A Day with the Mayor: Sixth Grade Student's Experience

On April 22, Oakwood Middle School sixth grade student Andrei S. had the unique opportunity to spend a day with Morgan Hill Mayor Mark Turner and City Manager Christine Turner, thanks to winning one of Oakwood School’s auction bids. It was an unforgettable experience!

The day began with a warm welcome at Morgan Hill City Hall, where Andrei was greeted by Mayor Turner and City Manager Turner—along with his favorite Starbucks Dragon Fruit drink. He was given a tour of the facilities and learned about the city's record-keeping system and the major functions of City Hall.

Following the tour, Mayor Turner, City Manager Turner, and Andrei visited several key locations in Morgan Hill, including the Centennial Recreation Center, the police station, El Toro Fire Station, and the Morgan Hill Outdoor Sports Center. At the Outdoor Sports Center, Andrei had the chance to meet and train with the Panthers players, which was a thrilling experience. The group then enjoyed lunch at Ladera Grill.

One of the highlights of Andrei’s day was operating the fire truck and trying on a firefighter’s outfit. He was amazed at how heavy the firefighter helmet was and couldn’t believe that the fire truck ladder could extend 105 feet into the sky! At the police station, Andrei explored police equipment, started a police motorcycle, and measured the speed of passing cars.

Throughout the day, Andrei was delighted to get to know Mayor Turner better and discovered that he has a great sense of humor—an important quality for his social work. He also learned that Mayor Turner is a talented photographer, sharing Andrei’s hobby. Additionally, both Andrei and the mayor share a fascination with Morgan Hill’s landmark, El Toro Mountain. Andrei, who has climbed the mountain several times, suggested to the mayor the idea of making an official city trail to attract tourism to Morgan Hill.

Mayor for a Day photo album