Mountain View, Calif. - The City of Mountain View is pleased to announce the winners of the 2026 Mayor for a Day essay contest. They are:

Elementary School Mayor for a Day
Simon Kensky
5th grade, Landels Elementary School

Middle School Mayor for a Day
Yichen Yang
6th grade, Graham Middle School

Mayor Emily Ann Ramos selected the two winning Mayor for a Day entries, with one elementary and one middle school-aged recipient. Mayor Ramos will recognize Simon Kensky as the Elementary School Mayor for a Day at the Tuesday, Oct. 27, City Council meeting. In the essay, Kensky wrote about the need for more affordable housing. Kensky stated, "Many people have almost everything they need to succeed, but they don't have the first step to success: housing. We can create a light at the end of their tunnels, and let them succeed."

Also at the meeting, Mayor Ramos will recognize Yichen Yang as the Middle School Mayor for a Day. In the essay, Yang wrote about student safety near schools. Yang recommended installing speed bumps on the roads in front of all schools to reduce vehicle speeds and improve safety for students walking or biking to school. Yang noted, "If I were mayor for a day, one thing I would improve is student safety on routes to school. Since a lot of students take similar paths at around the same time, safety while arriving and departing to and from school is crucial."

"I was so impressed by the thoughtfulness and creativity of the students who participated in Mayor for a Day," said Mayor Ramos. "Reading their essays gave me a chance to see Mountain View through the eyes of our youngest residents, and I was inspired by how thoughtfully they approached the challenges facing our community. I hope this experience reminds them that their voices matter and that they don't have to wait until they're adults to make a difference."

The contest was open to elementary and middle school-aged Mountain View residents who wrote up to a 500-word essay about one problem they would solve if they were mayor for a day.

For more information about the Mayor for a Day contest, visit MountainView.gov/MayorforaDay.

View this release in Spanish and Chinese.