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Students from Memorial Oval Primary School have gained an insight into how Whyalla runs with a special co-operative educational program and a visit to the City of Whyalla council chambers.
Mayor Lyn Breuer hosted 49 students (above) and their teachers as they presented their urban development program project to the Mayor Lyn Breuer and Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) Youth Mayor Ethan Klobucar.
The Year 6 and 7 students’ project and “city plans” came about after several weeks of work and was followed up with assistance from council’s Youth Development Officer Gail Rostig. The student group learned about local, state and federal government procedures while gaining an insight into how the Whyalla Council works when it comes to planning, funding projects, building and general services.
Armed with this knowledge, the students created their own “maps” (pictured) of Whyalla complete with some of their suggestions for the city and their own names for suburbs.
Some of the suggestions included an indoor skate park, a water park, better places for young people to hang out, better internet speed, refurbishment of the BMX track, a rock climbing wall, solar plant, homeless shelters, a better variety of shops and more lighting.
“It was a really good project, the students really gained a good understanding of what it takes to run a city,” Ms Rostig said.
“When they first came in, they talked about getting a MovieWorld to Whyalla but then they came to understand how a city works and what can and can’t be achieved with rate payer funds.”
While visiting the council chambers, members of the school’s leadership group were able to role play and sit in seats normally reserved for the elected councillors as Mayor Breuer and “Youth Mayor” Klobucar spoke about their roles.
It was an extra special “meeting” for Mayor Breuer who is a proud former student of Memorial Oval and she further explained how council, and state and federal government, worked.
“It was great to see such an enquiring, interested group of young people,” Mayor Breuer said.
“They really took note of what happens in Council and how we work with the community in making things happen.
“I see real potential leadership in these young people, and this is great for our city in the future.”
Youth Mayor Klobucar was able to share with the students how YAC works and presented information on recent events and outcomes involving the committee.
"All the students were very respectful in the council chambers and they were very knowledgeable too,” Ms Rostig said.
“They learned council protocol and many of them knew who our elected representatives in the region were.
“This project not only gave the students an idea of how things work in a city like ours, I think it prepared a lot of them to become involved in YAC and maybe become future leaders in in our community.”