Recording My Training Webinar for Teachers

Hey everyone!

It has been a busy few weeks. I finally crossed off my teacher training platform point by presenting a webinar on May 20th. A webinar is kind of like a free podcast that anyone, anywhere can listen to on their phones, iPads, and computers. My webinar was about helping parents, teachers, or anyone who works with children to know how to properly support a child in the LGBTQ community. It was hosted by the State Department of Education. We had a professional trainer named Sarah Free who works at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. She is so kind and she specializes in helping people learn to work with LGBTQ students. We also had a student named Luis Cruz from East Hartford High School come and share his personal stories of coming out as gay and being openly part of the LGBTQ community.

Me with Luis and Sarah Free after the webinar. 

I want to thank both of these people so very much from the bottom of my heart for helping me make this happen. I am so grateful, and I couldn't have done it without them. I would also like to thank everyone that has listened to the webinar or will listen to it. I am so thankful that this came out as well as I wanted it to!

I also received a card from some supporters from Nova Scotia, Canada! So here is a special shout out to Evelyn and Joanne for such a kind letter to me. It really brightened up my day!

How can you show love today? Maybe you can help clean up at school or at home without being asked to. It will really make someone feel happy!

Love you all!


Your Kid Governor,

A message from your friends a the Connecticut Democracy Center...

You can watch CTKG Ella's Pride-Hope-Love webinar HERE or below.

This webinar was a part of Kid Governor Ella's three-point Pride-Hope-Love platform for LGBTQ+ youth safety and was sponsored by the Connecticut Democracy Center.

Click HERE to access resources from the webinar.

RULER and Kids Night on Broadway!

Hi everyone!

Wow - it has been kind of crazy these last couple of weeks! On Tuesday, February 26th, I had the honor of being invited to a Yale conference for mental wellness and happiness that was put on by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. This conference focused on a program that Yale has come up with called RULER. According to their website: “RULER is an evidence-based approach for integrating social and emotional learning into schools, developed at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. RULER applies ‘hard science’ to the teaching of what have historically been called ‘soft skills.’ RULER teaches the skills of emotional intelligence — those associated with Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating Emotion.” This is a training program for educators all across the state.

Me with my mom, sister Riley, and dad!

At this conference, we were able to take different workshops for what we wanted to learn more about. My first class was about mental wellness in middle schools because pretty soon I'm going to be in sixth grade. The whole class was about how we can help our middle schoolers feel happy and calm at school and at home. The next class I took was about LGBTQ youth and the struggles that they face. The session was mostly about transgender and non binary students at our schools, but it did also talk about lesbian and gay students. I had the opportunity in this workshop to share my experience as a student who is a part of the LGBTQ community and talk to the educators in the room about how to help those students feel more emotionally supported in their schools. I had a lot of fun in both of my workshops and then we got to have lunch! I had chicken and salad. My sister Riley ate a whole chicken!

"I had the opportunity in this workshop to share my experience as a student who is a part of the LGBTQ community and talk to the educators in the room about how to help those students feel more emotionally supported in their schools."

Afterwards, we got in the car and went to New York City. That night was a special event called Kids Night on Broadway. We met our best friends at a pizza place then we went to a show called Come From Away. It was about how when 9/11 happened, people who were flying during the attacks had to  land in Canada and stay there for six days until they could go back home! It was a fantastic show. After the show we had a real treat! The writer of the show had seen some news reports about the Kid Governor program and my platform, so she invited me and my family to head backstage to meet some of the cast and see what it is like backstage on Broadway. I got to meet Jenn Colella! She is a Tony nominated actress and a big advocate for the LGBTQ community. I was thrilled! After that, we slept over in New York City.

The next day I went to school and got back to work on the guide I'm writing. It is all about how to jump start a GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) for elementary school students. I am writing it with my friends who are part of the new GSA at my school. I have also asked my sister to contribute some illustrations ! I hope that at some point, students will be able to read the guide and get some ideas about how to create safe spaces in their own schools.

My question for readers this week is: How can I show love today?

If you notice someone at school who might be struggling in math, science, or English, offer to help them out!

Your Kid Governor, 

-Ella

Spreading Pride with the Wolf Pack and Girls Rising

Hi everyone!

It has been a fun couple of weeks!

I turned 11 on February 8th and I had a lot of fun at my birthday party! After my party, my family, myself, and one of my friends went to Pride Night at the Hartford Wolf Pack game. I have never seen professional hockey before and I had a lot of fun! I got to go on the jumbotron and talk to everyone about being Kid Governor with Rachel Lutzker from Fox 61. I also got to meet a lot of my supporters who have been following my blog. It was so amazing to see all of you in person!

Me with Sonar, the Wolf Pack Mascot

About a week after, I got invited to a Girls Rising event where women celebrate women. Girls Rising is a non-profit group that is working “to empower and inspire girls and LGBTQ kids to pursue careers in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) fields.” The band Antigone Rising, who started the non-profit, performed at the event in Norwalk, CT. They are an all female rock band and they also identify themselves as queer. I got to speak onstage and I got to meet the band. It was such an honor to be there to spread my vision of PRIDE - HOPE - LOVE to everyone in attendance. Added bonus - Antigone Rising was amazing! If you haven’t heard their music, you should definitely check them out! 

Me with Antigone Rising.

How can you show love today?

Hold the door for someone. You never know what people are going through; your little actions can make someone’s day.


Your Kid Governor
- Ella

Two Inaugurations and my first public appearances!

Good Morning everyone!

It has been a busy couple of weeks! About a week before my own inauguration, I was invited to Governor Ned Lamont’s inauguration by State Comptroller Kevin Lembo. It was a lot of fun! I got to meet so many amazing people and a beautiful chorus sang as well. I also got to attend the very special "joint session" of the House of Representatives and Senate. That was where Governor Lamont gave his first speech to legislators about his goals as governor.

Me with Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, Mr. Charles Frey, Comptroller Kevin Lembo, Treasurer Shawn Wooden, Attorney General William Tong, and Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz right after they were sworn into office. 

Me with former Governor Dan Malloy. 

Then it was time for my own inauguration! It was an exciting but busy day. At my inauguration I got to meet so many amazing people. Some of these people included Governor Ned Lamont, Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz, and Congresswoman Jahana Hayes. I was also honored to meet the other six finalists for the 2018 Statewide Election. The seven of us will work together during the next year, not only to help my platform of LGBTQ+ youth safety, but also to work a bit on their platforms as well! I am so excited to get to know them, see their smiling faces, and make the world a better place.

Me meeting Congresswoman Jahana Hayes before my Inauguration! 

All of the state constitutional officers for Connecticut joined me and the final candidates for Inauguration Day. 

I'm so excited to get to work with the members of my Kid Governor's Cabinet-- Reilly, Madison, Eva, Melody, Hayden, and Jason.

The day after my inauguration, I was honored to attend the “Together We Rise” women's march at Two Wrasslin’ Cats, in East Haddam, CT. I had the opportunity to speak about my platform in front of a crowd, and I even enjoyed a free cinnamon bun! I was excited to meet so many interesting people and hear their stories. 

I was also honored to have NPR (National Public Radio) interview and film me this past week. They were so kind and helpful, and they seemed to really care about me and the things I am trying to accomplish.

Now that I've been sworn in as CTKG, I have my first challenge for my readers: how can you show respect today?

Wave or say, “Good Morning” to a someone you don’t normally speak to. You never know what little actions can make a person's whole day.

Email me and share how you made someone's day, at Ella@CT.KidGovernor.org.


Love you all!

Ella

Hi, I'm Ella!

Hi! My name is Ella Briggs, and I am the 2019 Connecticut's Kid Governor. I live with my mom, my dad, my sister Riley, my two huge dogs (Newfoundland- St. Bernard mixes!) Ace and Sammy, and my cat Otis in East Hampton, CT. I love to dance, sing, and play the drums. I also love to hang out with my friends and spend time cuddling my dogs and my cat. I like traveling, and my favorite place that I have traveled so far is Budapest, Hungary. I love this awesome playground for kids in Budapest called Tarzan Park, and I love the water slides on Margaret Island.

Me with my dogs, Ace and Sammy! 

This year, I am looking to accomplish my Pride-Hope-Love platform. First I am going to make a step-by-step book on how to start a gay-straight alliance (GSA) at your school so kids can feel PRIDE in who they are. Next I am going to spread the word for more foster families so kids who don't have a safe home for being themselves can feel HOPE that they will find safe and loving homes. Finally I am going to do teacher training so if kids have been getting bullied, teachers know exactly what to do and say so kids can feel LOVE from their teachers and fellow students.

I am going to use this blog to tell all of you about my experiences as Connecticut's Kid Governor. I will also sometimes give ideas of how you can show respect to everyone. Join me through my journey by checking in every once and awhile. Also email me any questions or things you would like to share with me at Ella@CT.KidGovernor.org I would love to here anything you have to say!

Love You All!

Ella