The City of Ashland is thrilled to unveil the winners of the annual Oregon Mayors Association, "If I were Mayor…" student competition.
Each year the Oregon Mayors Association (OMA) hosts the, “If I were Mayor…” student contest. The contest takes place on a local and state level and is an opportunity for 4th through 12th grade students to learn more about civic engagement and use their voice in local government.
The competition spans three categories:
- Elementary School (grade 4-5) - Poster Contest
- Middle School (grade 6-8) - Essay Contest
- High School (grades 9-12) - Digital Media Presentations
Due to the overwhelming number of submissions, the Mayor awarded a recipient at each grade level below. The recipients and their entries are as follows:
Nadia, Grade 5 Winner, poster (PDF)
Harper, Grade 6 Winner, essay (PDF)
Nora, Grade 7 Winner, essay (PDF)
Fenna, Grade 8 Winner, essay (PDF)
Peri, Grade 8 / Overall Middle School Winner, essay (PDF)
Mayor Tonya Graham and the City Council bestowed the awards upon the winners during the May 6, 2025, City Council Business Meeting. "Hosting this contest is one of the highlights of my year. The quality of the submissions made it clear that Ashland's youth love our community and are willing to think hard about how we can make it even better. I have every confidence that these young people will be what the world needs when it is their time to lead,” stated Mayor Graham.
These local winners have now advanced to the state level, competing for cash prizes and statewide recognition. First place statewide winning students in each of the three categories will win $500. These students will receive their prizes at the awards luncheon held during the OMA Summer Conference in Baker City at the Geiser Grand Hotel, August 14 through 16, 2025. Winners will be contacted in June for travel arrangements. Second and third place winning students win $300 and $100 respectively.
“We are better together!”
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