Connecticut’s Kid Governor-Elect to be Inaugurated at Connecticut’s Old State House: Friday, Jan. 13 at 10 a.m.

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

Hartford, CT  - On Friday, January 13 Connecticut’s Old State House will host Inauguration Day 2017, where the next Connecticut’s Kid Governor (CKG), Jessica Brocksom of Milford, will officially be sworn into office by Connecticut’s Secretary of the State Denise Merrill in front of a gathering of students, teachers and legislative leaders.

Inauguration Day 2017 is not open to the public; however local media is invited to attend. The day’s events will begin with an official inauguration ceremony at 10 a.m. in the Courtroom located on the main floor of the Old State House. An analog XLR audio feed will be available from the house sound system located in the back of the Courtroom. Cables are not permitted on the floor of the Courtroom, please plan accordingly. The CKG-Elect Jessica Brocksom, along with CKG officials, will be available to take questions after the ceremony.

Those in attendance will include students and teachers from schools who had a final candidate in this past year’s election, as well as various dignitaries and legislative leaders. Following Jessica’s inauguration, students will participate in a day-long educational program where they will explore Connecticut’s Old State House, meet representatives from the state’s three branches of government and take part in other civics-related activities. The inauguration ceremonies will be live streamed on the Connecticut’s Kid Governor Facebook page. A snow date of Friday, February 3 has been set in case of inclement weather. Announcements will be made on the Connecticut’s Old State House and Connecticut’s Kid Governor Facebook pages if Inauguration Day 2017 must be postponed due to weather.

Schools attending Inauguration Day 2017 include:

·         Martin Elementary School (Milford)

·         Plantsville Elementary School (Southington)

·         Thomas Hooker Elementary School (Meriden)

·         John F. Kennedy School (Milford)

·         Highland Park Elementary School (Manchester)

·         Thomaston Center School (Thomaston)

·         Woodside Intermediate School (Cromwell)

The Connecticut Public Affairs Network (CPAN) created the Connecticut’s Kid Governor program in 2015 to teach fifth grade students about state government, elections and the importance of civics engagement. Fifth grade classrooms across the state were invited to nominate a student to run for Kid Governor and to vote in this past year’s election. From the pool of seven final CKG candidates, Jessica Brocksom of John F. Kennedy School in Milford was elected by her peers to become the next Connecticut’s Kid Governor thanks to her successful campaign promoting the humane treatment of animals. The final candidates’ campaign videos are still available for viewing here at the program’s website, CT.KidGovernor.org. Jessica will succeed Elena Tipton of East Hartford, who won the 2015 statewide election and served as Connecticut’s Kid Governor throughout the past year while promoting her “Campaign for Kindness.” Over the next year, the new Kid Governor Jessica will work with the team at CPAN to achieve her campaign goals by maintaining a blog, meeting with constituents, taking part in CPAN public programs, and encouraging students across the state to take action in promoting the humane treatment of animals.

Connecticut’s Kid Governor (CKG) is a national award-winning statewide civics program created by the Connecticut Public Affairs Network (CPAN). CKG is sponsored by the Connecticut Council for the Social Studies and the State Department of Education. The free program, which is in its second year, teaches fifth graders across the state about government, elections, and the importance of civics engagement through a real-life election that’s timed to coincide with Election Day in November. Each officially registered fifth grade class in Connecticut is eligible to either enter one student candidate into the election, vote for the next Kid Governor based on a platform or community issue that the CKG candidates campaign on, or both. Winner of a 2016 Leadership in History Award from the American Association for State and Local History, the Connecticut’s Kid Governor program inspires students to be lifelong agents of change, active participants in our government, and registered voters when they turn 18. For more information on CKG - both the program and the student – as well as the 2016 CKG Election, follow Connecticut’s Kid Governor on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram or visit the program’s website at CT.KidGovernor.org.