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Milwaukee council hosts third graders as ‘Alderperson for a Day,’ highlights civic education
Summary
Third-grade winners from Golda Meir School presented essays and met alderpersons at City Hall during the council’s final 2025 meeting, part of an Alderperson for a Day program introduced by Alderwoman Millele Coggs to teach civic participation.
Milwaukee’s Common Council welcomed third-grade winners of the “Alderperson for a Day” essay contest on Dec. 16, inviting students from Golda Meir School to City Hall to present what they would do to improve the city.
Alderwoman Millele Coggs, who helped create the program in 2023, told the students they do not have to wait to become leaders. “Part of what we want you to take away from today is you don’t have to wait to become an adult to be a leader,” Coggs said.
The event took place early in the council’s meeting and included brief introductions from students district by district, a ceremonial pinning to mark each student as an alderperson for the day, and a group photo. Council members described the program as a hands-on civic-education exercise intended to encourage youth engagement and to expose students to local government procedures.
The council paused business for the presentation and later resumed the agenda after the photo opportunity. Several alderpersons offered short remarks about leadership and community service, and the council publicly thanked the teachers and families who accompanied the students.
The meeting proceeded with its agenda after the students were recognized; the council later took testimony on licensing and adopted multiple committee reports.
The council’s next scheduled session will be in the new year; no formal votes related to the children’s program were required.
