Sixteen-year-old Kori Gordon of Westwood High School is Trelawny’s Junior Mayor for 2008/2009 following last week’s Junior Mayor Competition at the offices of the parish’s municipal authority.

Sixteen year-old Neville McKenzie of William Knibb Memorial High School placed second to become deputy mayor, while Gordon’s schoolmate, Tasha Stewart, placed third.

Gordon told the Observer West that she was quite happy about her win but had not yet decided on a community project.

“… but I intend to do something in the parish before the year is up,” she said.

Nine students from five schools in the parish including Holland High, Low River Primary and Muschette High participated in the competition, which required them to make presentations on the roles and functions of local government in society. The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPSCo) sponsored cash awards for the winners. The competition was adjudicated by a panel of four judges.

Gordon won a cash prize of $17, 000 for her presentation on the topic “Community Development: Dons or Local Authority, while her teacher won $8,000. McKenzie received $10,000 while his teacher received $5,000 and Stewart won $7, 000 while her teacher won $3,000.

The Council welcomed the partnership with JPSCo which allowed them to offer cash prizes for the first time this year.

Other topics in the competition included “Local Government Affects Everyone, From the Womb to the Tomb” and “Local Government Reform: Myth or Reality”.

Last year’s Junior Mayor, Baston Galloway, of Holland High, received a $50,000 grant from the Local Government Department. He implemented a resocialisation programme in three schools in the parish.