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Planting Seeds: A Profile of Christy Godinez-Jackson

Christine (Christy) Godinez-Jackson started her Lick journey nearly 20 years ago as an Associate in the LWHS Admissions office. She has worn many hats in her time here: Admissions Associate, our first Director of Student Inclusion, the Director of the Center for Civic Engagement, a beloved teacher, and more. Always, she has centered students, with LWHS reaping the benefits of her kindness and creativity. Here are some of her reflections on 20 years as a Tiger. 

What do you remember about your early years here?

One of our charges early on was to bring in a more diverse population to the student body. In my first year, the new ninth grade class was a little over 20% Latinx, so that was huge for the school. We realized there were a whole lot of kids out there we had not been reaching and we needed to figure out ways not only to enroll them but also to then support them while they're here. That became a big interest of ours: we were very intentional that we’re not just going to accept kids to make the school diverse–we're going to make sure that they have an amazing experience here.

What are some of the things you value most about LWHS?

For me, Public Purpose is at the core. Since early on, I recognized that this school is really committed to doing good. So public purpose is essential for me, as well as the diversity of the student body. I appreciate that our students are highly motivated, not just to get good grades but also to do good in the world. Those are the two things that have kept me here: the commitment to public purpose and getting to work with a really talented group of young people who care. 

What do you want people to know about the Center for Civic Engagement?

That it’s not about us. It’s about the community we are part of. Sometimes people tell us we should ‘market' more of what we do, and I always ask “WHY?” I understand the importance of telling people about what we do, but I also believe in the humility of this work. We do it because it’s the right thing to do. Sometimes people don’t understand all the partnerships we have, whether that’s with TaxAid, the Youth Arts Exchange, SF District 7, but I hope people understand that at the core of the work, it’s about building partnerships that are authentic, that are real, and that have an impact.

Who is a personal s/hero of yours?

My parents. There’s a quote that really sums up how I feel about both of my parents and my dad in particular. He came to this country when was 16 years old, undocumented, and it just blows my mind how he figured everything out. Sometimes he is still really hard on himself and I just think ‘what are you talking about?’ He has four kids who are successful and happy and healthy. The quote says in part: “I think back to all the times when he gave me things he never had for himself. Here is my dad, planting all the seeds. Here I am, receiving all the flowers.”

 

Thank you Christy for planting so many seeds here at LWHS, for tending the Public Purpose Program so well, and for nurturing literally hundreds of beautiful flowers, embodied in LWHS alumni who take their heads, hearts, and hands out into the world to keep doing good.

Planting Seeds: A Profile of Christy Godinez-Jackson

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