CONNECTICUT’S KID GOVERNOR 2015 PROGRAM ANNOUNCED
Connecticut’s Kid Governor 2015 is a program that will engage 5th graders in real-life lessons about our government, how it works and the importance of civic engagement…all from the comfort of the classroom! The program comes with easy-to-use, Frameworks-based teaching modules that can be used to guide students through the election of Connecticut’s first kid governor OR to run a candidate from their class or school.
Timed to coincide with the 2015 local elections, invited schools from around the state will be eligible to enter one 5th-grade candidate into a race that other 5th graders will vote in.
Kid Governor candidates will submit campaign videos to Connecticut’s Old State House that outline why they want to be governor, their leadership qualities, community issues that they would like to solve, and a three-point plan that other 5th graders can follow to make a difference around a specific issue. Classes will watch the videos created by the top candidates, determine whose platform they want to support, and vote for the candidate they think can help them make a difference. The winning student will serve as Connecticut’s Kid Governor for a year, taking part in programs at Connecticut’s Old State House, encourage students across the state to take action on their selected issue through video messages, and more!
Brief 30-minute videos on the three branches of government, on how elections and voting work, and on how to create a campaign platform will be available at these videos are designed to prepare students for the campaign and election. These lessons can be easily incorporated into curriculum and are aligned with the new Connecticut Social Studies Frameworks. The team at Connecticut’s Old State House will be available to answer any questions teachers have throughout the program. A meeting will take placeexplaining how the program works on Wednesday, September 23 at 4:30: details to follow. The Old State House is very excited to launch this program, and is inviting teachers and students to participate, either in just the voting process or by putting forth a candidate and voting.
Connecticut’s Kid Governor 2015 program is free to all Connecticut 5th grade classes and home school groups. For additional information, contact Brian Cofrancesco,Head of Education at Connecticut’s Old State House, at (860) 522-6755, extension 28 orat .