April 2017

To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Michael Machado and I am writing this reference letter on behalf of Joseph
Lema. I am currently a teacher and the Head Football Coach at El Capitan High School in
Merced, CA. I have been in education and coaching for the last twelve years.

I met Joseph when I arrived at El Capitan High School as a teacher and the new football
coach. I noticed early on that he was involved in several school activities and his education was
important to him. After observing him on campus and in athletics it was easy to see that he is a
strong leader. He leads by example and can be a vocal leader with his peers when needed.

Joseph has the internal motivation to be very successful in college and beyond. I can
see that he will never quit until the job is complete and will sacrifice his time to do things right.
He has those special qualities that you rarely see in young men. He does not complain and
never seems to be overwhelmed. Joseph is very trustworthy with any task I give him.

In the fall of his senior year he decided to create a campaign called, Kick-It for Cancer.
This was his idea and he took the initiative. He raised several thousand dollars during the
campaign. In my 13 years of coaching high school football, this act of community awareness
and the innate sense to help others is extremely rare. I have coached players who have
succeeded at the college and pro levels in the game of football. By far, the decision Joseph
made to support his community far outweighs anything I have seen from a high school student.
He has given me energy to continue leading young men through the game of football.

In conclusion, I would recommend Joseph for you school with no hesitation. You will be
pleasantly surprised with the young man you receive. He will be a leader from day one on your
campus. He will be involved on campus and make an impact in a short amount of time. At any
time, if you need additional information about Joseph feel free to contact me by phone
(559-786-2786) or email (mmachado@muhsd.org).

Sincerely,

Michael Machado
Teacher / Coach