The Florida League of Mayors (FLM), an organization for Florida’s mayors, founded and developed by Florida’s mayors, recently announced the 2023-24 “If I Were Elected Mayor” essay contest winners.
The contest, hosted annually, is sponsored by FLM and the Florida League of Cities. Among the winners was Marialucia Hernandez of Emerald Cove Middle School in Wellington, who took second place.
Other winners were Andrew Johnson of Gulf Coast Classical Academy in Clearwater and Aayushi Kamdar of Coral Springs Middle School, who both took first place, as well as Maya Morrison of Coral Springs Middle School, who took third place.
The contest required participants to write a 250-word essay describing how they would make a difference in their community if they were elected mayor, and how home rule, the ability of local governments to address local problems with local solutions, helps make their community a great place to live. All middle school students in the state were invited to participate. More than 1,000 essays were submitted.
“I would prioritize public transportation,” Hernandez wrote in her essay. “Public transportation can aid many citizens, especially elderly people who can’t drive, and minors under the age of 16, who can’t get a driver’s license yet. Public transportation can additionally help better the local economy, since one dollar invested in public transportation is estimated to generate five economic dollars back. Public transportation would be advantageous for essentially everyone.”
Hernandez added that she would also concentrate on affordable housing.
“To conclude, if I were to be elected mayor, I would focus on improving the quality of life, fostering community growth and promoting economic development. I vow to lead the community with integrity and utilize Home Rule to meet civilian needs,” she wrote.
Johnson’s winning essay explained that, as mayor, his goals would be to address the city’s population increase and lower the crime rate by employing more police officers. Kamdar also wrote that his focus would be on policing in the community and placed an emphasis on sustainability.
All four contest winners will be recognized by their mayors during meetings of their local governments. They will be presented with a joint resolution from the Florida League of Cities and the Florida League of Mayors, and their essays will be published on the Florida League of Mayors web site and recognized by FLC’s Quality Cities magazine.
Visit www.floridamayors.org to learn more about the Florida League of Mayors.
