Maryland Municipal League Fosters Civic Understanding Among State’s Fourth Graders With “If I Were Mayor” Essay Contest

Maryland Municipal League Fosters Civic Understanding Among State’s Fourth Graders With “If I Were Mayor” Essay Contest

Student Essay Submissions to Address Contest’s 2017 Theme of ‘Inclusion’; Entries Must Be Received by March 31; 11 Regional Winners to Be Honored in Annapolis

Each year, since 2001 the Maryland Municipal League (MML) invites fourth graders throughout Maryland to enter the “If I Were Mayor” essay contest. The annual essay contest challenges fourth graders to share their thoughts on how they would engage citizens to make their local city or town a better place to live and work. Students must submit their essays to MML no later than March 31.

MML’s “If I Were Mayor” essay contest provides fourth graders an opportunity to learn about municipal government, by explaining how they would operate their jurisdiction if they had the chance to be a mayor. Each 275-word essay must open with the line: “If I Were Mayor, I Would…” and then proceed to answer three questions that addresses the 2017 contest theme, “Inclusion.”

All Maryland students enrolled in the fourth grade during the 2016-2017 school year, are eligible to participate in the contest. Entries must be submitted by students’ teachers. Eleven (11) regional winners will be selected. Regional winners will be honored with a Governor’s Citation, a boat cruise of Annapolis on the Harbor Queen and a $100 cash prize at the Maryland State House at a special Spring reception. Winning authors will be honored by Governor Larry Hogan, mayors from the winning districts, family members, teachers, and other dignitaries.

“The ‘If I Were Mayor’ contest challenges Maryland’s budding authors and leaders to delve into understanding the important role of leading our cities and towns,” said Scott A. Hancock, executive director of the Maryland Municipal League. “Maryland’s fourth graders represent our state’s future, and we’re especially excited to see how they believe a city’s elected officials should manage inclusion.”

The contest is sponsored by Maryland Municipal League, in partnership with the Maryland Mayors Association and the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Company. Essays will be judged based on: essay relation to contest topic; displayed knowledge about municipal government and the role of a mayor; creativity; and proper use of grammar. For more information, visit: www.mdmunicipal.org/essay

Contacts:
Laura Van Eperen, 301-836-1516 ,laura@vaneperen.com
Scott Hancock, 410-268-5514, scotth@mdmunicipal.org

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About The Maryland Municipal League:

Located at the Phipps Municipal Center in the state capital of Annapolis, The Maryland Municipal League (MML) was founded in 1936 and represents 157 municipal governments and 2 special taxing districts throughout the state of Maryland. A voluntary, non-profit, nonpartisan association controlled and maintained by city and town governments, MML works to strengthen and support municipal government through advocacy and the development of effective leadership. Through its membership in the National League of Cities MML offers legislative representation in Washington, urban research programs, and a national municipal government information exchange. MML is the only statewide organization in Maryland composed solely of municipal officials and devoted to the promotion of all branches of municipal administration.