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News Release

STUDENTS TAKE CONTROL OF CITY FOR MAYOR’S YOUTH DAY

CHESAPEAKE – Approximately 200 students from the City's public and private high schools will take over City Hall on Tuesday, March 4, as part of Mayor's Youth Day. This annual event, which pairs local high school senior students with City officials, gives students a first-hand look at how City government operates. City employees serve as mentors while the students assume the employees' tasks for the day.

After a brief morning meeting with City officials, students will spend the majority of the day working with their mentors. “Student school officials” will conduct a Student School Board meeting at 2:00 p.m. in the School Administration Building. This will be followed by a Student City Council meeting at 3:15 p.m. in the City Council Chambers on the first floor of City Hall.

As with traditional City Council meetings, prior to the start of the session a student broadcaster will anchor a 48NEWS program live on WCTV-48. The Student City Council meeting will be rebroadcast in its entirety on WCTV-48 at later dates and times to allow parents and students to view the proceedings together. Specific times may be found on the City’s website, CityOfChesapeake.net

During the Student City Council meeting, the Student City Council Members will consider and vote on two issues: 1) Homelessness, Affordable Housing Trust Fund review of ordinances to support multiple non-related persons in a single dwelling house; 2) Overcrowding in the City jail.

The 2008 Student Mayor is Caitlin Wutka from Great Hope Baptist School, with Katrina Vidal from Grassfield High School serving as the Student Vice Mayor.  Wintre Foxworth from Indian River High School will act as the Student City Manager. Jenny Bledsoe from Indian River High School will serve as the Student School Board Chair.  Gina Verdeschi from Hickory High School will serve as the Superintendent of Schools.  Bevin Brady from Western Branch High School will serve as this year’s Student Sheriff.

Mayor's Youth Day participants were selected by their schools based on academic achievement, leadership and extracurricular activities.  Most are members of their student government associations or have taken government classes.

Mayor's Youth Day activities are coordinated by the City Council-appointed Chesapeake Youth Committee and the City's Office of Youth Services.