After moving around a lot and attending seven different elementary schools, Miguel Melendez found his home in LA’s BEST. While in LA’s BEST at Hillside Elementary in Lincoln Heights, Miguel’s life changed course. Playing sports and creating science experiments with his peers in a collaborative and supportive environment created the foundation for Miguel to flourish into the successful and outgoing gentleman he is today.
Miguel remembers his Coach encouraging him to pursue writing. When he was doing his homework, she told him with a warm smile, “Wow. You’re a really good writer. You need to write as much as you can!” Miguel describes the remarks as “contagious.” His coach believed in him, which gave him the confidence to develop his writing skills, leading to a 19-year-career as a sports journalist, writer, and producer at prominent news outlets such as USA TODAY, The Orange County Register, FOX Sports, NFL Network and, now, TMZ.
Miguel enthusiastically expresses LA’s BEST was the “blueprint to his success.” Without LA’s BEST, “I might not have grown from a shy boy who moved around a lot into the happy and driven journalist I am today.” Miguel gives back to his community by serving as an LA’s BEST Friends Board Member and believes LA’s BEST is a lifetime investment.
We thank our 2,000 Coaches who positively influence the lives of the 25,000 students LA’s BEST serves every school day and are grateful to Miguel for serving his community.
