If I Were Mayor Contest Banner

About the Contest

Enter to Win

The Oregon Mayors Association and the City of Philomath invite local youth to take part in the annual "If I Were Mayor..." contest. This contest is open to students enrolled in 4th - 12th grade for the 2024-25 school year. The contest is broken into three categories:

Elementary School (4th & 5th Grade): Posters Contest

  • Open to students enrolled in grades 4-5 or being homeschooled at the same grade level for the 2024-25 school year.
  • Students are encouraged to be creative and may use any art medium (paint, felt pens, colored pencils, pastels, crayons, 3D art, etc.).

Middle School (6th - 8th Grade): Essay Contest

  • Open to students enrolled in grades 6-8 or being homeschooled at the same grade level for the 2024-25 school year.
  • Essays must be typed and submitted in one of the following formats: Word, PDF, PowerPoint, or an online essay format.
  • Essays must be 500-1,000 words in length and typed.

High School (9th - 12th Grade): Digital Media Presentations

  • Open to students enrolled in grades 9-12 or being homeschooled at the same grade level for the 2024-25 school year.
  • Presentations must be submitted as a video, either in MP4 format or as an online video link.
  • Presentations must be one to three minutes in length and may be submitted via email.

Local and State Prizes

Prizes

Local Prize

The City of Philomath will award the winner in each category with an unforgettable day with Mayor McMorran! Winners will receive certificates and special recognition during a spring meeting in the Council Chambers. But the fun doesn’t stop there—winners will also enjoy exciting activities like a ride on a fire engine, a police escort, and a surprise gift to commemorate their achievement.Additionally, the first-place winners in each category will be entered into the statewide contest for a chance to be recognized on an even larger scale. For more details about the statewide contest, visit the Oregon Mayors Association website.

State Prize

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 14-16, 2025. Winners will be contacted in June for travel arrangements. Second and third place winning students win $300 and $100 respectively and will receive their prizes at local city presentations.

Contest Rules

Rules

To ensure a fair and enjoyable experience for everyone, please review the following rules and guidelines carefully. By participating, you agree to adhere to these rules and showcase your creativity within the specified requirements.

  1. To be considered a valid contestant for the local City of Philomath "If I Were Mayor..." Contest you MUST live within the City of Philomath, or attend a school within the City of Philomath School District.
  2. All submissions must be accompanied by a completed entry form. All forms for students under the age of 18 must be signed by the student's parent or guardian.
  3. Only one submission per student and one student per entry will be accepted at the state level.
  4. Previous statewide winners may participate, but are not eligible to receive a prize in the same category they previously won in. They are eligible to receive a prize in a new category.
  5. State level submissions become property of the Oregon Mayors Association (OMA).
  6. The City of Philomath retains the right to publish local entries along with the names and likeness of each student.
  7. OMA retains the right to publish state-level entries along with the names and likeness of each student.
  8. League of Oregon Cities (LOC) employees and dependents are not eligible to enter.

Contest Submissions

Entries are due by 12:00 PM on April 4, 2025.

Submit digital entries to the City Recorder at cityhallbegone@philomathoregon.gov.

Submit poster entries to the City Recorder at City Hall, 980 Applegate Street, Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5PM.

Contest Resources

The required entry forms are available below in both English and Spanish. Additional documents are attached, providing further information about the contest, the services offered by Oregon cities, and the role of the Mayor as an elected official.

English Language Resources Recursos del Idioma Español