Gold Beach student wins third place in statewide Mayors Contest

SALEM, Ore. – Kacen Wardle, an 11th grader at Gold Beach High School, won the third-place prize for his digital media presentation in the Oregon Mayors Association’s (OMA) “If I Were Mayor...” civic awareness contest.

Each year, students statewide compete in three age groups using different media, describing what it would mean if they were the mayor of their city. Posters are designed by 4th and 5th grade students; 6th through 8th grade students write essays; and 9th through 12th grade students produce a short video.

The competition begins with a local contest conducted by mayors. The local first-place winners are entered in the state-level competition in the spring, which is judged by members of the OMA Selection Committee. Twenty-fi ve cities participated in this year’s contest at the local level, with 45 entries being forwarded to the state-level competition.

As the third-place winner, Kacen will receive a check for $100. Other third-place winners in the state competition were:

• Poster - Reagan Winn, 5th grader at South Shore Elementary School in Albany; and

• Essay - Leila Stewart, 8th grader at Banks Middle School.

First-place prize winners in this year’s statewide contest, each receiving a check for $500, were:

• Poster - Prakrithi Balasubramanian, 5th grader at Archer Glen Elementary School in Sherwood;

• Essay - Leuca Wanford, 6th grader at Lakeridge Middle School in Lake Oswego; and

• Video - Hadley Huzefka, 12th grader at West Albany High School.

Second-place winners in this year’s statewide contest, each receiving a check for $300 were:

• Poster - Brittney E. Gil-Rosales, 5th grader at Candy Lane Elementary in Oregon City;

• Essay - Catania Fenstermaker, 6th grader at Otto Petersen in Scappoose; and

• Video - Malia Stewart, 10th grader at Banks High School.

Entries may be viewed on the OMA web page at www.oregonmayors.org/special-programs/page/student-contest.

About the Oregon Mayors Association

Founded in 1972, the Oregon Mayors Association (OMA) is a voluntary association of persons who hold the office of mayor. The OMA is recognized as an affiliate organization in cooperation with the League of Oregon Cities. About 75% of Oregon’s mayors are active members of the OMA.