Last fall, 5th graders throughout Connecticut participated in a statewide election of the first Kid Governor of Connecticut. Timed to coincide with our state’s fall 2015 local elections, each school in Connecticut was eligible to enter one 5th grade student candidate into a race that other 5th graders would vote in. The top seven candidates were identified and, during the first week of November (election week), hundreds of students watched the seven candidates’ campaign videos and voted for the one they thought could make the biggest difference.

The winner of the statewide election was Elena Tipton of Dr. Thomas S. O’Connell Elementary School in East Hartford! Elena is carrying out her full-year term and has had numerous opportunities to share her platform – predicated on KINDNESS – with students, educators and community members across Connecticut.

CAS was privileged to have Elena as a speaker at our 64th Annual Membership Reception on May 10, 2016. Elena kicked off the event with a powerful presentation in which she announced her mission to make Connecticut the kindest and most amazing state in the country. And her platform outlines three very concrete action steps she has undertaken to help make that happen.

One of Elena’s three action steps was to proclaim the 13th of every month as “Be kind!” day! So, schools are encouraged to promote kindness on the 13th day of the month! Join the movement!

Listen to Elena’s message and marvel at her poise in addressing a group of over sixty school administrators!

Connecticut’s Kid Governor is a statewide program created by Connecticut’s Old State House. To learn more, visit CT.KidGovernor.org or like the program on Facebook.