Friends of bloggy,

I have recently had the distinction of writing a personal letter of reference for one Jon Iwaszkowiec. It is to serve as a means of recommending him for a student teaching assignment. I feel as if I know Jon fairly well, but I would like input from all as to how to best describe his most important attributes. Here is said letter, please advise as to changes and additions that should be made before it is submitted.

To whom it may concern,

I am writing this letter as a personal recommendation for Jon Iwaszkowiec. It is my understanding that he will begin a student teaching assignment in the near future and I believe he is both able and prepared for such an endeavor. Please allow me the benefit of expounding upon some of Jon's most favorable qualifications.

The most beneficial quality to any person in such a position is experience, and Jon has an abundance of such in areas that can only enhance his ability to educate the young. His years as a lifeguard are a clear indication that no student in his class will run, hang on the lane dividers or drown. He may even carry a whistle upon request. He may even make them sit on the floor next to his chair for five minutes as a means of reprimand. This sort of control over unruly students is invaluable. Also, his years of running a successful retail bookstore means that he knows about books, and from what I remember about high school, there were books involved. And he knows about them. So that's good. And I think he even reads them, which is also good.

Beyond relevant work experience is the world experience that many other educators are lacking desperately. He is well travelled, with time spent in the Middle East, Europe, Central America, Iceland and even Texas. His time in the Middle East was spent as an integral part of a multi-disciplinary water rescue operation in some of the most dangerous waters in the world. The marine life, specifically the sharks, are so advanced and intelligent that they have begun fashioning their own land forms shaped like palm trees. Protecting the worlds richest oil sheiks from such predators is surely among the most grueling and sacrificial tasks. In addition, his travels through Europe were spent educating himself on the worlds most revered art and architecture. He would log hours in churches and museums, absorbing all the the ancient world culture has to offer. Unlike most college grads spending mommy and daddy's money in pubs and beer halls, he was refining his background in history and culture. The same can be said of his forays into Central America and Iceland. Where most people in such situations would waste an opportunity surfing and drinking beer in Costa Rica or watching soccer and drinking beer in Iceland, he was amidst the rich heritage of the Icelandic people and studying the flora and fauna of the Central American jungles. None of us are really sure what he did in Texas, but I think it was something like the Schlitterbahn, which sounds foreign and important.

I would be remiss if I did not mention that Jon is a foreign born American citizen with dual citizenship in Brazil. This makes him a minority, a Brazilian, or maybe a Russian, not sure which, but certainly entitled to all of the benefits of affirmative action. In fact, if you do not furnish him with the very best opportunities that are available in internships, you would be in direct violation of something, and discriminating against Russo-Brazilian Americans everywhere.

As a person who spends time in religious settings with Jon, I can speak directly to his spiritual maturity and ability to properly ground all of his decisions and actions in moral and spiritual truth. While we worried for a time about his deep involvement with radical Islamic groups during his stay in the United Arab Emirates, he seems to have tempered his radicalism to rantings about sports and bad church music. He almost always attends church, well mostly, Ok sometimes, as long as there is not a soccer game on or a bodybuilding competition on a Sunday. He also regularly attends a weekly bible study, especially if it is held in a bar or at Busch Stadium. He NEVER misses those. I should also mention his passion for physical fitness, which means he could kick any high schooler's ass, or at least outrun them.

I think it goes without saying that Jon is highly qualified, experienced and educated for a premiere role in educating the next generations. The institution that benefits from his expertise will be forever changed, and the students he encounters will always remember him, for one reason or another.

With Regards,

Greg Vest