Fifth Graders to Vote for Connecticut’s Kid Governor During Election Week: Winner will be announced Friday, November 13

View as PDF

For Immediate Release
October 29, 2015
Contact: Chris Zaccaro
(860) 246-1553 ext. 116
chris.zaccaro@cga.ct.gov

Hartford, CT – It’s Election Day on Tuesday and as the adults of the Constitution State prepare to vote for their local leaders, Connecticut fifth graders will participate in a week-long election that will determine the state’s first ever Kid Governor.

Starting Monday, more than 27 fifth grade classes in 15 towns will take part in the new pilot program created by Connecticut’s Old State House by voting in the statewide election for Connecticut’s Kid Governor. Classes from every corner of Connecticut were invited to participate in the program, which was established to help inspire students to become lifelong agents of change, active participants in government and eventual registered voters.

Students across the state were nominated by their classes to run for Connecticut’s Kid Governor. Candidates were required to submit a campaign video about a community issue important to them as well as a 3-point plan designed to help other students take action on the issue. The top 7 candidates will continue to the statewide election and their videos will be posted online for Connecticut fifth grade classes to watch before casting their ballots.

Voting for Connecticut’s Kid Governor will begin on Monday, November 2 and conclude at 5 p.m. on Friday, November 6. The winner of the election will be announced at noon on Friday, November 13 on the Connecticut’s Old State House Facebook page, as well as the program’s website, CT.KidGovernor.org. The winning student will serve as Connecticut’s Kid Governor for a full year and will be provided the opportunity to take part in programs at Connecticut’s Old State House, encourage students across the state to take action on their selected issue and more. A formal inauguration will take place at Connecticut’s Old State House in January.

The final seven candidates for Kid Governor and their community issue are as follows (only first names and community issues will be released):

·         Abby, Connecticut bats

·         Elena, Campaign for kindness

·         Hunter, Access to technology

·         Lilli, School spending

·         Mackenzie, Standing up to bullying

·         Nathaniel, Preventing kids in gangs

·         William, Recess matters

The candidates’ campaign videos will be available for public viewing on the Connecticut’s Kid Governor website starting Friday, October 30. Video files can be provided upon request. A press release on the results of the Connecticut’s Kid Governor Election will be distributed once the winner has accepted their newly appointed role as Kid Governor.

To learn more about Connecticut’s Kid Governor, visit the program’s website at CT.KidGovernor.org. Information about Connecticut’s Old State House and its other school programs can be found at www.ctoldstatehouse.org.

####

5th Graders to Vote for Connecticut’s First Kid Governor: Pilot Program of Connecticut’s Old State House to hold elections week of Nov. 2

View as PDF

For Immediate Release
October 19, 2015
Contact: Chris Zaccaro
(860) 246-1553 ext. 116
chris.zaccaro@cga.ct.gov


Hartford, CT – In just a couple of weeks, during the local elections, Connecticut 5^th graders will participate in a statewide election to vote for the state’s first ever Kid Governor – and all eyes will be locked in on the hotly contested race.

Fifth grade classes across the state have been invited to participate in Connecticut’s Kid Governor, a pilot program created by Connecticut’s Old State House. Some classes have chosen to vote in the statewide election, while others are voting and nominating a student candidate from their school to run for Connecticut’s Kid Governor. Candidates for Kid Governor will submit a campaign video about a community issue that’s important to them, as well as a 3-point plan designed to help other students take action on the issue.

Connecticut’s Old State House will review the submitted videos and make the top seven available for public viewing. The final candidates’ peers from across the state will then view and analyze the videos during Election Week (November 2 - 6, 2015) as they prepare to cast their vote for Connecticut’s Kid Governor.

Connecticut’s Old State House will announce the winner of the Kid Governor election during the week of November 9 and he or she will be formally inaugurated at the Old State House at a later date. The winning student will serve as Connecticut’s Kid Governor for a full year and be provided the opportunity to take part in programs at Connecticut’s Old State House, encourage students across the state to take action on their selected issue and more.

“We’re very encouraged by the enthusiasm that’s been building around this program. Kids really care about their communities and this program teaches them how they can make a difference by participating in civic life,” said Brian Cofrancesco, Head of Education at Connecticut’s Old State House. “We’re looking forward to election week.”

Connecticut’s Kid Governor – both the pilot program and student winner – are vehicles for teaching students civic skills and community mindedness statewide. The goal of the program is to inspire students to be lifelong agents of change, active participants in government and eventual registered voters. As such, the goals of the program align with the Partnership for 21^st Century Skills and Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools’ goals for the 21^st century civic learning and citizenship. Along with Connecticut’s Kid Governor and Connecticut History Day, Connecticut’s Old State House offers interactive and participatory school programs that are aligned with Connecticut’s new Social Studies Frameworks and focus on the history of the Old State House, the role Connecticut played during the 18^th and 19^th centuries, civic participation and how government works.

Further press releases on the election and events related to the program will be distributed in the coming weeks. To learn more about Connecticut’s Kid Governor, visit the program’s website at ct.kidgovernor.org. Information about Connecticut’s Old State House and its other school programs can be found at www.ctoldstatehouse.org.

Located in historic downtown Hartford, Connecticut’s Old State House served as a seat of government for the Constitution State from 1796 to 1878. The Connecticut’s Old State House Shop, located on the Main Street side of the building, provides visitors an opportunity to purchase quality-made Connecticut and Hartford themed gifts, products and apparel. Visitors can also shop online at shop.ctoldstatehouse.org. The Old State House Farmers Market will remain open until the end of October. The market provides visitors the opportunity to shop for locally grown produce and Made-in-CT crafts on Tuesdays and Fridays. For more information on admission prices, school programs, upcoming events and parking discounts nearby, become a fan of Connecticut’s Old State House on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or visit us online at http://www.ctoldstatehouse.org.

Connecticut’s Old State House Awarded Grant by CT Humanities to Assess Connecticut’s Civic Health

View as PDF

October 13, 2015
Contact: Chris Zaccaro
chris.zaccaro@cga.ct.gov
(860) 246-1553 ext. 116

Hartford, CT – Connecticut’s Old State House in Hartford has received a $9,458 grant from the Connecticut Humanities Council, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities that provides grants to historical societies for exhibitions and programs exploring Connecticut’s rich history.

This grant will enable Connecticut’s Old State House to continue the popular and free Conversations at Noon and Old State House Town Hall Meeting series, which will carry a new theme for next year: Choosing to Participate: Renewing Connecticut’s Civic Health. For the next 12 months, the Old State House will highlight indicators that are used to assess Connecticut residents’ level of civic participation – such as attending public meetings, registering to vote, talking to neighbors, eating dinner with family members and donating to charity – to name a few.

Through discussions with scholars, government officials, experts, activists and the public, journalist Diane Smith of the Connecticut Network (CT-N) will explore the history, current status and rewards of civic participation in Connecticut.

This week, on Tuesday, October 13, the Old State House explored the ins and outs of town government during its latest installment of Conversations at Noon: Not Just a Spectator Sport: Connecticut’s Local Government & You. The series continues in November with Don’t Mince Your Words: Conversations at the Thanksgiving Table, which will showcase the value of healthy dinner conversation, and in December with Taking Care of Our Own: The History of Philanthropy in Connecticut, which will focus on charitable giving – another civic health indicator.

All of these programs are free and open to the public thanks to the support of Connecticut Humanities. More information about programs hosted by Connecticut’s Old State House can be found on the Old State House’s website, www.ctoldstatehouse.org, and the Connecticut’s Old State House Facebook page.

Connecticut Humanities, a nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, supports cultural and historic organizations that tell the state’s stories, build community and enrich lives.

Located in historic downtown Hartford, Connecticut’s Old State House served as a seat of
government for the Constitution State from 1796 to 1878. The Connecticut’s Old State House Shop, located on the Main Street side of the building, provides visitors an opportunity to purchase quality-made Connecticut and Hartford themed gifts, products and apparel. Visitors can also shop online at shop.ctoldstatehouse.org. The Old State House Farmers Market will remain open until the end of October. The market provides visitors the opportunity to shop for locally grown produce and Made-in-CT crafts on Tuesdays and Fridays. For more information on admission prices, upcoming events and parking discounts nearby, become a fan of Connecticut’s Old State House on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or visit us online at http://www.ctoldstatehouse.org.

####