Kid Governor®, the national award-winning civics program created by The Connecticut Democracy Center, continues its national expansion with the addition of Oklahoma to its roster of affiliates. This free program teaches fifth-grade students about state government, voting, and the importance of civic engagement through an authentic statewide election.
Beginning with the 2022-23 school year, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy will oversee a robust Kid Governor® civics program for fifth graders across the state. Oklahoma is the fourth state to join this effort to educate students about elections and the role of elected officials, after Connecticut, New Hampshire and Oregon.
“It is critically important for our young people to be engaged in the civic process and learn about how our government works from an early age,” said Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt. “I remember meeting Gov. Henry Bellmon on a field trip to the Capitol when I was in middle school, and I look forward to Oklahoma students having similar opportunities all across our state.”
The program also has the support of the Oklahoma State Department of Education, which will assist in getting Kid Governor® materials to fifth-grade classrooms across the state, including lesson plans to reinforce this exercise in democracy in which the students will be participating.
“Students learn better when they are actively engaged in their learning journey. The Kid Governor® program involves Oklahoma students in all stages of the democratic process, giving them a unique and fun learning experience,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister. “It’s a great way to instill a sense of citizenship and public service in young people today.”
The Connecticut Democracy Center created the Kid Governor® program in 2015 to teach fifth-graders about state government, elections, and the importance of civic engagement. The first Connecticut’s Kid Governor was inaugurated in January of 2016 following a November 2015 statewide election. In fall 2017, Kid Governor® became a national program with the launch of Oregon’s Kid Governor®, led by the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office. In 2018, the program expanded to New Hampshire where it is led by the NH Institute for Civics Education and NH Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College. The award-winning civics program has been recognized by the National Association of Secretaries of State, the American Association for State and Local History, and the Connecticut Council for the Social Studies.
“Since 2015 across three states, a total of sixteen Kid Governors and their cabinets have had the opportunity to have a profound impact on their communities and their constituents while tens of thousands of fifth graders gained the opportunity to learn important lessons about government, public service and finding one’s voice to help improve the world around them,” said William Bevacqua, President & CEO of the Connecticut Democracy Center. “Adding a new state to this movement is always cause for celebration and we are delighted to welcome the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy to the Kid Governor® family.”
The Oklahoma program will officially kick off in August with the beginning of the new school year, and the election will be timed to coincide with Oklahoma’s gubernatorial election this November. Schools will each have the opportunity to enter one student candidate into a statewide election. A panel will narrow the finalists down to seven candidates that will allow students from each participating fifth grade to vote for who should represent them as the voice of fifth-graders from across Oklahoma. Following their election, the new Oklahoma’s Kid Governor will spend the next year working with their cabinet and OICA to implement their campaign platform.
Toolkits consisting of free, custom-designed lesson plans will guide classroom teachers through the program and teach students about state government in their state, the history and process of voting, and active participation in civic life. Oklahoma will have a specially tailored video with current and former statewide officials discussing their views of the role of elected officials and why students should be engaged, especially when they turn old enough to vote at age eighteen.
Fifth graders will have the chance to learn about the process of electing officials and the role these leaders play in shaping policy for the state. Those who run for Kid Governor® will create three-point platforms to address those issues they feel are important for youth and make campaign videos. Schools will run Primary Elections to select nominees and each school’s winner will advance a panel that will narrow the results down for the statewide election of seven finalists.
In November, fifth graders will evaluate the online campaign videos of the final candidates, and each will cast their vote for the student and platform they support. The student receiving the most votes serves a one-year term of leadership and advocacy, working with OICA to fulfill their campaign platform and mobilize students to take action and make a difference on the winning campaign issue.
The remaining six finalists will serve as members of the Kid Governor’s Cabinet, working with the Kid Governor. The youth who win their local Primary Election, but who do not make the final rounds will serve as the Youth Mayor of their home community, in a partnership between OICA and the Oklahoma Municipal League.
“The Kid Governor® program inspires students to be involved in the process and hopefully lifelong agents of change for the better,” Dorman said. “Only if young people are given the opportunity to learn the lessons of democracy at an early age will they be able to grow into the leaders that will shape our future.”
Kid Governor® is a national award-winning civics program created by The Connecticut Democracy Center at Connecticut’s Old State House. The free program teaches fifth-grade students about state government, voting, and the importance of civic engagement through an authentic statewide election. Kid Governor® is a growing movement in civics education with affiliate programs in Oregon and New Hampshire where students elect their own state’s Kid Governor each fall. Learn more about the program at kidgovernor.org.
The Connecticut Democracy Center (CTDC) at Connecticut’s Old State House provides people with a lifetime pathway to active citizenship and the tools to take civic action in their own communities. The CTDC seeks to inspire people of all ages to engage in civic life and strengthen their communities.