Hola America is pleased to announce that on Thursday November 12, 2015 one of our well known Hispanic community leaders in the Quad Cities, Margarita Mojica, received the Denny Jacobs Public Servant Award.
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Denny Jacobs Public Servant Award is given to someone who is employed, elected or appointed by any government entity and who had shown a great support to the community.
Margarita Mojica was nominated and won this year’s award. Mrs. Mojica is a Language Arts Teacher in Glenview Middle School, where she worked for the past 19 years.  She is originally from Guanajuato, Mexico. Her family came to United States in the beginning of the 60’s with the same goal as many immigrants before – searching for better future. Mrs. Mojica understands well the hardships of immigrants, as she, when she was a little girl, spent her summers picking onions in Pleasant Valley, Iowa. Her parents had instilled a belief in her that education brings success and better future. With a little push and support from her father Mrs. Mojica went to Black Hawk College. She might have started her journey toward higher education with a few doubts, but she pushed on and now she holds an Associate degree from Black Hawk in Spanish, Bachelor’s of Science in bilingual/bicultural education and Master’s of Science in Education from Western Illinois University.
Mrs. Mojica strongly believes that nowadays many students as young as Middle School lose their interest in continuing their education because they do not know how to pursue a higher education that can cost quite a lot. She herself had similar feelings before, she understands well those students and to help those students find hope again Mrs Mojica and her fellow teacher Charlene Upchurch-Taylor started an organization called One by One (earlier this year Hola America had reported about this organization. Please read that article here.)
Mrs. Mojica is a deserving recipient of Denny Jacobs Public Servant Award. This teacher, beloved by many, worked hard for years towards her goal of becoming a teacher she never had, but wished she did. Every day she works hard to get her students understand that higher education is not only possible, it is obtainable. This teacher is more than a teacher, she is an activist who is making sure that young people break the cycle of poverty and reach their American dream.
Congratulations Mrs. Mojica and please, keep up the good work.
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