A message from your friends at Connecticut's Old State House...
What a busy, festive and super-fun day for attendees at the CT’s Kid Governor Inauguration Day Ceremony at Connecticut’s Old State House! On January 29th, CT Kid Governor-elect Elena Tipton was joined by the six other 5th grade CKG candidates, their classmates, and state and local officials for a truly unique and interactive event celebrating her Inauguration. More than 230 attendees watched on as Secretary of the State Denise Merrill delivered the official CT’s Kid Governor Oath of Office to Elena in the historic Courtroom.
During a news conference which followed the Inauguration ceremony, all 7 CKG candidates had the opportunity to answer questions from their fellow 5th graders about their campaigns and platforms.
For the nearly 200 student attendees, the day was filled with post-Inauguration activities including: touring the historic Old State House, demonstrating their impressive knowledge about government through a Civics First “pop quiz”, and listening to CT State Rep. Henry Genga, Supreme Court Justice Dennis G. Eveleigh, and SOTS Denise Merrill talk about their jobs, about what inspired them to become involved in state government and about why it’s so important for people, both young and old, to take an active role in the life of their communities. Of course, these students already have experience doing that! They took the very important active role of electing from among their peers the first-ever CT’s Kid Governor – Elena Tipton! And they’re continuing to promote the platform Elena outlined in her campaign: to spread kindness throughout their communities.
Throughout the day, students joined Elena in her executive office at the Old State House to create colored-paper hand-shaped cutouts on which they suggested the many thoughtful ways anyone can show kindness. The hand-shaped cutouts will be strung together to create a colorful “garland” in Elena’s office for OSH visitors to view and contemplate, and perhaps even put into civic action themselves!
Every student in the state is invited to share thoughts on ways to show kindness by emailing Elena at CKGElena@kidgovernor.org, tweeting @CTKidGovernor, or posting to CTKidGovernor on Facebook.
Enjoy the following sample of photos from inauguration day! For more photos of the day’s events visit the CTKidGovernor’s Facebook page. You can also watch a recording of the Inauguration Day Ceremony and News Conference HERE, courtesy of our friends at CT-N.
- Your friends at Connecticut's Old State House
Throughout the day, students joined Elena in her executive office at the Old State House to create colored-paper hand-shaped cutouts on which they suggested the many thoughtful ways anyone can show kindness. The hand-shaped cutouts will be strung together to create a colorful “garland” in Elena’s office for OSH visitors to view and contemplate, and perhaps even put into civic action themselves!
Every student in the state is invited to share thoughts on ways to show kindness by emailing Elena at CKGElena@kidgovernor.org, tweeting @CTKidGovernor, or posting to CTKidGovernor on Facebook.
Enjoy the following sample of photos from inauguration day! For more photos of the day’s events visit the CTKidGovernor’s Facebook page. You can also watch a recording of the Inauguration Day Ceremony and News Conference HERE, courtesy of our friends at CT-N.
CT's Kid Governor Elena at her official desk at CT's Old State House!
All seven candidates from the 2015-2016 CT's Kid Governor Statewide Election.
L to R: Mackenzie, Lilly, CKG Elena, Hunter, Nathaniel, and William.
L to R: Mackenzie, Lilly, CKG Elena, Hunter, Nathaniel, and William.
Inauguration Day 2016 Ceremony.
Secretary of the State Denise Merrill administers the CKG Oath of Office to CKG Elena, with her parents behind.
Congratulating CKG Elena!
The seven candidates from the statewide election participating in the news conference.
Gloria Gavris, author of E is for Election Day, donated a copy of her book for each of the candidates.
Elena's friends from O'Connell Elementary School enjoying her new CT's Kid Governor Office!
Even the Governor needs some fun - Elena riding a replica of Mark Twain's bicycle in the History Is All Around Us exhibit at the Old State House.
