November Kindness Day and my last post as Connecticut's first Kid Governor!

Hi friends! This is my last blog post in my term as Connecticut's first Kid Governor, which ends in a few weeks when the next CKG is elected!! I am excited to say though that I will be continuing this blog and Kindness Day after the end of my term! Enter your email address at the top right of this page where it says "Follow Elena and her Campaign for Kindness" to make sure you receive updates from this blog!

First, since November Kindness Day is just around the corner, I have ten kindness suggestions for November 13:

1. Celebrate the top seven candidates for this year's Connecticut's Kid Governor election
2. If your friend is struggling with their work, give them a helping hand 
3. See if any of your teachers need help with their classroom 
4. Make ten cards with your friends and give them to one specific teacher!! 
5. If a friend forgot something help them get it done 
6. Give your parents a book of coupons like "one free chore" or "one nap" 
7. Go through your toys and give the ones you don't use to a child who needs them 
8. Bring a fun treat to your teachers 
9. Give your family a big hug and say "thank you for all you do"
10. Celebrate your friends and your kindness!!

I have gotten to do so many amazing things this year as Connecticut's Kid Governor!! I had an amazing time and was able to meet so many diverse people. I got to go to opening session at the State Capital!! I went to several events in my town, East Hartford!! I went to several libraries through my Summer Library Circuit and got to meet so many amazing kids all across Connecticut!! I also went to the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony just last week where I got to speak and meet a whole bunch of amazing people!!

Me with Governor Malloy at the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame Induction last week!

This year as CKG I learned that it's important to be involved in government!! I learned that learning what is going on in your community is very important because children are the future and if we have no idea what's going on we will be in big trouble!!!

Most importantly, I hit all three of my campaign goals!! 

• First, I got people all across the state of Connecticut to celebrate the 13th of the month as Kindness Day and hear all the remarkable acts of kindness they did!! 
• Second, schools and organizations across Connecticut installed Buddy Benches on their playgrounds! We are now up to 15 Buddy Benches installed thanks to the East Hartford Rotary Club (they bought 11 Buddy Benches!!), Pleasant Valley Elementary School in South Windsor, Reynolds School in Newington, and most recently the McKinley Elementary School PTA in Fairfield! (photos below) Thanks to State Representative Cristin McCarthy Vahey who told McKinley Elementary School about my goal of installing Buddy Benches!
• And third, by creating an email address I got to hear what the amazing kids (and adults!) across Connecticut wanted to do to be kind!! I also met many kids when I went and spoke to them!

Photos of the new Buddy Bench at McKinley Elementary School, painted by 5th graders!

Well that is it for my last post as CKG. Be sure to subscribe to this blog and continue to follow my campaign for kindness here and at CT.KidGovernor.org! Thanks for a great year and remember to be kind and always celebrate it!!

- Elena