Santa Ana Unified School District

Intermediate
School
P. Phillips, Ed.D., Superintendent
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your reply
any information
about any civilStefanie
rights complaints.
Stuart Caldwell, J.D., Principal

To Whom It May Concern:

It is with great pleasure and honor that I am writing this letter of recommendation
for Miguel (Mike) Rodriguez. In the past four years, I have gotten to know and worked
closely with Mike. I previously taught Mike for my AVID/seminar courses since his junior
year. In addition, I have worked closely with Mike in The College Initiative Program, a
college and career preparatory program. Based on my experience working with Mike, I
can describe him as a mature, driven individual who embodies the qualities of
perseverance, determination, and creativity needed to be successful in the 21 st century.
Since the first day that I met Mike, I have witnessed his determination to fulfill and
accomplish his dreams and goals. While working closely with Mike during his junior year,
Mike stood out as someone who is determined and ready to take advantage of the
resources available to him to be successful. He continues to be someone who his peers
turn to for help and mentorship. Mike is also part of a cohort of 24 seniors in our school
that is a part of the College Initiative Program. He has participated and dedicated an
average of 2-3 hours per week outside of classroom time; he has completed mini-lessons
revolving around college and career prep and completed study hours covering ACT and
SAT prep. I witnessed Mikes drive in maximizing his resources at our school to better
prepare himself for college and eventually, a career that he would be most happy in.
Mike has demonstrated his natural commitment and leadership to her passions. He
has been a part of our schools ASB/Leadership Program (putting together school events
while building a strong, positive school culture). In addition, Mike has proven to be a
responsible individual who has been trusted by multiple employers to work for their
organization. He has worked at Rubios, OC Fairgrounds and Mooyah Restaurant. It is of
no surprise to me, as he is someone who is very respectful and humble, which results in
him being able to have honest, positive relationships with anyone he encounters in life.
His dedication, enthusiasm and commitment to his school work, community service and
paid-work reflects the honest and devoted individual that Mike embodies. Academically,
Mike has managed to be in the top 5% of the senior class and has taken concurrent
classes at our local Santa Ana Community College and University of California, Irvine to
get one step closer to achieving her dreams of attaining a higher education degree. This
is a feat that only a small percentage of our high school students have achieved at our
high school. Despite coming from a low-income community, Mike has proven that no
dream or goal is too big to accomplish.
The academics at NOVA Academy Early College High School encourage students to
master all their coursework material. Despite these high standards, Mike has been
successful and has prioritized his education to earn his high school diploma and earn
college credit. I am immensely proud to have been her teacher and mentor and I am
2701 West Fifth Street, Santa Ana, CA 92703, (714) 480-2200 * FAX (714) 480-2215

BOARD OF EDUCATION
John Palacio, President , Valerie Amezcua, Vice President
Cecilia Ceci Iglesias, Clerk Alfonso Alvarez, Ed.D., Member Rigo Rodriguez, Ph.D., Member

confident that will she continue to accomplish many more milestones in her college and
career.
Thank you so much for your time and consideration. Please let me know if you
have any additional questions. I can be reached at manuel-macias@sausd.us.
Best Regards,
Manny Macias-Avina
Teacher
Santa Ana Unified School District

2701 West Fifth Street, Santa Ana, CA 92703, (714) 480-2200 * FAX (714) 480-2215

BOARD OF EDUCATION
John Palacio, President , Valerie Amezcua, Vice President
Cecilia Ceci Iglesias, Clerk Alfonso Alvarez, Ed.D., Member Rigo Rodriguez, Ph.D., Member