'If I Were Mayor': Northwood student wins regional award for essay
Student Kenzley Frye assumed the mayor's post at this month's Saltville Town Council meeting to read her winning "If I Were Mayor" essay.
Virginia Municipal League President Dwayne Tuggle, the mayor of Amherst, presented Kenzley Frye with her award at a recent Saltville Town Council meeting.
If she was the mayor of Saltville, Kenzley Frye would address day-to-day issues like potholes, while also working on enhanced tourism marketing and bolstering diversity and inclusion in the community.
Frye outlined her plan in an essay for the non-profit Virginia Municipal League’s annual If I Were Mayor state essay contest, which is open to seventh- and eighth-grade students.
Frye, under teacher Amy Dunn, wrote as a Northwood Middle School student.
Her essay went on to win the award for VML’s Region 1. The organization divides the commonwealth into eight regions.
Through the contest, VML asks students to consider an issue in their locality, talk to others about possible solutions, and then present the solution that they believe will best address the issue.
Frye began her essay, writing, “simple issues like patching potholes and repairing buildings are straightforward problems that first come to mind when discussing improvements our town needs. But our small town of Saltville has many other underlying issues that you may not even consider at first. Promoting tourism that highlights our town’s history, improving accessibility for people with minor and major disabilities, as well as building a more diverse and welcoming community are all equally significant issues our town faces.”
She went on to address more completely her arguments regarding tourism, accessibility, and diversity and inclusion.
Frye concluded, “Improving our town doesn’t mean we have to change it, it means helping it grow and flourish. By taking small steps to provide a welcoming and accessible town, we can bring new life to our streets and create a place that ensures everyone can fully participate in community life while also creating a place where everyone feels they belong. Through these minor improvements, our small town can preserve its charm while building a strong future for generations to come.”
At the Saltville Town Council’s meeting earlier this month, VML’s Executive Director Michelle Gowdy and VML President Dwayne Tuggle, mayor of Amherst, presented Frye with a certificate and $150. All winning essays were featured in the May/June issue of VML’s magazine Virginia Town & City.
As well, Mayor Cheri Fullen stepped aside and allowed Frye to take the mayor’s position on the council dais and read her essay.
Of this year’s winners, Gowdy said: “Although they wrote from personal experience and community awareness, this year’s winners were focused on issues like mental health, affordable housing, and access to medical care (just to name a few) that concern Virginians of all ages across the Commonwealth. My heartfelt congratulations to the students who won and thanks to everyone who participated.”
Saltville Town Manager Cecile Rosenbaum praised Frye and thanked her for representing the town well and helping people get to know the community.
Traveling across the state, Rosenbaum said she always must explain where Saltville is.
