Mayor reviews students' work

By CAROL MULLIGAN, THE SUDBURY STAR

Friday February 25, 2011-02-25

The mayor of the City of and a Catholic school student formed a mutual admiration society Thursday at St. Pius XII's Heritage Fair.

Grade 5 student Jacob Ziolkowski said he was honoured to meet Mayor Marianne Matichuk and the rookie mayor said she was honoured to meet the student.

Jacob's project on the city's first elected female mayor was one of dozens of projects prepared by students on subjects as diverse as Holy Redeemer Roman Catholic Church and the Evolution of Funeral Services in Sudbury.

A buzz swept through the gymnasium turned exhibition centre when Matichuk showed up about 10 a.m. to view projects and to speak with Jacob, whose project bore a headline: "First female mayor ever elected in Greater Sudbury's history since our 1st mayor Stephen Fournier in the year of 1983. That is 117 years ago."

Jacob's mother, Mirka, said her son thought of his project idea all by himself.

Mirka said Matichuk's campaign woke up something in her. "Someone was really talking about something we wanted to hear," she said.

She took Jacob to her polling station when she cast her vote for Matichuk, she said.

Matichuk asked the youngster if he had any interest in politics, and he said "no." He is more interested in becoming a teacher.

But he might have been inspired by her participation in last November's municipal election.

When asked what issues are of interest to a person his age, Jacob was quick to reply: "Smoother roads -- and jobs."

Adriano Peca, also in Grade 5, prepared a project of St. Mary's Ukrainian Church, and it was exhibited next to Jacob's. Peca asked the mayor if he could ask her a question.

"Are you Polish or Ukrainian?" he asked Matichuk.

When the mayor replied that she was of Ukrainian descent, Adriano was impressed.

"Well, I think it's pretty amazi n g," said Adriano. "That's pretty cool." [email protected]