Mark Jacobsen is one of the oldest teenagers in town. Even as a
child, Jacobsen’s family and teachers referred to
”
Markie,
”
now 18 and the Chamber of Commerce’s volunteer of the year, as
an
”
old soul.
”
Gilroy
Mark Jacobsen is one of the oldest teenagers in town.
Even as a child, Jacobsen’s family and teachers referred to “Markie,” now 18 and the Chamber of Commerce’s volunteer of the year, as an “old soul.”
“He was one of those little ones that is so wise beyond his years,” said Vicki Campanella, assistant to the principal for administration and development at St. Mary School, where Jacobsen attended grade school.
With more than 10 years of volunteerism under his belt, Jacobsen is a permanent fixture at some of the city’s biggest annual events, including the Gilroy Garlic Festival, the downtown car show, various holiday parades and school fundraisers.
“(Mark) is always someone I can count on,” said Susan Valenta, president and CEO of the Chamber. “The Chamber has benefited many times over with the energy, commitment and team spirit Mark contributes. He is really a role model for others.”
Even at St. Mary, students strived to beat Jacobsen’s long-standing record for selling the most tickets to the school’s spaghetti dinner. But topping $3,300 in sales was no easy task.
“Nobody could beat Mark,” Campanella said. “He learned at a very young age what it felt like to do something for other people.”
Jacobsen got his first taste of community involvement around the same time his peers were learning to tie their shoes by attending Chamber of Commerce meetings and other community events with is mother.
“He was never the type of little kid that would make noise and run around,” said Susan Jacobsen. “He would just sit there and take it all in. So I’d put him to work and he always wanted to help.”
“My mom got me involved,” said Mark Jacobsen, who modestly tried to steer the conversation away from his accolades. “And I kept coming back. I wanted to meet people and get in touch with other leaders.”
“People used to tease him that he’ll be the mayor of Gilroy some day,” Susan Jacobsen said.
Maybe some day, but for now Mark Jacobsen is just looking forward to wrapping up his last few months at Gilroy High School and getting on with his career as a police officer. He’s currently a member of the Gilroy Police Department’s Explorer program for young adults. Though he plans on attending Gavilan College and finishing his degree at San Jose State University, he’ll be back in Gilroy.
“I want to stay here as long as I can,” he said. “I like Gilroy because it’s a small community where everybody knows each other.”
“It’s that old soul in him,” his mother said. “Even as a little kid, he wanted to work for the city. But he’ll be the kind of police officer that will give out more warnings than tickets. He doesn’t have that macho ego.”
With only a few months until graduation, Jacobsen spends his time volunteering and working as a host and bus boy at Mama Mia’s Italian Restaurant. In between, he finds time to work with his father on the 1969 Firebird they’re restoring together or go for a motorcycle ride on Uvas Road.
The only days Mark Jacobsen does ask for off are the days he’s volunteering, said Majid Bahriny, owner of Mama Mia’s and one of several community members who suggested the teen as a candidate for the Chamber award.
“He’s one of those employees that’s never bored because if there’s not something to do, he finds something,” Bahriny said. “He’s one that I just don’t need to worry about. That’s unusual for his age.”
If there aren’t tables to clear or patrons to greet, Jacobsen will throw on an apron and help out in the kitchen if orders are stacking up, Bahriny said.
His work ethic permeates his volunteerism as well, said Steve Ashford, one of the event organizers for the downtown car show.
“He’s there until the last thing is put away,” Ashford said. “He’s a real trooper. And once he started driving, that was even better.”
Even though he’s too young to drink himself, Jacobsen has been volunteering with the Garlic Festival beer committee more than a decade and is instrumental to the effort, said Alan Ladd, who serves on the Chamber’s board of directors and manages Heritage Bank in Gilroy.
“He’s my son, the Jacobsens just feed him,” Ladd laughed. “I just love him. He’s a marvelous kid. Everyone would say the same.”
