The Connecticut Democracy Center's award-winning civic education program.
Inauguration Day 2026
On Friday, January 23, 2026, Connecticut’s Kid Governor Tessa Hallinan and her Cabinet Members were officially sworn into office on Inauguration Day! Connecticut 5th graders, teachers, and community members watched in person and live online as 2025 Kid Governor Keudy Martinez delivered his Farewell Address and Tessa began her term with her oath of office and Inaugural Address.
The celebration included a formal inauguration ceremony, news conference with Kid Governor-Elect Tessa and her 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, Chief Academic Officer at the State Department of Education Irene Parisi, State Senator Paul Cicarella, State Representative David Yaccarino, State Representative Hilda Santiago, Supreme Court Justice Steven Ecker, former Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, retired Supreme Court Justice Dennis Eveleigh, and Connecticut’s 18th State Troubadour Kala Farnham. The event was presented by the Connecticut Democracy Center.
9:25am-9:40am – News Conference with Kid Governor-Elect Tessa and her Cabinet.
9:40am-10:05am – Live musical entertainment from Connecticut’s 18th State Troubadour Kala Farnham.
10:05am-11:05am – Inauguration Ceremony with remarks from state officials, 2025 Kid Governor Keudy Martinez’s Farewell Address, official oaths of office administered by Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas, and 2026 Kid Governor Tessa Hallinan’s Inaugural Address.
11:45am-12:20pm – Meet the Three Branches of State Government educational program during which your students will “meet” officials from the three branches of state government and hear their answers to questions from 5th graders attending Inauguration Day.
12:25pm-12:40pm – Meet the 2026 Cabinet educational program during which your students will learn about the students’ experiences running for office, their platforms, and how your students can support the Cabinet Members’ goals!
Resources
Teach our Pre-Inauguration Lessons!
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 2026! 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!
