BENITO JUAREZ COMMUNITY ACADEMY

Noah Pickens | nppickens1@cps.edu

Wednesday, May 20th 2020

To whom it may concern

I highly recommend Lauren DeCesare for the position of a high school social studies teacher at
your school. As her mentor teacher at Benito Juarez Community Academy, I had the privilege of
observing and coaching her through the last two quarters of the 2020 school year. She
demonstrated a consistent dedication throughout her time with all of my classes and her passion
for her students was evident. I think that it is especially noteworthy the way she ascended to her
role as a student teacher amid the COVID 19 pandemic. During this transition, she exhibited
Rlexibility, consistency, and above all- care for her students.

From day one, Lauren showed that she cared for young people – a principle that should be
fundamental to every educator. Although in some classes there was a language barrier, Ms.
DeCesare did not see this as a barrier but an opportunity to grow and learn from her students. As
we moved to remote learning, she extended this care into her virtual classroom room setting by
creating an environment that supported students’ social-emotional needs. Students were able to
conRide in her of their difRiculties throughout the quarantine. As a result, we were able to learn
about their needs and effectively respond as a school.

Ms. DeCesare also eagerly took on as many roles as she could – both participating and contributing
in many collaborative efforts to design and implement curriculum, taking leadership in course
team and department meetings. She also developed student surveys to generate units and lessons
that were responsive to students’ needs and choices. Through her lessons, she was able to assess
her students’ academic progress and set goals for future learning. Students frequently verbalized
how much they enjoyed her class and found the topics and projects engaging.

Schools need teachers that care for young people but that are also equipped with the abilities,
responsiveness, and dedication that Ms. DeCesare possesses. It is for these reasons that I highly
recommend her for the Social Studies teaching position at your school. If you have any questions,
you can contact me at nppickens1@cps.edu.



Sincerely,

Noah Pickens

History Teacher

Benito Juarez Community Academy