Recognizing Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month

Hi everyone!

This month is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals month. One way to support our animal friends is to adopt! Did you know that about 3.2 million pets get adopted each year? Maybe you could help one of those pets get adopted! I adopted a dog this month from the Companion Pet Rescue in Southbury, CT.

Meet Joey, my 7-year-old Beagle. He loves to run, is very sweet, and he brings so much joy to our home. We love him so much!

Have a great day!

From your friends at the Connecticut Democracy Center...

Throughout the month of April, we shared on social media how students who have run for Connecticut's Kid Governor planned to help animals. Students ran on platforms focused on everything from preventing animal abuse to promoting the adoption of shelter animals. During 2017 CTKG Jessica's term, she worked with the Connecticut Humane Society to promote food collections for local shelters and pounds. The Connecticut Humane Society is a great place to not only donate food but to adopt a pet to join your family! Learn more about adopting a pet here.

Back to School!

Hello everyone! 

The school year is right around the corner. Who’s excited? I know I am!

Going to school everyday means that if you have a pet, they might get lonely. So when you get home from school or work you should play with your pet, or just acknowledge that they are there. Petting them or giving them a treat will really make them feel appreciated. Watch my Responsible Pet Ownership video to learn about more ways that you can be a responsible pet owner!

I hope everyone has a great school year! If you have any questions or know someone who has done something to help animals, please email me at CKGJessica@ct.kidgovernor.org. Have a great day and make sure to help animals, those without a voice!

May Update from 2017 CTKG Jessica

Hello Everyone!

This month has been lots of fun. I have been helping some of my teachers with things in school. I am also still working with my 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Stuart, on our proposal for getting therapy dogs into the Milford Public School District. You can read about our work so far in my last blog post. So far, we are doing great!

Did you know that therapy dogs can solve lots of problems that are physical, mental, social, emotional, and they can even help with health! They can do all of this while looking adorable. Did you know that 44% of kids from the ages eight to eighteen have trouble sleeping caused by stress? Well dogs can help with these problems. They are able to help teens and kids calm down and focus. Dogs are very powerful when it comes to helping.

I'm also looking out for some people doing great deeds for animals. One lady named Alice creates items for the animal shelter to give to the animals. She makes dog toys, cat toys, rabbit toys, and even bird toys. She is definitely making animals happy!

If you would like to hear you or a friend in a shout out like this, email me the great things you or others are doing for animals at CKGJessica@kidgovernor.org!

Remember to help animals, those without a voice!

Have a great day,

Jessica

A Busy Month for 2017 CTKG Jessica

Hello Everyone! 

I have been doing quite a bit of work this month. Currently I am working with my 5th grade teacher, Mrs.Stuart, on getting therapy dogs into the Milford Public Schools District to help with things like stress, anxiety and even reading comprehension. I have been researching the benefits and concerns to having dogs in school. 

Me with Mrs. Stuart, my fifth grade teacher, last year at the ASPCA Humane Awards.

One example of a benefit for having a dog in school is if a child has a reading disability, like dyslexia, they can sit down next to a sweet, calm, patient dog and try to read slowly. This is good because when a child gets stuck on a word they can keep working at it a find it out without being rushed. But when you are with another student or even with an adult you can feel rushed by them causing even more stress. When you get stuck on a word in front of your friends you might get embarrassed but when you stumble in front of a dog it’s no big deal. 

One of the downsides might be a cultural difference*. This might be a problem because certain cultures don’t like dogs. Now there are ways to take care of this, like having the children that don’t like dogs at a distance from dogs and to not talk about dogs in front of them. I can’t wait to do more work and research. I hope we can get dogs into the Milford Public Schools District. 

I hope everyone is great! Remember to help animals, those without a voice!

Have a great day!

-Jessica

*A message from your friends at the Connecticut Public Affairs Network...

Along with cultural differences, dogs and pets may not be allowed into schools due to allergies. Some people may be allergic to dogs and dog dander. These allergies may cause severe reactions that range from a runny nose to swelling of the eyes and throat. Dogs that are service animals or police dogs are allowed into schools though and there are no laws to prevent them from entering a classroom. You should always alert the school first to make accommodations for those with allergies. 

Jessica's Farewell Address

A message from your friends at the Connecticut Public Affairs Network...

2017 Connecticut's Kid Governor Jessica Brocksom ended her term last week at the inauguration of the 2018 Connecticut's Kid Governor Megan Kasperowski. Jessica reflected on her term, shared well wishes with Megan, and thanked all who helped her this year. You can read her farewell address below and watch it here. 

Jessica prepares to give her Farewell Address at the 2018 Inauguration Day
 in the Courtroom of Connecticut's Old State House.

Good morning everyone! A special welcome to Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, State Senator Art Linares, State Representative Christie Carpino, Commissioner of Education Dianna Wentzell, Supreme Court Justice Emeritus Dennis Eveleigh, Portland First Selectwoman Susan Bransfield, Portland Superintendent Dr. Philip O’Reilly, and Kid Governor-Elect Megan Kasperowski. Thank you for being here for this special day.

I have had a very exciting year as the 2017 Connecticut’s Kid Governor. I would like to tell you all about it, but first I want to give a special thanks to the Connecticut Public Affairs Network. They are the reason that I was able to run to be Kid Governor and help so many animals. And thank you so much Mr. C, Ms. Whipple, Mr. Orcutt, and Ms. Sousa and everyone else for being there every day and helping me along the way. You guys have done so much for me this year and my accomplishments wouldn’t have been possible without all of you. I want to personally thank my fifth grade teacher, Ms. Stuart, for all that she does for me. She is the most amazing teacher that I ever had and I wish all students had the chance to be taught by Ms. Stuart. She was so supportive of me during my term. I thank you for everything you do for me and I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for you.

I really want to thank my family for all of their support for me and bringing me to many events just like this. I am truly grateful for them and I wouldn’t be able to do anything without them, so thank you so much.

During my year as your Kid Governor, I had the great opportunity to travel all over the state as well as New York and a special trip to Washington, D.C. During my travels, I was able to meet so many people along the way who are as passionate as I am about helping animals. It’s been amazing to see my platform of animal cruelty awareness not only help many animals, it motivated other people to help as well.

I would like to especially thank Senator Richard Blumenthal for inviting me to Washington, D.C. He and Representative Rosa DeLauro and Senator Chris Murphy took the time out of their busy days to visit with me and learn about my platform to help animals. They also told me about their work in Congress and the animal legislation they support. The Humane Society of the United States also met with me in Washington and shared how they help to advocate for animals.

I also got to go to New York and had the honor of being recognized by the ASPCA as the Tommy P. Monahan Kid of the Year. The ASPCA is such an important organization and they inspire me to do great things to help animals.

Over the year, I was able to meet all three points of my platform and do much more. I met my first goal of helping pass a bill. I was able to speak at a press conference at the state capitol to support a law allowing therapy animals to go to court with kids. The bill was signed by Governor Malloy in July and took effect in October. My second goal was met by coordinating a collection drive and donating many items and money to the animal shelter to help with costs for animal care. I also prompted other kids and adults to do the same and shared resources for planning collection drives in schools. Lastly, I met my third goal of making an educational presentation to spread awareness about responsible pet ownership. That presentation was released this week. There are so many things that you can do to help stop animal cruelty and be a responsible pet owner. I'm so proud of all the people in Connecticut who are helping animals, those without a voice.

This past year, I went to libraries across Connecticut to teach kids and adults about responsible pet ownership. I helped start a program called Heat Kills in my town of Milford with my State Representative, Pam Staneski. I met with elected officials and news reporters to share my platform. I also kept a blog called Helping Animals to motivate other kids to speak up for animals.

In closing, congratulations to our new Kid Governor Megan! You have such a great year ahead of you! You are going to make so many people happy and inspire others. Just don't forget to have fun and enjoy it while you can. It goes by so quickly.

I would also like to say “congratulations” to the six other candidates from the Statewide Election! Your campaigns were amazing and I hope that you will continue to spread your messages because they are all very important. Just remember you all can make a difference.

Even though my term is up, I will still continue to educate people on animal cruelty and speak up for animals to make sure their voices are heard. Once again, congrats to Megan and the six final candidates. And to everyone, remember to help animals, those without a voice. Thank you and have a great day!

A busy November at the ASPCA's Humane Awards Luncheon and a Ms President US program!

Hello everybody! I have had an exciting few weeks. I went to New York for the ASPCA's Humane Awards Luncheon and I went to Ridgefield, CT to speak to a group of girls participating in a program called Ms President US. So let me tell you all about both experiences!

My ASPCA Kid of the Year Award!

Giving my award acceptance speech on-stage and sharing my work to help animals during my term as Connecticut's Kid Governor. 

The ASPCA, which stands for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, holds the Humane Awards Luncheon every year in New York City. They recognize heroic animals as well as people who help animals. The Tommy. P Monahan Kid of the Year Award honors one kid for their hard work with helping animals. I am so honored to be their 2017 Kid of the Year! You can read about all of the 2017 award winners HERE.

Me with Tommy's parents, Tom and Maria Monahan. 

When I went to New York, I met the family of Tommy P. Monahan. Tommy was a nine-year-old boy from Staten Island, NY who went into his burning house to save his dog's life. Sadly, Tommy died in the fire. The Kid of the Year Award is named in his honor, and Tommy's family sat at my table.

All of the 2017 Humane Awards recipients (both people and animals!).

There are other amazing pets and people being honored, too. Like the Cat of the Year named Flame, and the Dog of the Year named Rescue. Flame was a malnourished kitten who now lives in a fire station and is a pet to all the fire fighters. Rescue lives with Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes who were both affected by the Boston Marathon bombing. Rescue helps them feel good and makes sure they go out and stay active. These two pets are amazing but wait until you hear about what the other people out there are doing.

Selfie with my 5th grade teacher Mrs. Stuart and Mr. C from Connecticut's Kid Governor who attended the luncheon with me. 

The human winners were Judy Obregon who received the Citizen Hero Award, the Mission K9 Rescue who received the Henry Burgh Award, and Elaine Nash who received the Equine Welfare Award. They have done so many great things for animals. They all have been saving hundreds of animals and it's unbelievable. The ASPCA Awards were amazing and it was such a great opportunity. I am so inspired from all the stories that I heard there and I hope you all are too. What these people have done for animals is beyond any expectations. They are truly amazing. I had such a great time speaking and meeting new people. I especially loved meeting the family of Tommy. P Monahan. They were so kind and sweet. I thank them and the ASPCA for this huge honor.

Me with Ms. Liz Osterhus Fleuette, the founder of Ms President US.

Our panel discussion at the Ms President US program.

I also went to the Ridgefield Library to meet with a group called Ms President US. Ms President US is a group that encourages girls to play an important role in their community and inspires them to run for political office. It was so cool to meet the girls and be a panelist along with Miss Connecticut Teen Ananya Kachru, Connecticut State Senator Toni Boucher, and Connecticut State Representatuve Joan Hartley. These other woman also have big roles and they are very inspiring. Thank you girls for all you do for people and animals.

The elementary and middle school girls who attended the program!

Make sure to email me all the great things you're doing at CKGJessica@kidgovernor.org. Have a great day and make sure to keep helping animals, those without a voice.

Your Kid Governor,

October "Shout Outs" to Kids Helping Animals!

I have some shout outs for kids who visited my Kid Governor's Office at Connecticut's Old State House in Hartford and shared how they want to be kind to animals through my animal cut-out activity:

• Sarah said "I can learn about what animals need to be healthy."
• Chelsey wrote "I can serve my time to a local animal shelter."
• Camillo wrote "I can put a container of water in the street on hot days to help street dogs or cats" 
• Dylan said "I can try to make a food organization for animals."
• Brenna wrote "I can make donations to the animal shelters."
• Grace said "I can make an effort to not leave trash outside because I know it can hurt an animal." 
• Jerick said "I can give money to charities that help abused animals."
• Julia wrote "I can do a can and bottle drive to raise money to donate to the animal shelters."

Reading the animal cut-outs visitors have left in my office at the Old State House!

Another huge shout out to Elena Tipton the 2016 Connecticut's Kid Governor for going to my office and picking out some great cut outs from kids across the state.

2016 Kid Governor Elena in the Kid Governor's Office at the Old State House

If you want to get a shout out just email me at CKGJessica@kidgovernor.org.

Have a great day and keep helping animals, those without a voice!

Your Kid Governor, 

My interview with seven-year-old animal activist Eloise!

Hello everyone!

Recently, I interviewed a girl named Eloise. She is seven years old and from my hometown of Milford. She painted pictures of animals, sold them and donated the money to the animal shelter. She's a very inspiring girl and I have no doubt that she will help many people and animals in the future. Watch my interview with Eloise below!

Are you raising money for animals in your community? Let me know! Email me at CKGJessica@kidgovernor.org to tell me how you are helping animals!

Your Kid Governor,

Helping Animals After Hurricane Harvey

Hey guys!

As you may have heard, Texas is currently flooded and covered in water after Hurricane Harvey. So many people and animals are being found and rescued. The shelters are so full of animals and they really need your help to find as many of the animals as possible a loving home. My friends at the Connecticut Humane Society have sent down ten people to Texas to help rescue animals and find them a new home. They are also excepting a few animals to come up to our Humane Society so people from Connecticut can give these pets a loving home right here! I am also happy to see the Humane Society of the United States, who I met with when I was in Washington, D.C. in June, has volunteers on the front lines helping with animal rescue in Texas.

Photo: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images

If you really want to help the animal shelters down in Texas, there are a few things you can do. First, if you can, you can donate to the animal shelters, the ASPCA, or the Texas Humane Society in Houston. You can mail donations to them or call and ask how you can best help! If you still want to help but can't donate anything, you can help raise awareness with friends and family too!

Thank you guys for staying updated on all my blog posts and make sure to keep helping animals, those that are voice! 

Have a great day!

Your Kid Governor, 

Animal Bills Becoming Laws

Hello everyone!

School has just started and I am so excited. I spent time this summer on my Summer Library Circuit and it went great! I had so much fun at each library!

In April I looked at some bills about animals and recently looked again to see which laws had passed and which didn't. In April I joined Diana Urban to advocating for a bill that would let children who are testifying in certain criminal cases use therapy animals to provide comfort. I am proud to say that this bill and one other animal bill passed into law!

1. HB-6999:A law that allows children to use therapy dogs for comfort while testifying in certain criminal cases.
2. HB-6334: A law that requires animal shelters to be registered and inspected.

Watch our Animal Therapy Day press conference at the Capitol from April. The bill we were advocating for was passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Malloy!

Not all of the bills that I supported passed. Here are a few of my favorite bills that I will keep advocating for.

1. HB-6326: A law that makes the act of selling ivory in CT illegal. 
2. HB-6339: A law making the act of giving cows, pigs, and hens too little space illegal. 
3. HB-5988: A law that saves someone from a fine or jail time if they break property saving an animal. 
4. SB-602: A law that makes sure that animals in shelters or pounds are being treated humanely. 

I hope that these bills will get passed in the future. Until then, I will keep contacting my legislators. You can too! You can learn how to write to elected officials HERE. 

Next, I have a few shout outs to some people who wrote on my cut outs at the Old State House! Braden said "stopping people from destroying trees" is an important topic. Brianna wrote that we should "feed all hungry animals and help any animals in trouble". Phillip said he wants to "take care of strays and lost animals". Mary Beth also wrote "make sure that your animals have water outside!" Guys, keep on writing and making a difference!

Make sure to email me all you're doing out there! You can contact me at CKGJessica@KidGovernor.org.

Have an awesome day and keep helping animals, those without a voice!

Your Kid Governor, 

Add Your Name to CKG Jessica's "Responsible Pet Owner Pledge"!

A message from your friends at the Connecticut Public Affairs Network...

Earlier this year CKG Jessica visited the Westminster Dog Show in New York City. While there, she pledged to be a responsible dog owner by signing her name to the American Kennel Club’s “Responsible Dog Owner Pet Promise!”

Jessica signing AKC's "Responsible Dog Owner Pet Promise"

While the AKC “Pet Promise” is specifically for dog owners, it’s just as important for anyone who owns any pet – a dog, cat, horse, bird, lizard, pig, or anything else – to understand the huge responsibility they take on as guardian of another living being.

Your pet is TOTALLY dependent on you for fresh food, water, daily exercise, visits to the vet, and – just as importantly – giving it the kind of attention that will allow it to live a fulfilled and happy life. For some animals, that could mean training them to learn how to behave around people and other animals; that’s called socialization. By spending time teaching your pet good behavior, you’re creating a better member of society. The time we spend on training our pets to perform tricks or follow commands helps build trust and respect between us and our furry, feathered or scaly friends – and the satisfaction that comes from that kind of relationship is the best reward of all!

After visiting with the dogs (and cats!) at Westminster, CKG Jessica was inspired to create her own pledge for ALL pet owners! She hopes that you will join her in committing to the following acts of responsible pet ownership for all of your pets:

I promise…

• I will always provide a safe environment for my pet. 
• I will always make sure they have fresh clean water and healthy food every day! 
• I will make sure to always take them to the vet for their checkups, keep them updated on all their vaccines and bring them to the doctor when they are sick. 
• I will play with them and make sure they get plenty of exercise! 
• I will love them and treat them with respect. I will remember that they have feelings too! 

A community member signing Jessica's "Responsible Pet Owner Pledge" during her Summer Library Circuit.

Add your name to Jessica’s pledge by emailing her at CKGJessica@kidgovernor.org or posting a comment below - you’ll get a shout-out on one of her blog posts!

You can download a copy of Jessica's Pet Pledge HERE. Feel free to share it with friends and others in the community! 

Recap of my Summer Library Circuit!

Hello everyone! School is just around the corner and I’m so excited.

Last month, I held my Summer Library Circuit and visited public libraries across the state. The Circuit went great and I had so much fun at each library.

Speaking at the Russell Library in Middletown.

So many people came out to the Hartford Public Library, the Russell Library in Middletown, and the Milford Public Library and we all had a great time. I shared my Helping Animals, Those Without a Voice campaign, explained what I have been doing during my term as Connecticut's Kid Governor, and told attendees about responsible pet ownership. After my presentation, kids and adults participated in my Helping Animals activity and signed my Responsible Pet Owner Pledge.

Families who came to hear my presentation at the Hartford Public Library.

Families participating in my animal activities at the Russell Library.

I was also able to meet therapy dogs Gizmo, Bennie Boo Beags and Spartacus Chooch - they are cute pups who came to hear my presentation and meet my constituents. If you have Facebook, you should follow them.

Me with Bennie Boo Beags, Spartacus Chooch, Gizmo, and their owners at the Milford Public Library.

If you missed my Summer Library Circuit,  you can watch recordings of my visits by clicking the links below. You can also download my PowerPoint HERE.

Hartford Public Library - July 18, 2017

Russell Library in Middletown - July 20, 2017

Milford Public Library - Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Make sure to email me all the great things you're doing out there to help animals at CKGJessica@kidgovernor.org.

Keep helping animals, those without a voice!

Your Kid Governor,

Today is International Cat Day!

Hi guys! Did you know that today is International Cat Day? I don’t encourage you to beg your parents for a cat, but I do encourage you to help cats in your community.

If you have spare time, ask your parents if you can volunteer at a shelter or pound to play with or feed the cats or maybe dogs. You can also click HERE to learn about and start planning a drive to collect items needed at your local shelter or pound. Anything is helpful!

Cats need your help. Make sure to email me at CKGJessica@kidgovernor.org and tell me about all the great things that you or your friends and family are doing.

You all are doing great work! Keep helping animals, those without a voice. Thank you!

Acts of kindness towards cats suggested by visitors to my office at Connecticut's Old State House!

My Visit to Washington, D.C.!

Hey everyone! How is your summer going? I have been going to libraries across the state teaching kids, adults, and teachers all about my platform, the Kid Governor program, what I’m doing as Kid Governor, and how you can help.  Look out for a blog post on my Summer Library Circuit later this summer! I will also be making my presentation on responsible pet ownership to send into all the schools of Connecticut very soon.

Me in front of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.!

I recently visited Washington, D.C. to meet with Connecticut’s congresspeople about my platform of Helping Animals, Those Without a Voice and to learn about proposed bills in Congress that impact animals. It was amazing to see the U.S. Capitol and the White House for the first time ever! I also got to see the Hart Senate Office Building, which is where U.S. Senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal work. I was able to meet with both Sen. Murphy and Sen. Blumenthal to learn about their jobs in the Senate and the issues they care about. They were excited to learn about my platform and share why they think animals deserve a voice!

I met with Sen. Chris Murphy (top) inside the U.S. Capitol and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (below) in his office on Capitol Hill. 

I also got to meet with my U.S. Representative, Rosa DeLauro, who is incredibly inspiring. She told me to “fight for what you believed in; not with fists, but with knowledge.” She, too, is an animal lover and has worked hard to speak up for animals. It was an awesome experience!

I met with Rep. Rosa DeLauro (above) in her office on Capitol Hill to discuss my platform.

While I was in D.C., I also met with staff from the Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Legislative Fund. They gave me a tour of their office and told me all about the legislation they are supporting and working on. They even knew about Senators Blumenthal and Murphy and Representative DeLauro because they are strong advocates for animals in Congress! The people we met with were very passionate about helping animals and are giving animals across the country a voice.

Meeting with staff from the Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society legislative Fund in their national headquarters. 

You can see more photos from my trip to Washington, D.C. and Capitol Hill at facebook.com/CTKidGovernor and twitter.com/CTKidGovernor.

In other news, I would like to give a shout out to 11 year old Sahara Behpour, who organized an animal awareness day at her local Stop & Shop on Sunday, June 25. Sahara raised $360.79 along with many donations of cat and dog food, toys, treats, pet carriers, used towels, and blankets. She gave it all to her local animal food bank. Her act of kindness is helping so many animals. Way to go Sahara! Keep doing all the great work that you do for animals in Connecticut.

Anyone else who is doing good things – even just donating a dollar or a can of food to an animal  shelter or pound – make sure to email me all the great things you’re doing! You can contact me at CKGJessica@KidGovernor.org and I’ll give you a shout out right here on my blog. I can’t wait to hear from everyone. Have a great day, and keep helping those without a voice!

Your Kid Governor,

A "Heat Kills" campaign in Milford

Hi guys!

I have had a busy but exciting few weeks! I have been working with my State Representative Pam Staneski on a program called "Heat Kills." "Heat Kills" is a campaign to educate people about why you shouldn't lock animals in cars. In Connecticut, it is illegal to leave animals in cars in the extreme heat or cold, but some people don’t listen. Some people just forget and could get in big trouble. Below is an infographic from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) about the dangers of locking pets in cars which gave us a lot of information for our campaign. They also have a flyer you can read HERE.

We are trying to raise awareness about our "Heat Kills" campaign and the dangers of heat to animals by putting signs all over Milford. We are selling signs that businesses can put in parking lots and bumper stickers for people to put on their cars. Milford Mayor Ben Blake is a big supporter as well as the Animal Control Officer Scott Ellingson. City Clerk Joanne Rohrig even included a "Heat Kills" flyer we created in all of the mailings to dog owners who need to renew their dog licenses! The Tesla company in Milford donated $400 to our project to buy signs for the community.

We even held a press conference at my school, John F. Kennedy Elementary School in Milford, last Thursday to announce our new project. You can watch the press conference below and read an article from the Milford Mirror HERE.

Your town or city might already have "Heat Kills" signs, but if not we hope you will consider starting a campaign where you live. You can email me a tCKGJessica@kidgovernor.org for more information about our project. I will also share more resources in the next few weeks.

"Heat Kills" is a very important thing to know about so that animals aren’t being left in cars, especially in the summer. If you see an animal alone in a car tell your parent to tell someone like the police about it.

If you tell someone, see someone taking action, or want to start a campaign in your town, make sure to email me.

Everyone is doing great work! Keep helping those without a voice!

Your Kid Governor,

Helping and advocating for animals this spring!

Hey Everyone!

I've had a busy spring working on my platform Helping Animals, Those Without A Voice. I'd like to tell you what I've been up to!

A few weeks ago, I went to Pet of the Week at Fox News with Susan Wollschlager from the Connecticut Humane Society. The featured pet was a puppy named Scotty who got adopted right away! What a great way to get animals adopted. I also had the chance to share my platform with the host, Erika Arias, and viewers. You can watch our video below. 

I also visited the CT Humane Society in Newington, and met some cool dogs and cats. I also learned some really cool facts about animals, like did you know that cats only meow to people and not other cats? I met Executive Director Gordon Willard and spent time with Elizabeth Timpe, their Community Outreach Manager, learning about the animal educational programs the Humane Society does.

In April, I went up to the State Capitol in Hartford on Animal Therapy Day. They were having a press conference about a bill which they wanted to make into a law. It was about allowing animals in court to help children who are testifying. Tell me if you would vote yes or no on this bill. I had fun but learned an awful lot, too.

I also held a collection drive at my school and we collected over 500 items and $140.00 dollars that we donated to my local pound. Fun fact: we donated $50 dollars a few months ago and it helped a dog who needed eye surgery. Now Daisy the dog has been healed and adopted. Give a big huge cheer for Daisy winning her fight and my school for helping Daisy get better and find a new home.

Did your school hold a collection drive this spring? Email me how your school did, and you can get a shout out in one of my blog posts! Just email me at CKGJessica@kidgovernor.org.

Keep up the great work guys! Lets continue to help those without a voice!

Your Kid Governor,