NASS Medallion Award Presented to Connecticut’s Kid Governor Program

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For Immediate Release
June 15, 2017
Contact: Chris Zaccaro
chris.zaccaro@cga.ct.gov

Hartford, CT – On Wednesday, June 14 the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) Medallion Award was presented to the Connecticut Public Affairs Network (CPAN) for its Connecticut’s Kid Governor (CKG) program. The NASS Medallion Award, which was presented by Connecticut Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, recognizes outstanding service and dedication to furthering the mission of the National Association of Secretaries of State within the states. It was created to honor individuals, groups and organizations with an established record of promoting the goals of NASS in elections, civic education, service to state government and commitment to giving.

CPAN President & CEO Paul Giguere, V.P. of Administration & Communications William Bevacqua, Connecticut’s Old State House Executive Director Sally Whipple, and Head of Education & Connecticut’s Kid Governor Brian Cofrancesco accepted the award during a ceremony in Secretary Merrill’s office at the State Capitol.

“On behalf of the Connecticut Public Affairs Network, I would like to thank Secretary Merrill and the NASS for this incredible award honoring the Connecticut’s Kid Governor program,” stated CPAN President & CEO Paul Giguere. “Since 1997, our mission at CPAN has been to educate residents - both young and old - on the importance of civic engagement. The response to CKG from teachers, parents, students and now the NASS has been nothing short of amazing over the program’s short two year run. We very much look forward to continuing to educate the fifth graders of Connecticut on state government and elections as CKG heads into an exciting third year and another statewide election this fall.”

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 Connecticut State Department of Education. The free program 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. Winner of a 2016 Leadership in History Award from the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), 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 - follow Connecticut’s Kid Governor on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram or visit the program’s website at CT.KidGovernor.org.

The Connecticut Public Affairs Network (CPAN) is a non-profit company based in Hartford, Connecticut that is committed to strengthening civic engagement in the Constitution State by providing comprehensive and unbiased educational programming and outreach on state government, civics and citizenship since 1997. CPAN manages the Connecticut Network (CT-N), a 24-hour media service providing C-SPAN-style, gavel-to-gavel coverage of state government and Connecticut’s Old State House’s (Downtown Hartford, CT) educational and community programming.