Mayor Leigh Meigs Encourages Durango 7th Graders to Participate in the Annual “If I Were Mayor…” Essay Contest

 

Durango, CO –   Mayor Leigh Meigs is encouraging Durango-area 7^th grader to participate in the annual “If I Were Mayor…” essay contest sponsored by the Colorado Municipal League and COLOTRUST.  The essay contest, now in its third year, is aimed at keeping young people involved and engaged in civics.

 

“I hope our students will participate in the essay contest, telling other kids in the community what kinds of services their City government would offer if they were mayor and why they are important,” said Mayor Leigh Meigs.  “I encourage the students who enter the contest to let their personalities show in their essays.”

 

Durango 9-R School District is partnering with the City of Durango to help get the word out to local 7^th graders about the contest.  “This contest offers our students an opportunity to learn more about their City government,” commented Sandra Berman-LaFrance, Executive Director of Student Achievement with Durango School District 9-R.

 

Essay Contest Topic:  Many youth are not aware of the valuable services that their municipalities (cities and towns) provide:  bike paths, recreation centers, police officers, street lights and crosswalks are all provided by municipal government.  If you were mayor, how would you explain the importance of municipal government to kids in your community?

 

Four winners will be awarded a certificate of achievement, a $500 savings bond and the opportunity to attend the 88^th CML Annual Conference June 22-25 in Breckenridge. 

 

Contest Rules:

• v The contest is open to all Colorado students enrolled in the 7^th grade during the 2009-2010 school year. Students who are home schooled are also eligible.
• v Essays should be a minimum of 400 words and a maximum of 600 words.
• v Only one essay may be submitted per student.
• v Essays will be judged by a committee made up of CML and COLOTRUST officials and other community leaders in the following areas: Essay relation to contest topic; creativity; displayed knowledge about the role of a mayor; and legibility and proper use of grammar
• v Students must include their first and last name, school and teacher’s name at the top of their essays. The official entry form must also be submitted with entries.
• v Essays must be received by Tuesday, April 13, 2010. Winners will be notified during the middle of May 2010. The top three winners from Durango will be recognized by the Mayor and City Council at a regular City Council meeting this summer.
• v Teachers should submit all of their students’ essays with the attached entry form (only one entry form is needed to submit all essays).
• v Mail essay and entry form to CML, 1144 Sherman Street, Denver, CO 80203.

 

The essay contest brochure is available on the CML website at www.cml.org and also on the City’s website at www.durangogov.org.  For more information about the CML essay contest, please contact Lisa White with CML at 303-831-6411 or via email at [email protected].