About the Essay Contest
The Virginia Municipal League (VML) invites all Virginia 7th Graders to join its essay contest, “If I Were Mayor,” to tell others what they would do as mayor* to make their city, town or county an even better place to live.
* Students whose locality does not have a mayor can select an alternate municipal leader (i.e. member of their county’s Board of Supervisors) for their essay.
Promoting good local government is important to VML, and this essay contest provides students the opportunity to reflect on the important role of elected officials in their locality.
Regional winners selected from around the state will each receive a $150 cash prize and plaque. VML will present the awards to the regional winners at their local council meetings. Additionally, one statewide winner will also receive a $250 cash prize and plaque.
For more information, contact Rob Bullington at rbullington@vml.org.
Contest Rules
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The contest is open to all Virginia students enrolled in the 7th Grade during the 2018-2019 school year.
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Each entry must include a completed Entry Form (download here) stapled at the top of the essay.
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Essays must be typed.
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Essays must be 200 – 500 words.
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Essays must address the subject of what the student would do if they were mayor or elected municipal leader.
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Only one essay may be submitted per student.
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Essays will be judged based on the following: originality, persuasiveness, understanding of city, town or county services, and proper use of composition and written expression.
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Essays must be received at the VML office by Friday, January 18. Winners will be notified in March 2019.
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Essays will not be returned.
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VML retains the right to publish essays along with the names of each student.
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Submit entries to: VML, Attn: 7th Grade Essay Contest, P.O. Box 12164, Richmond, VA 23241.
2018 “If I Were Mayor” Essay Contest winners
Statewide winner: Jalia Hardy of Binford Middle School in Richmond (also Region 7 winner)
Region 1: Bryleigh Middleton of Pennington Middle School in Pennington Gap
Region 2: Kaydence Addison of Dalton Intermediate School in Radford
Region 3: Will Schwantes of Daniel Morgan Middle School in Winchester
Region 4: Catherine Selfridge of Buckingham Middle School in Buckingham
Region 5: Gideon DeMarco of Lanier Middle School in Fairfax
Region 6: Maeve Myers of Louisa County Middle School in Mineral
Region 8: Tina Li of the Academy for Discovery at Lakewood in Norfolk
2017 “If I Were Mayor” Essay Contest winners
Statewide winner: Jerry (Trey) N. Mitchell III of Lawrenceville
Region 1: Dillon McReynolds of Abingdon
Region 2: Andrew Middleton of Covington
Region 3: Sadie Dryden of Buena Vista
Region 4: Skyla Rain of South Boston
Region 5: Liv Scappa of Falls Church
Region 6: Maha Laiq of Warrenton
Region 7: Jerry (Trey) N. Mitchell III of Lawrenceville (statewide winner)
Region 8: Terrence Massenburg of Portsmouth
2016 “If I Were Mayor” Essay Contest winners
Region 1: Sumer Grace Lloyd of Bristol
Region 2: Simran Kaur Gill of Salem
Region 3: Lily McClung of Fishersville (statewide winner)
Region 4: Grace Coover of Petersburg
Region 5: Evan Lankford of Falls Church
Region 6: Brynley Meadows of Culpeper
Region 7: Alexander Elstun of Chesterfield County
Region 8: Alyssa Levy of King William County
2015 “If I Were Mayor” Essay Contest winners
Region 1: Bailey Nash of Lee County
Region 2: Kendryek Wheeler of Roanoke
Region 3: Macalister Gordon of Winchester
Region 4: Garrett Love of Buckingham County
Region 5: Logan Kurtz of Manassas Park
Region 6: Adele Masson of Culpeper
Region 7: Na’Seem Hopson of Hopewell (statewide winner)
Region 8: Sophie Freiling of Williamsburg
