2023 Kid Governor’s Cabinet

About Me:
My name is Aaron Enyong and I live in Hartford with my mom. I love watching anime and playing Roblox. I’m also a foodie! My favorite things to eat are hibachi and Cameroon Jollof rice. My best leadership quality is that I’m attentive.

My Community Issue:
I want to improve the quality of our food in Connecticut’s public schools, and I want to help people who are food insecure. I chose this community issue because I believe that everyone deserves to have good and healthy meals so they can be healthier and more productive. I know that when I have good and healthy meals I have good and happy days!

Did You Know?:
Did you know that, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 10.2% of U.S. families were food insecure at some point in 2021? That means one out of every ten families did not know where their next meal would come from. Also, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that poor nutrition can lead to sickness like cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

About My Platform:
My platform has three ways that 5th graders can help students have improved access to healthy food:

1. Work with school districts statewide to get similar, high-quality food in schools..
2. Create clubs in schools to promote healthy eating lifestyles.
3. Organize fundraisers to build or upgrade food pantries in schools so families can access healthy food options.

About Me:
My name is Jacob Garay and I live in Hartford with my mom Susan, my dad Hector, my twin brothers Alexander and Alexavier, and my sister Izabella. I like to read books, play basketball and football, and play video games. As a leader, I am kind, honest, charismatic, confident, and a great communicator. I also stand up for what is right and for what I believe in.

My Community Issue:
I chose bullying as my community issue because bullying is wrong. I believe that everyone should be treated equally, and not judged by their looks or their differences. Another reason I chose bullying is because I have witnessed bullying and I have been bullied. I never wanted anyone to experience what I went through.

Did You Know:
Did you know that bullying is “unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves power imbalance?” According to StopBullying.gov, about 20% of students experience bullying. Bullying causes serious health issues, including physical issues, social issues, academic issues, and mental health issues. It is important for schools to talk about bullying prevention and mental health.

About My Platform:
My platform has three ways that 5th graders can help prevent bullying in our state:

1. Create bullying prevention clubs in Connecticut schools.
2. Inform people about bullying and educate kids about picking the right friends.
3. Create buddy schools for students from different schools to form friendships.

About Me:
My name is Liliana Magazine and I go to Meadowside Elementary School in Milford. I live with my mom Kristin, my dad Andrew, and my brother Tyler. I like to dance, sing, act, and ride my scooter. I am a lefty. I love to go to Disney and I collect snow globes! My leadership qualities are that I am honest, determined, flexible, compassionate, and dedicated.

My Community Issue:
I chose literacy and improving access to books and stories as my community issue because reading can help with everything in your life! Reading teaches you life lessons, facts, and helps you understand things that you might not be able to experience physically. I want to help kids get more books in their hands! I want to share how helpful reading can be to kids throughout Connecticut.

Did You Know?:
Did you know that many adults lack basic reading skills? According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 19% of adults had a low performance score in their study from 2017. Also, Scholastic reports that 61% of low-income families have no childrens’ books in their homes. Kids that have access to books are more likely to read on grade level and graduate from high school. Helping kids read is so important!

About My Platform:
My platform has three ways that 5th graders can help improve access to books:

1. Create a YouTube channel with videos of kids reading books so that kids with disabilities (or without access to books) can experience stories.
2. Collect used books from kids to donate to various Connecticut charities.
3. Organize Book Buddies in schools so that kids can have fun reading with someone else and develop a love for books.

About Me:
My name is Maxence Clementine. I live in Middlebury with my mom Solenne, my dad Jean Noël, my 9 year-old sister Diane, and my 2 year-old brother Timothée. I go to Long Meadow Elementary School (LMES). I love to play soccer and I am also on a swim team. I am a Star Wars lover and I am totally fluent in French! As a leader, I am kind, respectful, caring, and a great listener.

My Community Issue:
My community issue is cyberbullying. It hurts my feelings knowing that people feel bad and sad because of cyberbullying. Many 5th graders use the internet and they might not know what to do if they experience cyberbullying. I want to make a difference in this matter and help kids know that they are not alone!

Did You Know?:
Did you know that, according to StopBullying.gov, cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets? DoSomething.org says that 95% of teens have access to the Internet, chats, and social media. Also, six out of ten young people have witnessed cyberbullying. Cyberbullying can lead to very bad consequences. Kids need to learn more about how to react if we are cyberbullied or if we see someone else being cyberbullied.

About My Platform:
My platform has three ways I and other fifth graders can help can help:

1. Spread awareness of cyberbullying with the support of a short video and other online resources.
2. Create a 10-step action plan about how to react if you are cyberbullied.
3. Create an Anti-Cyberbullying Day where teachers and students talk about this issue.

About Me:
My name is Scarlet Beaulieu and I live in Andover with my mom, stepdad, sister, two dogs, and two cats. Some of my hobbies are cheerleading, basketball, and playing outside with my friends. My friends and I started a gardening club at Andover Elementary School and led twenty students in beginner gardening classes! As a leader I am open minded, loyal, compassionate, and honest.

My Community Issue:
I chose littering as my community issue because I see litter and how it negatively affects the environment every day in my community. I would like to help to keep Connecticut clean by leading community trash cleanup walks to pick up litter in public areas. By bringing awareness to Connecticut residents, together we can reduce litter.

Did You Know?:
Did you know that according to Keep America Beautiful’s 2020 National Litter Study, there are about 2,800 pieces of trash per roadway mile in the United States? The report says that some of the most common litter includes food wrappers, plastic bottles, cups, bags, cans, straws, and cigarettes. According to Roadrunner Smarter Recycling, it takes 450 years for a plastic bottle to decompose and 1 million years for glass to decompose! The State of Connecticut (ct.gov) says “Connecticut has had an anti-litter law since at least 1897.” Today, laws hold people who litter accountable through fines.

About My Platform:
My 3-point plan includes:

1. Make a club open to the public that provides community outreach to expand participation in litter cleanup.
2. Create a network to educate people about littering and raise community awareness through virtual and in-person provided material.
3. Organize a Connecticut Trash Walk Day for schools and communities along with other cleanup activities.

About Me:
My name is Shaan Patel and I live in Southbury and go to Pomperaug Elementary School. I live with my brother, mom, dad, and two dogs Storm and Stella. I love to play soccer, invent new things, play with my puppies, and go biking. My leadership qualities include being kind, organized, fair to everyone, and helpful. I also love to solve problems, communicate with people, make decisions, and work with new people.

My Community Issue:
My community issue is making the elderly in our state feel valued. I think it’s important to remember our elders, respect them, and show them kindness because we don’t want to forget about what they have done for us and our communities. Making connections with other people is important, no matter how old you are!

Did You Know:
Did you know that, according to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), one out of every four adults age 65 and older is considered socially isolated? This means they have few social relationships and social contact with other people. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that feelings of loneliness in older adults can lead to health problems. I want to change that. We need to spend quality time with our elders and show them respect and kindness.

About My Platform:
My platform has three ways that 5th graders, and other grades and ages, can help the elderly feel more valued:

1. Have special elder days in towns, schools, and communities.
2. Become pen pals with our elders so we could write to each other and stay in touch.
3. Make cards for our elders to show them how much we care about them.