Grade six student, Rowen Camps-Daly, was mayor of Whitecourt for a day last week

 

What would you do if you had the opportunity to be mayor for a day? Most people likely have an idea of something they would like to see changed but if you did have the chance to take over the reigns you would learn that a mayor is just one piece of the puzzle. A mayor is indeed the biggest piece, but it takes the whole council to enact changes. Another thing you would learn is just how many meetings a mayor has each day.

On Monday, March 26, grade six student at École St. Joseph School, Rowen Camps-Daly, was given that very opportunity: to be mayor for a day! She received the honour after completing an essay at school in which she had to describe something that she would like to do that would help the community. “My teacher, Mrs. Flynn, brought up this essay and we all had to write one. I wrote mine about having free art classes for kids who are less fortunate. I know a lot of kids who are adopted and some of their families can’t afford that kind of thing, so it would be nice for them to just get out and do something fun,” explained Rowen.

After completing her essay, the Mayor’s Youth Committee assembled to pick students to take part in the special day and Rowen was one of those they picked out of 200 entries. “I felt pretty happy to be picked. I was really proud of myself.”

This is the third year for the Mayor for a Day event and Mayor Chichak hopes to see it continue long into the future. “It reinforces the important of looking at issues through the lens of our youth and it’s important for our youth to understand that they have a voice. It doesn’t matter how old you are, you have the ability to come in and participate, be part of the process, ask questions, make suggestions, or even let us know your concerns.” Mayor Chichak added that working with the youth of Whitecourt is one of her favourite parts of being mayor.

One of the great things about engaging youth is that it can help them develop an interest in helping their community and, as Mayor Chichak explains, they have seen that first hand. “We have had youth join our Mayor’s Youth Committee because of sitting as a mayor for a day, so it really has made them think about their community and how they can actually be engaged in it at a very early age.” Twelve students make up the committee and they receive a $500 bursary each year.  She said seeing them grow in both self-esteem and confidence as they progress through the committee year after year is exciting.

Starting early in the morning and lasting until the end of the day, at council’s weekly meeting, Rowen shadowed Mayor Chichak in her routine and attended several meetings. She also received tours of a few town properties including the Scott Safety Centre where she had the opportunity to go for a ride on the zamboni. “I learned that there is a lot more to it then just walking around and being the mayor. There’s a lot of meetings involved,” said Rowen, adding in a whisper-like voice, “and some of them are kind of boring.” Maryann had a bit of a chuckle and told her that it was okay to find meetings boring because, truthfully, some just are. Rowen also said that she liked watching Mayor Chichak being tough in the meetings. “It was interesting to see her put so many points out there and ask many intelligent questions.”

So, what would Rowen consider some of the most important attributes of being a mayor? “Being able to make tough decisions and making sure that they make the right ones for the community. The mayor would need good social skills and not a very high temper because that could be bad.” For herself, Rowen has big dreams of getting to help her community when she is older, and although she doesn’t necessarily want to be involved in politics, she does want to be part of an area that works very closely with those who run the town. “What I really want to do is become a police officer because I really want to help people. I did have a great-grandpa who was in the navy, so I thought that was really cool.”

For students who are in grade five who will be getting the chance to write their essay next year with the hopes of being picked, Rowen offers a bit of advice. “Think of something that could help the community and that really means something to you because then you’ll put your whole heart into it.” Great advice, Rowen!