It is without hesitation that I recommend Will Beller as the Sierra Middle School candidate for the CSMA Middle School Journalist of the Year competition.
Will has spent two years on the staff of the Eagle Eye View yearbook. He has brought leadership, dedication, and talent to our staff during his two years. More importantly, he has been a model of integrity and his willingness to share knowledge is unmatched by his peers.
Will began as a first year staffer at the start of his 7th grade year. I recognized quickly that Will was already a talented photographer. His first photo shoots included images that many experienced photographers struggle to acquire. He has an eye for photos, an artistic perspective, and an ability to control settings in order to capture his artistic views. He was always willing to do the extra work, and was frequently asked to fill in for other students to capture photos, or work on page design and creation. The 2019 yearbook earned national recognition, with Will's photos being mentioned specifically by judges as one of our strongest aspects of the book.
Will was named Editor-in-Chief for the 2020 yearbook. I have had a history of naming two students to serve as Co-EICs, simply because the job can be overwhelming for an 8th grade student. I had no hesitation giving the job to Will. He is mature and intelligent. He is also a great leader for students. He was able to guide our staff through the creation of our book, and his leadership become even more apparent as he lead a small group of students to complete our book and supplement from quarantine. His hours spent during lunches and after school throughout the year were surpassed by the time he spent from home in March and April to complete the project.
Most importantly is that Will is able to teach others through example in the way he handles situations with integrity. Will has advocated on behalf of our students that live with special needs. With his guidance, our 2019 and 2020 yearbooks have had coverage that was inclusive of all populations without making it look like the coverage was forced or an afterthought. Our Unified Sports teams have coverage to match that of our other sports, something you will not find in many middle school publications. Will advocated for coverage of our LGBTQ populations in all of our publications, and worked diligently to establish a GSA chapter for our school. He has taught all of us in our program, myself included, about how to be open and inclusive in a natural and appropriate way.
As an adviser for 20 years, I know when special students come along in journalism. Will Beller is the student that every publication program would love to have. His dedication and work ethic are unmatched, his talent is obvious, and his integrity is unparalleled. It is without hesitation that I ask you to name Will Beller as the Colorado Middle School Journalist of the Year.
Signed,
Jed Palmer, CJE
Adviser, Sierra Middle School Journalism.
Dear CSMA Middle School Journalist of the Year Committee,
I would like to nominate William Beller to be your Middle School Journalist of the Year. You could not select a kinder, more authentic human for this honor. Will was an important leader in our school. As his 6th grade Humanities teacher, I've had the pleasure of seeing Will make profound contributions both in and out of the classroom. His school and community service is motivated by a strong sense of compassion, which he feels and lives for all of his peers and his teachers. I can say with confidence that Will is one of the most caring students I've ever taught . He tries to see things from multiple perspectives and accepts all people for who they are and honestly wants nothing but the best for all.
Will has, as they say, an old soul. He is wise beyond his years and is intrigued by the human spirit. He seeks to understand the ‘why’ people do what they do. He is also unique in that he examines the ethical consequences a journalist may need to consider as they practice their craft. Here is a quote from an email Will sent me as he was contemplating the choices photojournalists are faced with, “I was reading about the photojournalists on the day of 9/11 2001. I came across a photo of “the falling man” me being fascinated with journalism. The idea of dedicating your life to stories sounds amazing. But in that position choosing to shoot a photo to record history, a photo that changes lives and educates millions of people or putting a camera down to help the emotional trauma is a scary thing. Idk what I would do as a journalist, the first rule being truth and accuracy one of the others being humanity. It just brings a moral dilemma to my head.” This email demonstrates Will reaching out to a trusted adult in order to dialogue about a very ethical choice he may one day face as he follows his passion to become a journalist. Seeking to understand is a trait few have, let alone someone who has not yet entered high school.
Will believes passionately in working for the common good and in telling ‘stories’ of the human experience. He is a unique young man who cares for others as much as he cares for himself. He is well worthy of any award that recognizes someone who is talented and committed ‘to tell the story’. I highly recommend him for the CSMA Middle School Journalist of the Year.
Sincerely,
Virginia Stafford
Professional Learning Specialist ~ Humanities Teacher
To whom it may concern,
On behalf of Mr. William Beller, I was politely asked to write a letter of recommendation for the CSMA award for the best Middle School Journalist. I was Will’s 7th grade Social Studies teacher as well his cross country and distance track coach at Sierra Middle School. During my time in teaching Will to develop critical thinking skills, I personally witnessed Will develop a passion for writing as well as running.
In a world where Social Media and the internet have news whether fact and fiction at people’s fingertips, having strong, well rounded journalists is crucial for our society. We need more young writers and critical thinkers like Will. It was an honor to be Wills' teacher. As he was a polite, hard working, and passionate student. At the end of the cross country season, Will finished one of his meets making the cut for our top 7th grade runners. I remember him saying “This is one of the coolest things. I can’t wait to run more.” Like writing, running is a passion that starts with a small match and then burns like a forest fire. That day I saw a passion ignite in Will, and even now he loves to run more than ever. Will’s passion for running also helped him work hard in the classroom and pushed for him to discover passion in academics, specifically writing.
Throughout the year, I witnessed Will strive for excellence in the classroom and in running. He was not your typical A student who always turned in the assignments early, BUT he was one of the few students who pushed himself to do his very best even when life was difficult. He would ask challenging questions when we discussed world conflicts and did not take “that’s the way the world works.” as an appropriate answer.
Although, I am not an English teacher, nor do I have training in journalistic writing. Social Studies writing at the middle school level requires students to develop not just a 5 paragraph essay, but to pose a question, find an answer, and use evidence and reasoning to support your claim. During the school year, students would have to find world problems and then research answers to those problems whether it be Climate Change, Human Rights, Global Conflict, or Domestic Concerns here in the US. This form of writing is where Will thrived as well as class debates and discussions. Will could be respectful of people’s opinions while challenging his peers to see topics from multiple points of view and he would even admit when someone challenged his own beliefs.
More importantly, I watched Will's character grow. Middle school is a place that is not only challenging, but sometimes isolating and down right harsh. It’s like witnessing the Zebra herds of the Serengeti every day. Some students in Wills class were like Zebras who did not have the “right stripes” and instead of ostracizing them, Will would sit with students who were struggling, he would talk to everyone and anyone in the hallways, and he never turned his back on his “herd”. Will stood up for those who couldn’t which showed maturity and kindness.
I'm beyond proud of Will and how he has continued to grow and pursue writing and running. I can not wait to see where the pen and pencil takes Will as he begins high school in the fall. If you have any questions, would like to see samples of writing, or concerns about Will. I am happy to vouch for his writing ability, character, and strength.
Thank you.
Mary van Laarhoven
US History and Human Geography
Maple Grove Senior High
612-600-1711