Meriden Student Connecticut's Kid Governor Finalist

Information via Connecticut's Kid Governor

MERIDEN, CT — Seven fifth grade students are finalists in the 2019-20 race for Connecticut’s Kid Governor (CTKG).

The final seven 2020 CTKG Final Candidates are:
• Ariana Moreno, Casimir Pulaski Elementary School, Meriden. Issue: Suicide & Mental Health

• Daisy Wimberly, JFK Intermediate School, Windsor. Issue: Pollution

• Derek Gaszek, Oshana Elementary School, Southington. Issue: Brightening Lives of Homeless Children

• Dwayne Ceasar, Clover Street School, Windsor. Issue: Helping Children with Disabilities

• Kylie Nachin, West Vine Street School, Stonington. Issue: Kids & Technology Addiction

• Lucie Martinelli, Glastonbury-East Hartford Magnet School. Issue: Diversity in Schools & Sports

• Myra Stanfield, Eric G. Norfeldt School, West Hartford. Issue: Animal Abuse

CTKG is a national award-winning, statewide civics program created by The Connecticut Democracy Center (CTDC). The free program teaches fifth graders about state government, voting, and the importance of civic engagement through an authentic statewide election.

Each school is eligible to nominate one student to run for Connecticut’s Kid Governor. Nominees are required to submit a campaign video about a community issue important to them and a three-point plan designed to help other students take action on the issue.

Seven final candidates move on to the Statewide Election where peers watch their videos, review their platforms and cast ballots to elect the student who will represent them as Connecticut’s Kid Governor.

The winning student serves a year-long term as CTKG, with the opportunity to promote their platform via the program’s website and blog, meeting and speaking with their constituents, creating resources and tools for students to take action, and participating in programs across the state.

All candidates’ campaign videos can be viewed here. The winner of the 2019 Connecticut’s Kid Governor® (CTKG) Statewide Election will be revealed 9:30 a.m., Thursday, November 21 live on the CTKG Facebook and YouTube pages.

This is the fifth year of the CTKG program. Past Kid Governors include 2016 CTKG Elena Tipton of East Hartford, 2017 CTKG Jessica Brocksom of Milford, 2018 CTKG Megan Kasperowski of Portland, and 2019 CTKG Ella Briggs of East Hampton. Briggs, who is wrapping up her term, focused her term as Kid Governor on the issue of LGBTQ+ Youth Safety. Her three-point plan of action includes promoting adoptions for LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness, training teachers on how to support LGBTQ youth, and creating youth programs for LGBTQ youth and their allies.

More than 6,000 Connecticut fifth graders registered for this year's Statewide Election which took place November 4-12. Kid Governor® is also a growing movement in civics education with affiliate programs in Oregon and New Hampshire where students elect their own Kid Governors each fall. You can learn more about Connecticut’s Kid Governor – both the program and the student – at CT.KidGovernor.org.