MONROE, Connecticut — A fifth-grade student from Monroe has been elected by her peers to serve as Connecticut's Kid Governor for 2023.
Elisavet "Ellie" Mendez attends Monroe Elementary School and ran on a platform to bring awareness to anxiety and depression in youth.
Mendez will be the state's eighth kid governor.
Nichole Pitruzzello, the kid governor state coordinator for The Connecticut Democracy Center (CTDC) said they were thrilled to see so many fifth-graders across the state taking an active civic role in their community.
“Ellie’s platform and commitment to addressing anxiety and depression resonated with the voters, and we look forward to working with her and the six members of her cabinet to bring a voice to their generation and a meaningful impact to our state in 2023,” Pitruzzello said.
More than 9,400 Connecticut fifth graders from 150 schools were registered to vote in November’s election and students cast their votes for one of seven final candidates.
The six other finalists—Aaron Enyong, Jacob Garay, Liliana Magazine, Maxence Clementine, Scarlet Beaulieu, and Shaan Patel—will serve as Ellie’s cabinet.
“The final candidates’ platforms were inspiring. We thank each of the students for having the courage to stand up for a community issue important to them and congratulate them on their new leadership roles as CTKG and Cabinet,” said Brian Cofrancesco, director of Kid Governor for CTDC. “Kid Governor-Elect Ellie will join Kid Governors in four other states in empowering their constituents to make a difference in their communities next year.”
Mendez's winning platform included providing strategies for reducing stress and anxiety, provide ways for kids to community their feelings with a trusted adult, and to create an online resource with positive and uplifting messages to inspire other kids.
“People don’t take anxiety and depression in kids as serious as they should,” stated Mendez in her campaign video that was shared with thousands of Connecticut fifth graders. “Nearly 5.6 million kids are diagnosed with anxiety and 4.2 million kids are diagnosed with depression—this is a real community issue and they need our support now!”
The final Kid Governor candidates’ campaign videos can be viewed here.
Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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