18 years of teaching physics. She always asks Why. In fact, even though she is not currently in one of my classes, she still regularly comes by to ask why certain things are done in her Calculus 3 class that she is taking online through joint enrollment this semester. While both of us joke about her asking why, she is really after practical applications. Lena has a deep understanding of the material, which she develops through a high level of intelligence and a strong work ethic. However, she really strives to understand the reasoning behind the concepts and where the material she is learning can be applied to other aspects either in future academic pursuits or in life. I believe that these traits will serve Lena well in college, and can already envision her testing the depth of knowledge of her professors with detailed questions on the Why. In addition to being academically talented, Lena is also extremely personable. She gets along very well with her peers and her teachers. In class, I often saw Lena switch behaviors depending on who she was working with. She could respectfully argue with other top students on the approach to a difficult problem, and then turn around and explain that problem to a struggling peer showing an incredible amount of patience. Lena would often help others, and this extended outside of the classroom. When the district switched to online learning last year, Lena continued to work hard and ask the questions that I relish as a teacher. She also actively encouraged some of her peers that did not have her level of self-motivation to keep working on the course material. This resulted in higher scores and a better base of knowledge for everyone. In conclusion, Lena is an exceptional student who possesses outstanding academic and personal skills. As a former college and current high school educator, I would rank Lena in the top 1% of all the students I have taught over the past 18 years. I know that Lena has the ability to excel at the college level, and strongly recommend her for this award. Respectfully, Scott J. Thompson, Ph. D.