Grade six Holy Name students write letters to the Town to provide ideas

Essex Mayor Larry Snively and Councillor Morley Bowman collect the letters Mrs. Thompson’s grade six students at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Elementary School wrote as part of a class assignment. The letters were written to suggest improvements to Town programming or relayed ideas about possible future events.

by Sylene Argent

On Wednesday, December 19, Essex Mayor Larry Snively and Councillor Morley Bowman visited Mrs. Thompson’s grade six class at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Elementary School to discuss letters the students sent to the Town of Essex as part of a writing assignment.

  Mrs. Thompson said her student teacher, Mike McPherson, came up with the idea to have the students focus their letter-writing assignment on suggesting improvements, ideas for enhancement to programming, or possible future events for the Town of Essex.

  “I thought it would be a good way to get the kids involved with the community,” McPherson said, adding he thought it was be neat to get the students interested in municipal politics. “We want them to think like responsible citizens. They came up with some pretty cool ideas.”

  Snively said the students submitted an array of suggestions in their letters. He assured the students he would deliver the letters to the appropriate departments at the Town of Essex for future consideration. He said his favourite letter included the desire for more industry.