Hi, John here, with another highlight for this week, zeroing in on the region’s best and most valuable contributors. This one comes from Jeremyah Stoermer, whose Exemplar nomination looks back at the help one Level 2 judge — Victorville’s Nichole Johnson — provided when he was working his way up, and to the work she is doing now to elevate other judges.

It’s a recognition from one longtime player and judge of the contributions of another such stalwart of the game:

Nichole, The first time we met as judges was GP Albuquerque 2013. I was Level 1 at the time and was preparing to test for L2 at the end of the event. You and Brian were my “judge buddies” for the weekend and I never got the chance to thank you properly for how at ease and welcome you made me feel at what was my second large event. Your questions aimed at testing my knowledge, ability to explain the correct answer and suggestions on how to study for and pass the L2 were what I credit with my later ability to succeed, but what I am recognizing you for is your insane amount of dedication and effort in putting together the “So You Want to be a Magic Judge?” Facebook study group. I have been following it closely ever since you asked for my input and materials for judge classes that I had been working on and I am floored at the quality of presentation, quantity of subject matter and ease of access with which you have presented the materials. Your work in your local area and continued expansion of your community through online outreach exudes the qualities we desire as a program in our Exemplar candidates and I feel that few are as deserving of the recognition as you are.

The group Jeremyah mentioned, which can be found here, provides members with up-to-date policy and rules documents and more for judges in the Southwest Region and beyond. Nichole has been a Level 2 judge for six years, and has been playing Magic for many years before that. Such a clearing house for important news and notes has been instrumental for countless judges in improving their job.

You can get a feel for her enthusiasm for the game from when she was head judge for the Oath of the Gatewatch sneak peek at Grand Prix Oakland in January.

Jeremyah’s nomination highlights the role that mentoring plays in this community. Through the Facebook study group and so many other ways. Nichole’s work as a mentor has touched many in the judge community through work on and offline.