By SAMANTHA HURST

/ Staff Writer

PELHAM – Justin Anderson might have felt like king for the day sitting behind Mayor Bobby Hayes desk and learning how to run the city. But it was Autumn Wild, another Valley Intermediate School student, who felt like she really got to call the shots during the school’s Youth Government Day Monday.

“When I first got this position, I wasn’t sure what it would include, but when I met Miss Donna (Treslar, city clerk) I realized that she stays really busy,” Wild said. “I think it is very cool that she gets to boss the mayor around.”

Anderson got his fair share of time too by introducing acting department heads at the council meeting. Student Abby Libb stepped in as finance director.

“The first thing I learned was that when a department head asks for money – just say no,” Libb said with approval from her mentor and Pelham Finance Director Tom Seale.

VIS holds the annual Youth Government Day as a means for students to get a close look at what it takes to run a city. Students get assignments to shadow a specific city leader throughout his or her day. They then must report on what they learned.

As part of their mock council meeting, student council members Meagan Williams, Kem Muruko, Bailey Mauk, Gracie Gathings and Taylor Corder discussed resolutions involving recycling and helping the less fortunate.

Other city leaders shadowed included the police chief, librarian, parks and recreation director, chamber of commerce president and human resource director