The Mayors Council of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Municipal League invite 8th graders from home, public and private schools throughout Oklahoma to participate in a statewide essay contest, “If I Were Mayor, I Would…” to tell others what they would do as Mayor to make their city or town a better place to live.
Three finalists will be chosen from the contest entries. 1st place will receive $250; 2nd place will receive $150; and 3rd place will receive $100.
Essays must be received no later than January 31, 2023, and winners will be awarded at the Annual Congress of Mayors on February 10, 2023, in Oklahoma City where they will get to read their essays to the audience.
“We hope our annual essay contest will encourage students to look at municipal government and become involved with their communities,” Mike Fina, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Municipal League, said.
Weatherford Mayor Mike Brown also commented on the contest and young people being involved with municipal government. “I know it’s a state wide contest, but I’d love for there to be some 8th graders here who would be interested in doing this,” he said.
Mayor Brown said he believes learning about municipal government will benefit those who participate in the contest. “Anytime you have a little better understanding on something, it makes you better,” he said.
While being mayor can be a rewarding job, there are many responsibilities which come with the role, especially in Weatherford. “We’re a strong mayor form of government, so we don’t have a city manager, so the mayor is in charge of the hiring and firing of all city employees. You oversee the budget and get that approved each year,” Mayor Brown said.
Whoever is mayor of Weatherford also must meet with department heads, be available to answer questions, and attend dozens of board meetings as ex officio, not a voting member.
“Most people think the mayor has a lot more power than he’s got,” Mayor Brown said. “A lot of things take time and money.”
Now 8th graders get to consider what they would do as mayor. Would they build new projects? Start new programs to benefit community members? If 8th graders have dreams for the city, they can write an essay and potentially win a cash prize. Be sure to read the list below for all the rules.
Essay Contest Rules
• Be creative with your ideas. Explain what you would try to accomplish as mayor and how you would make it happen.
• The author of the essay must be enrolled in the 8th grade in home, public, and private schools during the 2022-23 school year.
• Essays must address the subject with the opening line beginning: “If I Were Mayor, I Would…”
• Essays must not exceed 250 words.
• Only one essay may be submitted per student.
• Essays will be judged based on knowledge about municipal government and the role of the mayor and creativity and proper use of grammar.
• Students must include their first and last names, school, and teacher or parent’s name at the top of their essays.
• Essays must be received on or before January 31, 2023.
For more information, visit www.oml.org/if/i/were/mayor.