Jackie Mikesh named Community Service Award winner

Jackie Mikesh always had a calling to make an impact with kids and young adults.

From scouting to teaching to turning the Gonzales Center at Victoria College into a successful community asset, Mikesh has made a profound impact on the people of this community.

For all she has done over the years, she was presented the 2018 Community Service Award by the Gonzales Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture at their annual banquet last month. It was an award that was well deserved and highly applauded by members of the community.

“I was totally surprised in receiving this honor,” Mikesh said with a smile last week. “I had no idea. It caught me off guard, but I am very proud to have received the Community Service Award.

“I should have known something was up when a large group of family members came for the weekend from San Antonio,” she laughed. “They told me they were on their way to a wine tour, and I fell for it. I didn’t know they were coming to see me get this honor. It was nice to have them there, though.”

Mikesh is certainly no stranger to community service. She began a 24-year career in education in the 1980s, teaching Gonzales junior high children for 16 years and then moving on to the high school as a teacher and counselor for eight years. During that illustrious time in her life she was the sponsor of the Gonzales High School Anchor Club, was very active in scouting as she helped her children become Eagle Scouts, and then was involved with the Gonzales County 4H program. While doing all of this, she was an active member of the morning Gonzales Lions Club and a member of the Catholic Daughters of America.

In 2006, she turned the page on her high school career and became the director of the Gonzales Center for Victoria College and has nurtured it phenomenal success in this community. Before she joined the college ranks, Jackie was known for her use of an Alan Greenspan photo in her classroom. She used to teach economics using Greenspan theories, and the photo in her classroom became infamous among her students. One year, the photo came up missing, with a note attached to it demanding: “Bake us a cake and we’ll return the picture.” Mikesh made a cake, and the photo mysteriously returned. It started a tradition where Greenspan would be kidnapped, and then Mikesh had to pay the ransom of a cake.

“It even happened in my own house,” Mikesh laughed. “My own son kidnapped the picture from a closet when he was in college and demanded a cake ransom for its return. It is a part of lore now!”

When asked about her calling as an educator and community mentor, Jackie became very serious.

“I just see so much potential in young adults and want to help them discover their life’s purpose,” she said. “You get one shot at life, so you have to take your best shot and make a difference while you are here.

“I am so proud of the students that I have taught and traveled with,” she said. “I truly believe taking kids on trips and travel to other cultures, places and exposing them to other people and values is a wonderful to open their minds to what is out there.

“I am very proud of that, but I think biggest accomplishment was in getting the Gonzales Center up and running and helping provide life skills and education to our area youth that will benefit them throughout their lives and in their careers. I am so proud of all of them.”