From the CTKG Cabinet: Satvik's Tips for Eco-Friendly Traveling!

Hello, my name is Satvik Nog and I am a member of the 2022 Kid
Governor's Cabinet with the platform of Climate Change. I hope 

everyone is having a fantastic summer filled with tons of fun!

This year, I was at summer camp for a few weeks. But for several days 

we had to stay indoors because of the extreme heat, with the temperature 

soaring up to over 90 degrees Fahrenheit! According to the EPA, “Since 

1950, Connecticut has been experiencing changes that differ from normal 

expectations. Our region now has warmer seasons. The average annual air 

temperature in Connecticut has increased by 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit.”

This is a big issue which can be prevented by eco-friendly habits. In
order to combat the rising heat, we can take small but significant steps
while traveling this summer, which include:

1. Bring your own empty water bottle wherever you go and fill it up at 

a bottle filling station instead of buying a plastic water bottle. This way,
you reduce waste and save money!

2. If you eat out, make sure to bring your own reusable containers to
take any extra food instead of using their plastic / Styrofoam
containers.

3. When on vacation, try to use eco-friendly modes of transportation like
a train or bus to reduce the emissions that lead to global warming. If
you have to use a car, try renting one, especially an electric, hybrid,
or small one to avoid excessive emissions and save some money.

4. When at a hotel, ask the front desk to not change your towels and
sheets while you stay to minimize laundry loads, which use a lot of
water and energy.

5. Another hotel tip is to bring your own reusable toiletry containers to
avoid waste. 

6. Ask about the hotel’s recycling program and sort your trash accordingly. 

If your hotel doesn't recycle, consider taking your empty bottles or other 

items home and recycle them there.

I hope you enjoyed this blog post and will try out at least one of these
simple tips this summer.

Have a fabulous rest of your summer, and good luck in the next school
year!

Satvik Nog

2022 Kid Governor Cabinet 

Southbury
Long Meadow Elementary School

My Tips for Caring for Pets in the Heat

Hello everyone, I am Makhi Ettienne-Modeste, your 2022 Connecticut's Kid Governor. Welcome to my new blog post! Are you having a fun summer?

My platform is all about Protecting Our Pets. I love animals! Also, I have two dogs, so I know how important it is to take care of your pets.

Today I am writing about something that has to do with all these hot days we've been having. We all know it's important to stay hydrated in the summer, but do you know how to keep your pets hydrated too? I will be discussing the signs of dehydration in your pet and what happens if you don’t take action.

Each animal has different clues to tell if they are dehydrated. Signs of dehydration for cats include:

• Sunken eyes
• Slower movement
• Poor appetite

Signs of dehydration for dogs include:

• Panting with their tongues out
• More drooling
• Being more tired

Ignoring these signs can be dangerous for your pets. They could even become unconscious and faint! To prevent this from happening, here are some tips to care of your pet in the heat:

• Never leave your pet in a hot place like your car
• Make sure your pets have enough to drink by checking their water bowls often
• Look for shady spots to get your pets out of the sun if you bring them outside

Following these tips will ensure safety for your pets. Remember always keep your pets hydrated and to P.O.P. (Protect Our Pets)! 

Makhi Ettienne-Modeste

2022 Kid Governor 
John F. Kennedy School

Windsor

From the CTKG Cabinet: Brian's Outdoor Activities!

Hello! My name is Brian and I am a member of the 2022 Kid Governor's Cabinet with the platform of Physical Activity in Schools. When I chose this platform, I noticed that kids weren’t being very active outside. I did some studying and I learned that the more kids are active, the more they focus. It’s healthy for you, too! 

Summer is a good time to go outside so that you stay healthy. This summer, I am having fun outside by playing basketball, playing football, swinging on my swing set, going on bike rides, swimming, and going to the water park. My favorite thing I did so far was teach myself how to do a backflip on the trampoline! 

At our August Cabinet Meeting, Kid Governor Makhi and the other Cabinet members helped me brainstorm a list of activities that you can do outside this summer too. 

Here are some of our ideas:

• Have races with your friends (like a relay race!)
• Play Bowling for Cups
• Go to a playground
• Have a water balloon toss
• Play sports like basketball, soccer, football, kickball, or baseball
• Run through a sprinkler
• Go on a bike ride
• Have a water war with friends
• Play Wall Ball with friends
• Roller skate
• Take a walk (and bring your pet!)
• Do some exercises to get strong like sit-ups, jumping jacks, or planks 
• Play tag with friends
• Go swimming
• Jump on a trampoline
  
• Play Drip, Drip, Drop with friends
• Go for a jog / run

We even tried an activity ourselves. We played paper basketball. It was a lot of fun!

I hope you try some of these activities this summer! Email me at Cabinet@CT.KidGovernor.org to tell me what you did. I recommend playing water games, kickball, or football. 

Be active and rock on! 

Brian Wright

2022 Kid Governor's Cabinet 
Casimir Pulaski Elementary School

Meriden

My Visit to Poquonnock School and Launching the Third Point of My Platform!

Hello everyone, I am Makhi Ettienne-Modeste, your 2022 Connecticut's Kid Governor. Welcome back to my blog for my fifth blog post!

I have been keeping very busy since my last blog post! I have been hard at work launching the third point of my platform, which is encouraging donations to animal organizations! Donating to animal organizations is very important. Companion animals need food and shelter to survive, and toys to keep their minds and bodies active and healthy. The staff and volunteers at shelters work hard to provide everything that the animals in their care need, but people like you and me can help by donating food and toys. Knowing how to donate to your local animal organizations can help them! Try reaching out to your local shelter and seeing what donated items they need!  And check out CT.KidGovernor.org for more tips on how to support the third point of my platform.

I've also been hard at work in my community! Earlier this month I visited Poquonock School as a special guest speaker and gave a speech for their 2nd grade promotion! I talked about how you don’t have to be older or an adult to make a difference in your community or world, and gave the following advice to the students:

First, any person can make a difference, you just have to find something you care about. For me, it was helping pets. What is something that you care about?

Second, anyone of any age can be a leader. Think about the great qualities you have that make you a leader. Are you kind? Are you empathetic? Are you positive? We are all leaders in our own different ways, and our differences can make the world a better place.

Third, I’ve learned from my Kid Governor term that to make a difference, you have to try. Even if you think you can’t do something or if people say you can’t do something, you should always try!

Fourth, knowing how to respect others will let people know they can respect you. 

And fifth, doing something big or small to make a difference or help someone is important. Even doing something at home or in your own school that seems small is an amazing thing to do. It could potentially change the world. I KNOW that’s possible!

I also talked about the third point of my platform, donating to animal organizations! I had a great time meeting all of the students, and I was honored to be invited to speak to them.

Always remember to treat animals with kindness and (P.O.P) Protect Our Pets!

Makhi Ettienne-Modeste

2022 Kid Governor 
John F. Kennedy School

Windsor

From the CTKG Cabinet: Samantha Encourages Planting Trees

My name is Samantha and I am a member of the 2022 Connecticut Kid Governor's Cabinet with the platform of a Cleaner Connecticut.

My important environmental work for a cleaner Connecticut continued this month when my class invited our  Pre-K3 buddies to plant Colorado Blue Spruce seedlings from the Arbor Day Foundation.  All of the 5th graders (including me) who have been writing poetry and studying ecosystems, shared a poem with their buddies about how beautiful it has been to watch the Pre-K buddies grow throughout the school year.  Now, all of the buddies will have a chance to plant a tree and watch it grow.  Not only will the new tree remind each student of his or her buddy, the tree will help to create a cleaner Connecticut. 

According to the Arbor Day Foundation Website, "Trees play a critical role in creating healthier, safer, and more connected communities. They clean our air, filter our water, and even slow storm surge and flooding in our cities. Trees also provide shade and cool our cities by up to 10 degrees, which can help prevent heat-related deaths in urban areas." If you or someone you love would like to help me create a cleaner Connecticut, please reach out to the Arbor Day Foundation today and tell them that Connecticut's Kid Governor Cabinet Member Samantha sent you!

Most of the people in the world talk about taking care of the planet but the truth is that many do not know how to do it.  That is why today I want to talk about one of the easiest and most fun ways to do it: the planting of trees in our state. Trees help relax our minds and reduce stress. Trees are also noise absorbers, retain dust from the air, and release water vapor. The roots hold the mountains, preventing landslides, which is why you can't continue building in every place you want. In addition, the most natural shadows are that of the trees. They protect the plants that are underneath, they give shelter to animals, and they help prevent us from having to continue building remedies against the sun. A natural shade in summer is key to avoiding intense heat, heat hazards and even to protecting a home.  

Now that we know a little about the benefits of tree planting, I want to invite you to invite your family, friends and acquaintances this summer to have a tree planting day for the well-being of our state.

Thank you for contributing to the care of our planet. If you plant any trees in your community, or do anything to help make a cleaner Connecticut, you can email me at Cabinet@CT.KidGovernor.org. 

Samantha Botero

2022 Kid Governor Cabinet

Stamford 
Greenwich Catholic School

From the CTKG Cabinet: Olivia Speaks at the Juneteenth Bill Signing

Hello 5th graders of Connecticut! My name is Olivia and I am a member of the 2022 Connecticut Kid Governor's Cabinet with the platform of Child Food Insecurity.

In my recent blog post about my visit to the Capitol, I talked about meeting my state Representative Anthony Nolan, and how I got to sit in his chair in the House of Representatives Chamber. Shortly after that visit, Representative Nolan reached out to me and my family, asking if I would come to speak at a bill signing that Governor Lamont was planning to do in my hometown of New London.

The bill that the Governor was going to sign was about Juneteenth, which is a day that commemorates the ending of slavery in the United States. It was recognized as a federal holiday in June of last year, and the state legislature passed a bill recently that would make Juneteenth a state holiday too. The holiday is observed on June 19th. 

I was honored when Representative Nolan asked me to speak at the bill signing. I wrote my speech and went to the event, which was held at the Waterfront Park in New London. Everyone there was so nice to me and gave me tips on how to give my speech.

I spoke in front of the crowd about what Juneteenth is, some of the history around the holiday, and the need for students to learn about the importance of the holiday. I also got to go onto the Amistad ship (behind me in the video).

*****

Note from the staff of the Connecticut's Kid Governor program: The Amistad carried Africans who had been captured and sold into slavery in the 1830s. On one of the voyages of the Amistad, the imprisoned African men and children managed to take over the ship and sail it to Long Island Sound.  Eventually the Amistad and the people on board were brought to Connecticut, and the arguments over whether the Africans were legally enslaved were tried in Connecticut's courts. You can learn more about the Amistad story here, or you can visit Connecticut's Old State House (where the Kid Governor and Cabinet meet) to see the Courtroom where the trials began.

*****

Speaking at this bill signing was such an amazing experience, and I wouldn't change it for the world. You can learn more about the bill signing in these articles from the CT Mirror, The New London Day, and WSHU, or watch video coverage of the event by the Connecticut Network and WTNH. 

Olivia Campbell

2022 Kid Governor Cabinet 
Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School

New London

From the CTKG Cabinet: Satvik's Region 15 Poster Contest

Hello, 5th Graders of Connecticut! My name is Satvik and I am a member of the 2022 Connecticut Kid Governor's Cabinet with the platform of Climate Change.

I’d like to share a very exciting update with you all today! With the help of my school's (Long Meadow Elementary School) librarian, Mrs. O’Neill, and principal, Mr. Wermuth, I hosted a poster contest across the four elementary schools in Region 15 to spread awareness about climate change. I invited all of these elementary students to submit artwork that shows how kids can help our planet and all who live on it deal with climate change. 

I was really excited to hear that several students submitted beautifully designed artwork with a strong message to prevent global warming and climate change. In total, we received 138 posters. Wow, that’s a lot! Thank you so much to everyone who participated!

There were so many beautiful posters, so it was really hard to select only 4 winners, but thankfully I had the help of Mrs. O’Neill and Mr. Wermuth, and eventually we were able to narrow it down enough to the winners.

Without further ado, here are the winners and their amazing artwork!!

Gainfield Elementary School, Jameson B. 

Middlebury Elementary School, Jamie Q.

Pomperaug Elementary School, Hailey R.

Long Meadow Elementary School, Anika K.

Congratulations to all of the winners! 

Of course, you can’t have winners without prizes! I toured the region with my mom for a day, stopping at each elementary school to honor their winner during their school assembly. There, I announced each school’s winner, and presented them with a certificate of excellence to acknowledge their amazing work along with a T-shirt designed by myself that featured my platform name, Act Now for a Greener Earth!

I hope you enjoyed reading my blog post and will get inspired by the artwork of the students of Region 15. I’d like to thank the librarians of all four elementary schools (Mrs. Mastropietro of Pomperaug Elementary, Mrs. Robinson of Middlebury Elementary, Mrs. Schwenger of Gainfield Elementart, and Mrs. O’Neill of Long Meadow Elementary) for spreading the word about the contest and encouraging so many students to participate! A special shout out also goes to my principal, Mr. Wermuth, for his help in this process. Thank you everyone! Together, we can act now for a greener Earth!

Satvik Nog

2022 Kid Governor Cabinet 

Southbury
Long Meadow Elementary School