CPS CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Phoenix Military Academy: 145 South Campbell Avenue: Chicago, Illinois 60612
Telephone (773) 534-7275; FAX (773) 534-7273
Ferdinand Wipachit, Academy Superintendent

April 30, 2012

To Whom It May Concern:

By definition professional school counselors are certified educators who are qualified to address
the developmental needs of all students through a comprehensive school counseling program
addressing the academic, career, and personal/social development of all students. However, in
order to be an effective change agent in the Chicago Public School system as a professional
school counselor one must also exhibit a heart for reaching all students, compassion for inner
city teens and the issues they face, and a sincere drive to help the school reach the potential to be
a Level 1 school. Ms. Jenny Robin not only has all of the important attributes to help change
students and schools, but her spirit for the work makes her so much more. I have had the pleasure
of having Ms. Jenny Robin under my supervision for her internship for the past eight months and
it brings me great pleasure to recommend her for a professional school counseling position at
your school.

Ms. Jenny Robin is an ASCA trained professional school counselor and would be an outstanding
asset to any school counseling program. During her eight months at Phoenix Military Academy
Ms. Robin spent tireless hours after school helping students one on one editing essays for
scholarships, college applications, and summer programs. Because of her dedication and
consistency working and pushing these students we have a Phoenix senior who was a Gates
Millennium semi-finalist and one freshman who was accepted into University of Chicago
Collegiate Scholars program. She helped 27 juniors complete the Chicago Scholars applications
(the most out of any CPS high school) and we have students heading to summer programs like
Phillips Exeter, Stanford, and West Points Summer Leadership Seminar. All of this would not
have been possible without Ms. Robins commitment to these students educations.

In addition to late nights editing essays, Ms. Robin completed a needs assessment and
determined that there was a high need for a Gay-Straight Alliance, GSA, to be formed in order to
help alleviate bullying at Phoenix. Every other Wednesday after school Ms. Robin planned
activities and created a safe zone for our students. Ms. Robin has also developed a leadership
team within the group and used grade checks to help increase academic standards for GSA
participants. Leadership team members from the GSA developed short lesson plans to teach to
the ninth graders during their JROTC classes. Because of the GSA the tension between groups
and negative use of homophobic terms has decreased at our school.
Some of my fondest times watching Ms. Robin grow into the profession would have to be all of
the hours that she spent with the female empowerment group at Phoenix called Sisterhood. Each
Wednesday Ms. Robin helps facilitate meetings. She attended all field trips, even on nights and
weekends, and mentors the girls who need extra guidance and support. Ms. Robin understands
what it means to be a young teenage girl. She knows the importance the smallest of gestures and
actions such as going out of her way to to write a birthday card, buy a book a student has always
wanted to read, or make homemade cookies for the girls to celebrate a success. Many of our
young girls call me Mamma Keyser because I have been with them through so much over the
course of their four years and I will never forget the day that one of our junior girls called Ms.
Robin, Mamma Robin. Her eyes lit up and it was a defining moment for her as counselor that
reassured her that her place and purpose was working in Chicago Public Schools.

This year Ms. Robin has helped our team with countless other interventions and tasks. She
planned both fall and spring college trips for the various grade levels. Ms. Robin understands the
importance of data and is excellent with technology. She helped us obtain a 100 percent FAFSA
completion rate and ran successful one-on-one interventions with ninth and tenth graders to help
us increase our FOT and SOT rates. I can only imagine the impact Ms. Robin will have on her
school as a full time counselor.

Ms. Robin is extremely bright and innovative in addition to possessing a sincere drive and
passion for her work. She embodies all the attributes of an outstanding Professional School
Counselor. Students are her first priority; she works hard every day, helping students to identify
and eliminate barriers to learning. She has been instrumental in our school culture changing to
one that aligns academics, career paths and citizenship. When I think of Ms. Robin one of my
favorite quotes comes to mind, Authentic Power: It happens when purpose aligns with
personality to serve the greater good, Oprah Winfrey. I wholeheartedly recommend Ms. Jenny
Robin for a counseling position at your school. You would be welcoming a true Human Super
Woman.

Sincerely,

Ms. Darci Keyser

Professional School Counselor
ddkeyser@cps.edu