Marion School District student Ja’Kayla McIntosh will spend Friday, Oct. 16, shadowing Mayor Tracy Brick as part of “A Day in the Mayor’s Shoes,” a new program of the Marion Chamber of Commerce that gives students a chance to share their ideas for the city and experience local leadership firsthand.
Ja’Kayla, a third-grade student at Marion Math, Science & Technology Magnet, was selected after submitting an essay on how she would make Marion a better place. She will join Mayor Brick on her daily duties this Friday.
“What stood out most was how much Ja’Kayla thought about others, as well as her city, and how she could make life better for both,” said Trisha Bloodworth, Director of the Marion Chamber of Commerce. “Her essay showed a caring heart and thoughtful ideas for making a difference. She also shared a great classroom idea that I can’t wait to explore with the school!”
The program grew out of the Chamber’s desire to get students more involved in the community while supporting the third-grade reading initiative. Students were invited to put their reading and writing skills to work by sharing their own ideas for Marion.
Bloodworth said a conversation with MST Assistant Principal Tamecha Littlejohn earlier this year helped inspire the program.
“I met with Ms. Littlejohn earlier this year to discuss ways to strengthen the third-grade reading initiative and get students more involved,” Bloodworth said. “That conversation helped inspire this program. We wanted to give students an opportunity to put their reading and writing skills to work in a way that felt meaningful and connected them to their community.”
Littlejohn said she was glad to help shape a program that gives students a reason to see their words as more than a classroom assignment. She believes that when students write about something they care about, they take more pride in their work and become more confident readers and writers.
“When students see that their writing can reach the mayor’s office, reading and writing stop being just assignments and become a way to make their voices heard,” Littlejohn said. “I’m so proud of Ja’Kayla and of every student who shared their ideas for Marion. They’re showing us that today’s readers really are tomorrow’s leaders.”
“A Day in the Mayor’s Shoes” will also lead into the Chamber’s first-ever junior leadership program for elementary-age students.
“This is the beginning of giving our young people more opportunities to learn, serve, and grow as leaders,” Bloodworth said. “I hope to get students excited not only about reading, but also about their future. We want them to understand that their ideas matter and that they can make a difference in their community, even at a young age.”
The program is a collaboration among the Marion Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Brick, the City of Marion, and the Marion School District. Bloodworth thanked Mayor Brick for her help and enthusiasm.
“She has been excited about this opportunity for our students, and that support has meant so much,” she said. Bloodworth also thanked every student who participated. “We want every student who participated to know that we appreciate their effort and their ideas.”
The program’s theme is “Today’s Readers. Tomorrow’s Leaders.”
The Marion School District is an innovative and growing district that ensures an equitable, engaging learning community where every student is empowered to achieve academic excellence and personal growth. With more than 150 years of experience serving families in Crittenden County, the district offers a high school, a junior high, a seventh grade academy, and three award-winning magnet schools. For enrollment information, including information on school choice, visit https://www.msd3.org/ or call 870-739-5100.