MORGANTOWN — Chloe Addie adjourned Wednesday’s regular meeting of the Monongalia County Commission with a public service announcement.
“I do wish to point out that the county commission does not fix the roads,” she declared emphatically.
Turns out, the Mountaineer Middle School eight grader-turned-commissioner-for-a-day is a quick study.
Addie was joined by classmates Karim Sraj and Stella Carlson on the commission dais Wednesday. The trio conducted the meeting — with assistance from the county commission — as part of their recognition for winning the annual County Government Month Essay Contest.
The contest was open to Monongalia County eighth graders, but Robyn Addie’s eighth grade class from Mountaineer Middle was the only one to participate.
The county commission selected the winners — Addie (1st), Sraj (2nd) and Carlson (3rd) — based on how they tackled the question, “How does my county commission make life better for me?”
In addition to a behind-the-scenes look at county government, all three picked up a cash prize, as did their teacher, for use on classroom materials.
“I’ve done some public speaking before. It is a bit nerve-wracking, like always, but I feel very honored that I have this opportunity. I understand some might not be given such amazing support,” Chloe Addie said of the experience.
The meeting ended with a photo opportunity with the commissioners and the commissioners-in-training.
“To Ms. [Robyn] Addie and also the parents, they could not be up here without your support,” Commission President Tom Bloom said. “Sometimes we forget about the parents in the background, and after 32 years as a guidance counselor, I can’t say enough; you have three amazing children and we are in good hands in the future.”
All 13 essay contest entrants were also forwarded on to the County Commissioners’ Association of West Virginia, which selected Julia Watson as one of two second-place winners and Katie Tran as one of 10 students to receive an honorable mention. Both are also students in Robyn Addie’s class at Mountaineer Middle.
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