An award-winning statewide civics program created by The Connecticut Democracy Center.
Inauguration Day 2024
On Friday, January 19, 2024, Connecticut’s Kid Governor Cristiano Almeida and his Cabinet were sworn into office on Inauguration Day! Connecticut 5th graders, teachers, and community members watched in person and live online as 2023 Kid Governor Ellie Mendez delivered her Farewell Address and Cristiano began his term with his oath of office and Inaugural Address.
The celebration included a formal inauguration ceremony, news conference with Kid Governor Cristiano and his Cabinet, and an educational program with elected officials from the three branches of state government. Special guests included: Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz, Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas, Treasurer Erick Russell, Attorney General William Tong, Commissioner of Education Charlene Russell-Tucker, State Senator Rob Sampson, State Representative Chris Poulos, State Representative Hilda Santiago, Supreme Court Justice Steven Ecker, retired Supreme Court Justice Dennis Eveleigh, and State Troubadour Kala Farnham. The event was presented by the Connecticut Democracy Center.
10:15am-10:30am – News Conference with Kid Governor-Elect Cristiano and his Cabinet.
10:15am-10:45am – Live musical entertainment from State Troubadour Kala Farnham.
10:45am-11:40am – Inauguration Ceremony with remarks from state officials, 2023 Kid Governor Ellie Mendez’s Farewell Address, official oaths of office administered by Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas, and 2024 Kid Governor Cristiano Almeida’s Inaugural Address.
12:05pm-12:35pm – Meet the Three Branches of State Government* educational program during which your students will “meet” officials from the three branchesof state government and hear their answers to questions from 5th graders attending Inauguration Day!
12:40pm-1:10pm – Meet the Three Branches of State Government* educational program during which your students will “meet” officials from the three branchesof state government and hear their answers to questions from 5th graders attending Inauguration Day!
*These are two sessions of the same program, just with different student questions. We are livestreaming both sessions in case your class cannot attend one program but can attend the other!
Prepare your students to watch Inauguration Day with a review of Connecticut’s three branches of state government! Revisit Lesson 1 from the Connecticut’s Kid Governor® Toolkits to either follow the original lesson plan and activities, let your students explore the Bitmoji classroom, watch our brief videos from State officials in the Additional Activities/Resources folder, or structure your own review.
Review the three branches of state government with your students as they get ready to watch Inauguration Day 2024! Connecticut Democracy Center Staff will lead your students in a pre-recorded, 30-minute game with 15 civics trivia questions. Simply pull up the YouTube video, distribute our Student Response Sheet (printable PDF and Google Forms versions below) so students can record their answers, and click play! At the end, collect and tabulate your students’ answers while our staff reveals the correct answers with your class, and announce your class winners!
Click the buttons below to access our free Civics Trivia resources!
Connecticut’s Kid Governor® is the Connecticut Democracy Center’s award-winning civics program in residence at Connecticut’s Old State House. The program and Inauguration Day are presented with major funding and partnership support from
