Rotarian Jennifer Savini, Chair of Mayors of the Week, advised that the program has been running since 1969, providing local high school students an opportunity to meet with various City staff and departments and get a first-hand look at how their municipal government operates. This program gives students a preview of career opportunities they might not otherwise have been aware of. This year there were four students who participated from Albert College, Eastside Secondary School, Nicholson and St. Theresa's. The schools select students who show civic leadership and an interest in helping their communities. Thank you to the Rotarian chaperones -- Karen Baker, Tracy Bray, Shannon Neely, Tracey Vandervoort and Tim McKinney. Following is a recap of their experiences as Mayors of the Week.
Lexya Momo is a Grade 11 student at Albert College where she has been a student for 5 years. She was surprised to see how much work is required to keep the City running and the responsibilities of the Mayor. They visited the construction site at Memorial Arena and learned about the history of this arena, now being renovated to provide community space and opportunity. Lexya enjoyed the visit to the police department and fire department and saw first hand how much was involved in protecting the City overall. Everything she saw made her look at her own future with respect to career paths she has not considered. The saying "no two days are the same" is a popular one when it comes to being the Mayor. Thank you to the Rotary Club of Belleville for the experience.
Lila Healey attends Nicholson Catholic College and was very grateful for the opportunity to participate in the program and meet so many people. As she met the heads of different City departments, she saw first hand the commitment of everyone involved and also noted that women were represented in all the work environments. This gave her the confidence to realize she can chase her goals. The City Council meeting proved to be informative following a passionate discussion on the topic of free parking downtown. Lila learned many lessons during the week and found everything and everyone to be welcoming and inclusive.
Juliana Sourati is in Grade 12 at Eastside Secondary. Juliana enthusiastically shared some history on Mayor Ellis' career starting with Doug's Bicycle. She found the Belleville Police Service fascinating and was excited to see the inside of a police cruiser and the technology attached to it such as breathalyzer equipment and automated licence place recognition systems. Due to her love of reading, Juliana enjoyed the tour of the library. She didn't say having lunch with the Mayor was her favourite part, but was very thankful for the opportunity to understand how the City has flourished and continues to grow.
Lauren Smith from St. Theresa Catholic College was unable to attend the meeting due to illness, but Tracy Bray shared Lauren's thoughts. Seeing how each department works together helped Lauren appreciate how much teamwork and planning is involved in running the City. Her favourite part was visiting the police station and seeing the technology used and how they work to keep the city safe. The experience overall taught Lauren so much about leadership, service and the importance of community and thanked the Rotary Club of Belleville for the opportunity.
Rotarian Tim McKinney thanked the students for sharing their experiences.