Happy June Kindness Day!

Hello friends! It's Elena here!! Can you believe it is June? School is out for most people this month!! But since today is Kindness Day here are this month's kindness suggestions!! 

1. Volunteer during the summer - your local library, baseball league or other organization might need some help!! 
2. Go through all your books and see which ones you need and do not need, and donate the ones you don't need to you local library!! 
3. Go through all your toys, sell your unwanted toys at a yard sale, and give all the money to a fundraiser or charity!! 
4. Get involved in our community by picking up the trash you see outside; make sure you have gloves and a parent or guardian with you!! By picking up trash you are being kind to the environment. 
5. Send a card to your old teacher!! It always warms their hearts to hear from a previous student!! 
6. Try to help your parents out as much as possible in the summer - I'm sure they will be in need of help!! 
7. Send your friend a postcard!! I know it always refreshes my day when I get a handwritten letter in the mail from one of my friends!! 
8. If you see someone has made a mess, clean it up to help them out; maybe they are having a rough day!! 
9. Get together a group of friends and make cards for your local police or fire department! 
10. Try and make ten people smile who seem like they are having a rough day!! 

What other ideas do you have? Share them in the "Comments" section below!!

Hands of Kindness left in my office by visitors to Connecticut's Old State House! 

I have two shout-outs this month!

1. Thanks to twin sisters Chloe and Allie from Redding who sent me information about Ben's Bells, a group that is also promoting kindness! Check out the Ben's Bells website: https://bensbells.org!
2. Last week I met Mr. Eric Liu from Seattle at a Town Hall Meeting event at Connecticut's Old State House called "Great Citizenship"! He talked about working together to make our towns and state better. Thank you Mr. Liu for being so interested and supportive of my campaign and governorship! You can watch a recording of the event HERE and listen to what both Mr. Liu and I had to say about kindness! 

Selfie with Mr. Liu at the Old State House Town Hall Meeting!

I hope you like my suggestions!! Please email me at CKGElena@kidgovernor.org and tell me all about which of these you did this month!! Talk to you guys soon bye!!

- Elena 

This Friday, May 13th is Kindness Day!

Hello guys! It's Elena again - can you even believe it's May?? School is almost out!! Who is excited? I know I am!! 

But we still have to keep up our kind acts!! Kindness Day is just around the corner and this month I have ten suggestions and a few shout outs . My suggestions this month came from those of you who left me messages on the Hands for Kindness in my office at Connecticut's Old State House. Thanks for visiting my office !

1. Donate food, money, or whatever you can to charities
2. Smile to a stranger 
3. Help the homeless 
4. When you pass someone in the street say "hi" - it could make their day!! 
5. Donate your old clothes to a shelter 
6. Give your teacher a card saying "thank you" 
7. Lend your help to someone is in need 
8. Give your friend a compliment, hug, and high five 
9. Give spare change to someone who needs it 
10. Hold the door open for someone 

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! Please email me at CKGElena@kidgovernor.org and tell me all about which of these you did this month, or what other acts of kindness you're doing!! 

On to the shout outs!

• A shout out to Julia and Tess from Hartford who made amazing sidewalk chalk art to spread messages of kindness. 
• To Alison and Albert from Reynolds School- you got a buddy bench- YEAH!! 
• To my uncle Chris for donating blood!!
• Hi to Emily from my school- thanks for the kindness suggestions! 

Last week, my friends and I worked with Connecticut's Old State House to film my next video all about Buddy Benches!! Stay tuned for the upcoming video and learn how YOU can bring a Buddy Bench to your school or community playground!

Keep up the amazing work everyone and talk to you soon!!

- Elena

Are you ready for Kindness Day on April 13?!

Hello friends! It's Elena here!! Can you believe it is already April?? But since it's a new month kindness day is just around the corner!! Here are this month's kindness suggestions!!

1. Volunteer - check your library or school, they are always in need of extra help 
2. Make a "just because" card for a friend 
3. Help a neighbor with their spring cleaning!!
4. Fill a box of your old toys and send them to a shelter in need 
5. Say "thank you for all you do" to 10 different people 
6. Stop and listen to a friend who wants to be heard 
7. Ask any teacher in your school if they need extra help 
8. If you see someone has made a mess, just clean it up
9. Get together a group of friends and make cards for your local police or fire department 
10. Try and make 10 people smile who seem like they are having a rough day!! 

Sharing my campaign for kindness with members of my local East Hartford Police Department and Fire Department at the 2016 Hartford St. Patrick's Day Parade!

I hope you like my suggestions!! Please email me at CKGElena@kidgovernor.org and tell me all about which of these you did this month, or what other acts of kindness you're doing!! Talk to you soon - bye!! 

- Elena 

Watch CKG Elena's historic meeting with Gov. Malloy and Commissioner Wentzell!

A message from your friends at Connecticut's Old State House...

As you may have read in CKG Elena's "Meeting Governor Dannel Malloy!!" blog post, Elena had a special meeting with Gov. Dannel Malloy, Commissioner of Education Dianna Wentzell, and members of the O'Connell Elementary School Leadership Team on Friday, March 18.

Thanks to our friends at CT-N, the presentation and discussion around Elena's campaign for kindness are available for you to watch! Tune in HERE or click the "Play" button below.

Enjoy, and be sure to send your reactions and kindness ideas to Elena at CKGElena@kidgovernor.org!

Stay tuned for CKG Elena's April Kindness Day blog post later this week!

- Your friends at Connecticut's Old State House 

Meeting Governor Dannel Malloy!!

Hey guys it's Elena again. I have something really cool to tell you about. The Governor came to my school on Friday, March 18! It was really awesome and we got to talk a lot about kindness.

My selfie with Governor Malloy!

It started with me giving him a tour of my school. Governor Malloy was super nice. I then gave a PowerPoint about my platform of kindness. Governor Malloy said he liked our hands for kindness! The Leadership Team at my school presented with me and was super excited to meet him. 

Showing Governor Malloy and Commissioner Wentzell around O'Connell!

We asked him so many questions. First we asked him "Who inspired you?"  He said his mother had a huge impact on his life. We asked" Have you met the president?" and he said that yes, he had lunch with him a couple weeks ago!! 

Asking Governor Malloy questions about being Governor and his career. 

Another person who came to my school with him was the Commissioner of Education Mrs. Dianna Wentzell, she was really nice too. Shout out to Mrs. Wentzell's son who was excited she had come to O'Connell! She said she was excited about my platform and spreading the message of kindness. 

I got to meet Commissioner of Education  Wentzell and talk about my platform of kindness!

At the end of the day, Governor Malloy even signed autographs for us, and I signed one for him! 

Governor Malloy's autograph!

Governor Malloy's visit was on a few news stations Friday night. Check out the news story from WFSB HERE!

I had so much fun on Friday!

Don't forget guys kindness day for April is just around the corner. I will be having another blog post for kindness day soon - talk to you later! Bye!!

- Elena 

Get ready for Kindness Day this Sunday, March 13!

Hello guys! How kind have you been in the month of February?? This month I will give you 10 more ways you can be kind. I hope you do them!

1. Instead of spending your money on the newest video game or toy, donate the money to a charity.
2. Get together a box of your old toys and send them to an orphanage.
3. Every day make at least 5 people smile.
4. Do one thing around your house just out of the kindness of your heart.
5. Get some hot cocoa and cookies and give them to your local firehouse.
6. Write ten thank you cards to people who really help you out.
7. Just simply say thank you to some one who helps you out a lot.
8. Make your friend a small goodie bag and a thank you card for all they do for you.
9. Talk to someone new and tried to make a new friend.
10. Tell your family that you love them 10 times each day of one week. 

This month I have 2 shout outs. Thanks to the East Hartford Public Library for having me at their TED talk! And way to go to Jacqueline Langholtz from Monticello in Virginia - thanks for the email!! 

Speaking at the East Hartford Public Library. 

Me with East Hartford's Mayor Leclerc at the East Hartford Public Library. 

So guys remember to be extra kind this month and don't forget to email me at CKGElena@kidgovernor.org so Maybe you can get a shout out in my next blog post! Keep being awesome! Talk to you soon!

- Elena

CT's Kid Governor Inauguration Day 2016!

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. 

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. 

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. 

- Your friends at Connecticut's Old State House