The 47th Annual PAL Day at City Hall was a celebrated event for 34 Philadelphia youth who spent the day being mentored by and in the roles of 34 city officials. Mayor Jim Kenney a proud former member of PAL himself, was all smiles as he spent the morning with the youngsters who “PAL-ed” around with other city officials during several unique rounds of speed mentoring. The high-energy activity fostered one-on-one interaction and conversations between the youth and the city officials in a less formal manner. The event kept everyone moving and on their toes as the city officials traveled across the room to meet youth from all over the City. The youth quizzed the officials on their respective scopes of work and asked tough questions about issues pressing the City. There was no shortage of energy and the entire room was a buzz as captured in the photos.
Following the kick-off, the students and public officials enjoyed a networking lunch in which Heather Murphy, Director of City Hall Visitor Center & Tours/ Independence Visitor Center Corporation, taught the students about City Hall’s history. Afterwards, the aspiring City officials visited their workplaces for the day to learn about the daily operations of local government. The PAL participants spent part of the afternoon experiencing the inner workings of government, with the guidance of designated officials including those from City departments/offices, the judicial system and City Council. To bring the interactive learning experience to a close, the Mayor participated in a Q&A segment with the youth. It was truly a one-of-a-kind experience for many of the youth. Participants and guests are encouraged to share their experiences via social media with: #ToyotaPALDayatCityHall