Town of Battleford Mayor Ames Leslie creates youth contest. (File photo/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Keaton Brown

Creative Juices Flowing

Local mayor creates youth competition to help pass time during school closures

Mar 25, 2020 | 2:01 PM

A local mayor is trying to spark the creative juices and help pass the time during the COVID-19 pandemic by organizing a youth competition on his Facebook page.

Battlefords Mayor Ames Leslie is challenging the kids from his community to compete for a chance to win some pizza gift cards.

Leslie said with the schools being closed it can become a challenge for parents to fill their kid’s days with productive activities so he has proposed a contest to help.

“I thought it would be a great little idea just to help the parents bridge the time to get the kids busy for an hour or two one day,” he said.

The competition has been broken up into three age categories with each one having its own objectives.

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For children aged six and under, Leslie is asking them to draw a picture of their favourite activity or what they enjoy the most about Battleford.

Children aged seven to 12 are asked to submit an idea for the town.

“I want to know what you want to build in the Town of Battleford. What would you build recreation wise, fun wise or maybe even a business that you want to see? We have had some pretty terrific ideas come in so far,” he said.

For the older crowd, aged 13-18, Leslie would like them to submit an essay on what they would do if they were mayor of the town.

“A short essay on if you were the mayor. If you are 13 to 18 and you are the mayor, what would you change about the Town of Battleford? What would you fix, what would you change, what would you do to make the Town of Battleford better if you were in the mayor’s chair,” he said.

Leslie said he is flexible with the age ranges, meaning if kids are right on the line between two categories they should feel free to participate in the one that interests them the most.

All entries are to be sent directly to Mayor Leslie at his email by March 27. Mayor Leslie said he has enlisted the help of the town’s council to pick two winners from each age group.

“Council is going to pick the best entries and present them with $25 pizza gift cards, because what kid doesn’t love pizza.”

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Keaton.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow