2024 “If I Were Mayor” Essay Contest Winners Announced
The Mayors' Council of Oklahoma (MCO) and the Oklahoma Municipal League (OML) recently announced the 2024 winners of the annual "If I Were Mayor" essay contest.
The essay contest provides an opportunity for 8th grade students from across Oklahoma to engage with their communities. The MCO asks that the Mayors in each community reach out to their 8th grade students to discuss the role that a Mayor has in municipal government, and the vital role that they have in leading a community.
The 2024 Winners are:
1st Place – Akahia McDonald, Carlton Landing Academy
2nd Place – Pralee Davis, McLoud Junior High
3rd Place – Parker Snell, Kansas Middle School
In her winning essay, Akahia McDonald stated that she would prioritize infrastructure/economy, safety, and community services by addressing underlying issues to bring about positive change.
Second place winner, Pralee Davis, shared that if she was mayor, she would focus on key areas of economy, community engagement, and sustainability.
Parker Snell, third place winner, would balance budgets to maintain financial stability, improve infrastructure, and would boost economic development through encouraging public-private partnerships.
"We want to congratulate the winners of the 2024 "If I Were Mayor" Essay Contest," said Craig Parham, Mayor of Amber, and MCO President. "We are grateful that so many students from across Oklahoma took the time to learn more about municipal government and participated in the essay contest. Citizens should be involved with their municipalities, and we hope this encourages students to engage with their local government."
"Municipal government is the form of government closest to the people and our hope is that this essay contest will show young people that they can be involved and make a difference in their communities," said Mike Fina, Executive Director of OML. "One of the most important duties we have at the local level is to identify the next generation of municipal leaders, and this contest is a great introduction to local government."
The Mayors' Council of Oklahoma was formed in 1991 as a bipartisan organization to represent the concerns and views of the body of the state's Mayors. MCO provides a vehicle for the development and implementation of programs of multi-jurisdictional cooperation between cities and towns designed to lessen the burden on local government. Oklahoma Mayors make the commitment to work through the conference to improve their own communities as well as the conditions facing cities and towns throughout the state and nation.
The Oklahoma Municipal League is the authoritative source for information, training, and resources on effective local government for member organizations and is recognized as the unified voice of Oklahoma Cities and Towns. For more information, visit www.OML.org.
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