A Storm Lake student’s pride in her community just earned her the mayor’s seat — at least for a day.
Storm Lake High School student Itzel Sarabia was honored at Monday night’s city council meeting as the winner of Mayor Meg McKeon’s first‑ever “Why I’m Storm Lake Proud” essay contest.
McKeon opened the meeting with a proclamation recognizing Sarabia’s work and the message behind her writing.
Sarabia’s essay described arriving in Storm Lake as a Latina student and feeling welcomed immediately — something she said challenged her expectations and showed her the community’s character. She wrote about Storm Lake’s multicultural celebrations, its natural beauty and the kindness she’s witnessed while volunteering, including a moment at Santa’s Castle when a family reunited with their son after years apart.
McKeon highlighted those themes as she read the proclamation.
As part of the recognition, Sarabia received a Certificate of Community Achievement Award and a sash, and she’ll take on a special role next month — joining McKeon in the Star Spangled Spectacular parade as Honorary Mayor for a Day.
McKeon says the new tradition is meant to elevate youth voices and celebrate the next generation of community leaders.
She also thanked all students who submitted essays, saying their reflections show how deeply young people value Storm Lake’s diversity and spirit of service.
After the presentation, McKeon noted how meaningful it is to begin a city council meeting by recognizing local youth.
The contest was first announced in May, with McKeon encouraging high school students to share what makes them proud to call Storm Lake home. Sarabia’s essay will also be featured as part of the city’s ongoing Storm Lake Proud initiative.
WINNING ENTRY: “Why I Am Storm Lake Proud,” by Itzel Sarabia
I am proud of Storm Lake every day for everything it stands for as a community. As a Latina resident, I thought that living here would mean facing racism, however upon arriving, I felt welcomed by everyone. People were always willing to help me learn and I believe that speaks very highly of Storm Lake. The community is constantly striving to help one another. That is something I see everywhere I look.
Storm Lake has wonderful places such as the parks, the lake as well as the view from the lighthouse. Whenever I look out at the city from there, I feel proud to live here.
Storm Lake is brimming with culture at every turn, people from all over the world live here and for good reason, it is a wonderful place to live. The community is constantly striving to make everyone feel welcome through events I have experienced firsthand with my family such as the Wood, wine and blues festival, Kids fest, Fiesta latina and my personal favorite, the Star Spangled Spectacular. At each of these gatherings, I witness the community coming together in a spirit of fellowship, simply to share their culture and their joy. It makes me feel so proud to belong to Storm Lake because while everything else may come and go, the moments you have shared are something you will never forget, something you will carry with you forever.
I have volunteered my time in Storm Lake and one thing I always witness is the enthusiasm to help and the joy of sharing moments with people who are special to you. One instance that stands out in particular occurred when I was volunteering at Santa’s Castle during the Christmas season and an entire family arrived absolutely beaming with excitement because they had been reunited with their son after a long time apart. They spoke about how overjoyed they were that he had finally returned to Storm Lake, the very place where he grew up and where he learned everything he knows.
All around me in the community I see hardworking, wonderful, honest and kind people every day, above all the teenagers as the majority are constantly seeking employment and feel such a sense of fulfillment earning their own money through their own efforts. It is wonderful how they strive to better themselves and improve, in addition to wanting to help their community in some way.
Finally I want to thank the entire community of Storm Lake for everything you do for others for the opportunities you offer, the food you provide to those most in need, the scholarships for students who wish to pursue further education and the opportunities to perform community service hours. It is an act of kindness and benevolence toward others and day after day, we demonstrate just how much we care about our neighbors and how much we want to see our city prosper.
