Student Wins “If I were Mayor” Essay Contest
Dillon M., a seventh grader at E.B. Stanley Middle School, was selected as the Region 1 winner of the Virginia Municipal League’s “If I Were Mayor” essay contest. He will travel to Richmond to receive his award at Virginia Municipal League Day, on January 25, 2017, at the Library of Virginia; at 3:00 p.m. Dillon will be presented a certificate from Governor McAuliffe and a $150 cash prize. He was one of the eight regional winners selected. “This is the first year that the Mayor's office has asked students to participate in the VML contest and we are pleased beyond words that one of our students won VML's statewide award,” said Mayor Cathy Lowe. “I extend our gratitude and congratulations to Dillon, his parents, his teacher Courtney Turman, and E.B. Stanley Middle School. We are proud of all involved in this great honor.” The Virginia Municipal League, as part of promoting good local government, conducts the “If I Were Mayor” essay contest. This contest allows seventh grade students from all over the state of Virginia to describe what they would do if they were Mayor of their hometown. The essay contest is a key component of the league’s civic education programming, which seeks to teach schoolchildren and adults how local government works and how they can become more involved in making their communities better places to live, work and play.