Mayor Talks With Maple Street School Students About Government

Press release from the Town of Vernon:

Nov. 2, 2020

Second graders at Vernon’s Maple Street School peppered Mayor Dan Champagne with questions during a virtual visit this week. Students asked the mayor what the hardest part of his job is, what job he aspired to when he was a second grader, and his favorite food.

Mayor Champagne nimbly answered the questions from students in Crystal Flaherty’s and Lindsey Robbins’ classes, talked to the students about state and local government, and urged the children to register to vote when they are old enough and to carefully learn about the candidates for whom they cast their ballots.

The visit was part of the second grade curriculum in which students learn about their community. Flaherty said students have learned about police officers, firefighters, the Superintendent of Schools, the Town Administrator and the Mayor and were excited to be able to talk to Mayor Champagne about his job.

“They loved it,” she said. “It’s all about learning about your community.” Mayor Champagne told the students his favorite part of his job is helping people.

He pointed to new parks in Vernon, including the Saxony Dog Park at 66 West Street, just a short distance from Maple Street School, and the new Gene Pitney Memorial Park at 19 Grove Street, which formally opened last week, as examples of projects he has enjoyed, because they add to the community and give people a place to relax and have fun.

Mayor Champagne also talked about land the town recently purchased in Ellington that will be transformed into soccer and lacrosse fields.

“I like it any time I can help people … because that is what I have been doing my entire life,” he said, referring to his career as a Vernon police officer before running for mayor. He told students the hardest part of his job is when a storm or other event hits town and people are without power. Mayor Champagne said he focuses on working to get power restored, roads cleared and to make sure town residents are kept safe. “That’s the most stressful time, but it’s also the most rewarding because we help people,” Mayor Champagne said.

Flaherty said the students were awed that the Mayor would take time from his busy day to speak to their class.

“They were just so thankful to have that opportunity to talk to him and ask those burning questions a 7-yearold would have,” Flaherty said.

Mayor Champagne told the two classes that he enjoys talking to students and told them that when he was a police officer he taught DARE and was Officer Friendly at Maple Street School. The students were also interested to learn that Mayor Champagne’s wife Karen is a kindergarten teacher at Northeast School.

The mayor’s answer to the question about his favorite food was pizza. And to what job he aspired to as a second grader, the mayor said he wanted to be a soldier.

This press release was produced by the Town of Vernon. The views expressed here are the author's own.