Grand Island Chamber, City of GI to Host ‘Mayor for a Day’ Essay Contest

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — Do you think you have what it takes to be mayor for a day? That question will be posed to Grand Island-area sixth graders over the next month thanks to a joint effort between the Grand Island Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the City of Grand Island. The two entities are working with all Grand Island-area school districts to offer a unique opportunity for future-minded students.

In six years, today’s sixth graders will be graduating high school with plenty of their own goals. But what goals do they have for their hometown? Students are being asked to write a 400-word essay answering the following:
- Why do you love living in Grand Island?
- What changes would you make by 2030 to make the city even better?

With $500 in prizes funded by the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the top eight essays will receive monetary values ranging from $25-$100, with the winning author also earning the honor of being named “Mayor for a Day” by Mayor Roger Steele.

“Any time our local youth put pen to paper and think about the future of the community they call home, it’s a win-win,” Steele said. “I’m anxious to see what ideas they come with.” 

Essays will be composed in local sixth-grade classrooms in the coming weeks, with a submission deadline of Tuesday, May 7. Winners will be revealed Wednesday, May 15 and recognized formally in the City Council Chambers Monday, May 20 at a 10 a.m. press conference.

“It’s exciting for the Chamber Foundation to team up with the mayor’s office to introduce this contest to area students,” said Jamie Karl, president of the Grand Island Chamber. “With this event, we will not only gather great ideas from the next generation, but we are also letting youth of Grand Island know we’re interested in their vision, and together we can shape the community for decades to come.”

To participate, students must be current sixth grade students in Grand Island Public Schools, Northwest Public Schools, Grand Island Catholic Schools, or Trinity Lutheran School. The citywide approach to the essay makes the contest an inclusive and all-encompassing experience.