Hozdic honored as Community Hero

By Brady Keane
Dave Campbell’s Texas Football

Beginning in 2015, Chicken Express and Dave Campbell’s Texas Football partnered to honor the heroes in communities across Texas. One male student-athlete and one female student-athlete are chosen out of many across the state based on how they lead by example on the field of play and in the classroom.
Those selected are honored as a Chicken Express Community Heroes and receive scholarship money to continue their education beyond high school.
Queen City senior Mackenzie Hozdic was selected to receive the honor based on her amazing work ethic both in the classroom and on the field of play.
As an all A student, the student council president, a member of the National Honor Society, and an active member of a youth choir and ensemble at church, senior Mackenzie Hozdic has a lot on her plate during the school year.
But when you add in the rigors of volleyball and the commitment of coordinating the area Ronald McDonald Pop Tab program, her resume is even more impressive.
Hozdic’s older sister started the pop tab program a few years ago, and passed it down when she graduated and went on to attend Texas Christian University.
“We are super close,” Hozdic said of their relationship. “These last two years, I’ve missed her a lot.”
After her sister’s graduation, Hozdic took the reins of the program that collects aluminum can tabs and turns them in for money that is then donated to organizations that help kids in the Queen City area.
“It’s really important to me,” Hozdic said. “To see the impact actually being made in your area, it means so much more. Since my sister started it we’ve both been really involved, and I really enjoy it.”
Hozdic’s impact in the community is felt in a big way, and the senior has also been a key member of the volleyball team as a three-year varsity letterman. Queen City won 78 games over the last three seasons, and Hozdic was honored with honorable mention all-district as a sophomore and second team all-district as a junior.
Despite the team having a little bit of a down year this season, Hozdic made enough of an impact on the district to be named to the first team all-district team for the first time.
“I was really surprised,” Hozdic said. “This year we weren’t one of the top two teams. I wasn’t expecting many girls from our team to get first team all-district, so it meant a lot to me and I was surprised. It was exciting.”
After closing out her high school athletic career on a solid note, Hozdic will have more time to dedicate to both her other extra-curricular activities and the pop tab program. Upon graduation in the spring, she hopes to attend Texas Christian University to study sports broadcasting.
Athletes can be nominated at TexasFootball.com/ChickenExpress.