Third grade students at McDougle Elementary School are diving into the subject of Local Governments this month, so what better way to learn about municipal leadership than to hear from the Mayor herself.
Mayor Pam Hemminger spent nearly an hour with the students on Monday, December 4 as they prepared to construct their own versions of municipal governments, including electing a mayor for each classroom.
Students and their teachers had prepared lists of questions, ranging from “What is your family like?” to “Why do houses in Chapel Hill cost so much?” and “When you make decisions, who do you think about?” The mayor managed the room full of children with ease, and she noted that when her four children attended district schools, she volunteered frequently. Blending specific facts and policy ideas with humorous anecdotes, the mayor provided an abundance of information to her audience.
In response to the question, “Is it hard or easy, being the mayor?” Hemminger shared that some days can be really challenging and long, while others are relatively easy. She described how she can’t go out in sweats like she used to, and how surprising it was to “lose” her name. “Now everyone just calls me Mayor.” When she noted that she’s paid as a half-time employee, even though she often works 70 hours a week, one student shrieked from the back of the room, “WHAT???”
Hemminger laughed. “Yes, I said What? too.”
A student asked if Hemminger had always wanted to be a mayor, which elicited a big smile. She said no, not at all, though she had served as class president in high school. “I guess I’ve always wanted things to run better…I love helping our community. I wasn’t really planning on running for mayor.” She noted that Chapel Hill has a tradition of welcoming diversity and outside-the-box thinking. “But I felt like we were moving away from that, towards being just a bedroom community for people who could afford it. My own children said, 'Mom, quit waiting for change to happen. You’ve always told us, Be the change you want to see in the world,'” a statement that made several students nod their heads.
Students wanted to know if she lives in a “fancy house,” and the mayor admitted it’s become fancier since her husband insisted they add a Ping Pong Room, which was also met with students’ approval. They asked her if she can take gifts, so the mayor explained that government officials take an ethics training that emphasizes how important it is to avoid gifts and special favors.
Many children were curious about the “best part” of being Mayor. Hemminger shared that she had been able to give hugs to both President Obama and singer James Taylor, and that day was one high point. A student inquired about other celebrities. “Have you hugged Taylor Swift?”
Natalie Sayag, one of their teachers, asked if Hemminger, also a former school board member and chair,
had specific advice to prepare them for the afternoon’s government simulation. The mayor replied, “It’s really important to hear every voice at the table.”
“It’s been an amazing, amazing experience,” Hemminger told the students as they stood up to file back to their classrooms. A few children hung back to give the mayor a hug.
At the end of the day, Stephens Watson, another third grade teacher, shared this observation, “During the simulations this afternoon, I think the kids were really taking Mayor Hemminger's advice to listen to everyone's opinion. The kids were excited to get their roles and it seemed like they realized the importance of each role in the government.”
Who knows? Maybe cafeteria and classroom conversations this week will include new phrases like “affordable housing,” “stormwater fees” and “rural buffers.” And maybe a few aspiring politicians, currently studying at McDougle Elementary, will look back on today’s mayoral visit as the day it all started.
