January 10, 2020

To Whom it May Concern,

What makes Jack stand out as a journalist is that he lets people know his biases, but then
actually reports on the facts. And if his political party he aligns with does something that he
knows is not the best, he calls them out for it. Jack received much positive feedback for his
award winning “The Conservative Corner” because it made students think and consider other
viewpoints. I wish many of our professional reporters in the country would take a lesson from
Jack Harrison. He keeps his opinion in the opinion section and when it comes time to report on
the news, he keeps it as unbiased as possible always including all sides of the story in an ethical
way. He knows how to run a newsroom and without his dedication and leadership, the Emery,
Huron High School’s newspaper, would not be what it is today. It is my honor and pleasure to
write this letter of recommendation for him as he applies for the position of Copy Editor at the
Red Cedar Log.

I taught and advised Jack since he was a freshman. He took my freshman English class, my
journalism class, and has attended Michigan State University’s Summer Journalism Workshop
three times with me. At camp, he took writing classes, design classes and theory classes. At
camp, Jack always requested to room with someone from a different school so that he could push
himself to meet new people. Each year he came home with new friend groups from across the
state of Michigan.

Four years ago, The Emery newspaper did not exist; three years ago, The Emery was a club of
five kids putting out a tabloid newspaper filled with work from intro to journalism students’
work. Every lunch we would meet and work in the computer lab to put out an issue. Jack
promoted our club to enough students to help get our newspaper a class. He was a part of the
team that brought the newspaper back into print.

Jack had to make a big decision his junior year when Huron became an IB school. Jack had to
give up taking newspaper class, and many other classes he wanted to take, to pursue his IB
certificate. To stay involved, he said he would spend his lunch hour in the newspaper room,
since our class was during his scheduled lunch time. To be honest, I’ve had many students say
they will do this, but I know they will eventually want to just eat in the lunchroom. But not
Jack. Every single day he was in the publications room. He continued being an editor of the
paper, and soon we all found that our favorite part of the hour was when Jack entered the
room. Some students didn’t even know Jack wasn’t in our scheduled class, they just thought he
was really tardy every day. You will find this mentality if chosen for the apprenticeship. He
will give you more than 100 percent.

As an editor of the newspaper he constantly thought about what we printed and how it should be
presented to his peers. He worked with a team of editors to look at what we were printing and
how we printed it. He dedicated his CAS project, a project mandated by IB that employs
creativity and service to The Emery. He fundraised, created reader surveys, recruited students,
and created presentations for our editor’s meetings. He was also an active member of MIPA All-
State Student Advisory Cohort. He is a true leader.

Jack was a key player in our newspaper redesign two years ago. During MIPA camp, he and his
fellow editor, collaborated through the process of going from tabloid to broadsheet. This
involved time spent on the phone with our printer Tom Campbell and our yearbook company
tech support. Jack conducted studies on fonts and page design and created spreadsheets of our
Spartan Critique to ensure The Emery looked its best.

On top of all of this, when it came to writing, Jack was top notch. Whether it is writing features,
news pieces or his award-winning column: The Conservative Corner, Jack always reported
ethically and accurately. He was one of my few reporters who could actually get an interview
with our principal. As an editor, he always helped students get more sources and ensured a
thorough fact check on every story he reads. He was named the TOP writer and reporter for the
state of Michigan by the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association.

Jack continues to grow at MSU. He has achieved a healthy balance of involvement and
academics. He received a 4.0 GPA this past semester, actively participating in volunteering and
student organizations including the James Madison Conservatives and the Cru Christian
Fellowship. He is a dedicated student double majoring in journalism and political theory and
constitutional democracy. Jack has known his passions since he was a freshman and has
already taken steps to build a career for himself interning in several different political offices.
He is prime example of someone who can self-advocate and completely follow through on
tasks in a high-quality way.

The debates and discussions we had in newspaper class were far beyond any teacher’s dream of
what discussion should look, sound, and feel like. This is why I highly endorse Jack Harrison
for the position of Copy Editor for the Red Cedar Log. He was always the first and last person
to call me to confirm we are on track to send pages, and his dedication to bringing The Emery
back in print is something I will be forever grateful for. His careful attention to details and
open-mindedness make him the perfect fit for any group. Please feel free to contact me with
any questions.

Sara-Beth Badalamente English/Journalism Teacher
The Emery Adviser/The Enthymion Adviser
Camp Director, Michigan State University: Michigan Interscholastic Press Association
Badalamentes@aaps.k12.mi.us