“Learn, Love, Lead, & Leave a Legacy”

100 Farmland Avenue, Merced, CA 95348

PO Box 2247, Merced, CA 95344
Phone: (209) 384-5500 Fax: (209) 384-5517

December 18, 2023

To Whom It May Concern:

It is my great pleasure to recommend Zainab Zabiba in her desire to pursue higher education at the
University of California, Berkeley. I had the privilege of being her Anatomy and Physiology teacher
during the 2022-2023 school year. Zainab is detail oriented and ambitious by consistently excelling at all
assignments and assessments. I enjoyed having Zainab in my class, as there is no big task she can not
tackle and conquer. She has an affinity for learning and thrives when thinking critically to solve complex
problems.

Zainab is a driven and brilliant student who has a passion for reaching her goals. She is determined to
earn a Bachelor of Science degree in either Biology or Chemistry and then enter medical school to
become a plastic surgeon. She will be an incredible asset to the medical community as she is responsible,
disciplined, hard working, and committed. As soon as Zainab entered my class, she had her materials
ready, her assignments organized, and was eager for the day’s lesson. She is preparing for university by
taking STEM courses at Merced College. In addition, she was admitted to the MCORE program during
Summer 2023. At this program she learned how to code and utilize her problem solving skills.

Moreover, something else that sets Zainab apart and makes her an excellent candidate for the healthcare
field is her kindness, compassion, and empathy toward others. I admire that even though Zainab is a top
performing student, she does not give anyone the cold shoulder. In fact, each time I paired her up with
someone in class, she was able to collaborate well with them. She has the ability to relate and connect
with people no matter where they come from. Her interactions with her peers are genuine and friendly.
Zainab is a humanitarian who assisted in organizing a Turkish and Syrian fundraiser for one of her
classmates whose family was in danger. She has also organized a childhood cancer fundraiser through the
Leo club on campus, which she has been highly involved in for three years.

Zainab is truly an extraordinary and inspiring young lady who puts forth outstanding effort in everything
she does. She does not allow anything to distract her as she is focused on being the best student, leader,
and mentor she can be. I am confident that with your generous contribution to her education she will not
let you down. She will represent her family, school, and community with the utmost honor. Without a
doubt, I highly recommend Zainab for any endeavor she chooses to pursue in her life as she possesses
every skill to succeed.

If you have any questions please do contact me at MCHernandez@muhsd.org and I would be happy to
discuss her character or past academic work. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Michelle C Hernandez
El Capitan High School
Science Teacher