Congratulations to the Kid Governor candidates from Suffield Intermediate School
l-r – Isabella Rodriguez, Addie Begin, Madelyn Bousquet, Everett Pillsbury, Chase Cauchon and Luke Chase (missing Khloe Barnes).
Connecticut’s Kid Governor Program: Government, responsibility and leadership.
The annual Connecticut Kid Governor Program continues at McAlister Intermediate School. This is a unique opportunity for McAlister fifth-grade students to learn about leadership, civic engagement, and the electoral process. Through this initiative, students not only get to elect a “Kid Governor” for our state, but they also gain a real life understanding of democracy.
Throughout this unit of study, students research issues they care about in their community, school, statewide and some global concerns. Based on their research, students develop a platform—a set of priorities or goals they desire to address, if elected. This helped students create a plan for their campaign and gave their peers an idea of what matters to them most.
Once a candidate selects a platform, the students then write a speech that communicates their ideas. The expectation is that the speech is both informative and persuasive, demonstrating to classmates why the candidate’s platform is important and how they plan to make a difference if elected.
Candidates first presented their speeches to their own classmates. After the presentations, students voted for the class representative who advanced to the next stage—the election of a school-wide representative. Our seven classroom representatives then presented their speech to the entire fifth-grade class. After hearing all the candidates, our fifth-grade students voted for their school’s Kid Governor representative. This candidate, Madelyn Bousquet, then represented McAlister and the town of Suffield in the broader Connecticut Kid Governor program.
Through this program, Connecticut students gain more than just political knowledge—they also learn valuable lessons in leadership, communication, and community engagement. The Kid Governor program offers them a real-world experience in democracy, preparing them to be active, informed citizens in the future.
To culminate this unit of study, our fifth graders had the opportunity to visit the State House and State Capital. The visit to the historic Old State House offered a glimpse into the early foundations of our state’s government. The tour of the State Capitol connected their classroom learning to the real-life chambers where laws are made today. Students asked thoughtful questions, explored the legislative process, and reflected on the importance of civic engagement. They also got to meet the State Representative, Tami Zawistowski, who represents Suffield!
The trip not only celebrated students’ hard work and growing knowledge but also inspired them to be informed and active citizens.
The seven finalists from each of the 5th grade homerooms are listed below as well as the platform on which they ran their campaign.
Everett Pillsbury, Mrs. Harrington, Mental Health; Khloe Barnes, Mrs. Burkett/Ms. Bouchard, Bullying; Luke Chase, Mrs. Sperrazza, Career Options; Isabella Rodriguez, Mrs. Bennett, Mental Health and Mental Disorders; Madelyn Bousquet, Mr. McCarthy, Mental Health; Adelaide Begin, Mrs. Popeleski, Bullying; and Chase Cauchon, Mrs. Christensen/Mrs. Gallerani, Air Pollution.