Melissa Crespo - Programs Director
Hello! My name is Melissa Crespo. I will walk out of my way to step on crunchy-looking leaves, and cannot drink enough Peppermint tea.
Suzi Montgomery once talked with me about the idea of “square peg round hole”, and encouraged me to make adjustments the hole, not the peg. I’m sure her delivery was way less cheesy than that, but I believe this philosophy is Higher Ground at the core; the melding of traditional and unorthodox approaches to education, tailored to fit the peg.
I’ve taught at HGL since the summer of 2008. I’m from Milpitas, California, and moved to Salt Lake City to play soccer for the University of Utah. I graduated with a degree in Mass Communication, and began a career in advertising. The whirlwind of joining the business world and departure from my “soccer bubble” found me wanting to fill a void formerly occupied by coaching. Great friend and fellow tutor Katie Battazzo hooked me up with a recommendation, and after my worst showing ever at an interview, HGL welcomed me into the family.
After work I’d drop into HGL. I started coming in only two nights a week, now my own personal journey brings me here almost every day. Many moving parts in my life caused me to reflected on whether or not my current career path was a good fit, and with (VERY) shaky knees - stabilized by a wonderful support network friends and family - I parted ways with the marketing world and am back in school. I’m currently at the U working on another Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. I’m very open to where that takes me.
While I continue my studies, I’m lucky to be in a place where the personal pursuits of students and staff converge, where I often learn as much as I teach. In any given week I’m working with students on Organization, SAT/ACT Test Prep, Writing, Math and helping expand the Study Skills program as a teacher and Program Coordinator. Although I enjoy seeing the tangible growth in students measured by grades and test scores, witnessing the subtle yet profound lessons learned are what I celebrate most. Really, any time a student listens to me is cause for celebration (can I sat that!?).
This place is like a high impact collision zone of ideas, projects and personalities – hard to walk away without a new perspective on SOMETHING. And it’s fun. It’s WAY fun.
… See you at HGL!
Suzi Montgomery once talked with me about the idea of “square peg round hole”, and encouraged me to make adjustments the hole, not the peg. I’m sure her delivery was way less cheesy than that, but I believe this philosophy is Higher Ground at the core; the melding of traditional and unorthodox approaches to education, tailored to fit the peg.
I’ve taught at HGL since the summer of 2008. I’m from Milpitas, California, and moved to Salt Lake City to play soccer for the University of Utah. I graduated with a degree in Mass Communication, and began a career in advertising. The whirlwind of joining the business world and departure from my “soccer bubble” found me wanting to fill a void formerly occupied by coaching. Great friend and fellow tutor Katie Battazzo hooked me up with a recommendation, and after my worst showing ever at an interview, HGL welcomed me into the family.
After work I’d drop into HGL. I started coming in only two nights a week, now my own personal journey brings me here almost every day. Many moving parts in my life caused me to reflected on whether or not my current career path was a good fit, and with (VERY) shaky knees - stabilized by a wonderful support network friends and family - I parted ways with the marketing world and am back in school. I’m currently at the U working on another Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. I’m very open to where that takes me.
While I continue my studies, I’m lucky to be in a place where the personal pursuits of students and staff converge, where I often learn as much as I teach. In any given week I’m working with students on Organization, SAT/ACT Test Prep, Writing, Math and helping expand the Study Skills program as a teacher and Program Coordinator. Although I enjoy seeing the tangible growth in students measured by grades and test scores, witnessing the subtle yet profound lessons learned are what I celebrate most. Really, any time a student listens to me is cause for celebration (can I sat that!?).
This place is like a high impact collision zone of ideas, projects and personalities – hard to walk away without a new perspective on SOMETHING. And it’s fun. It’s WAY fun.
… See you at HGL!
