Susan Johnson

We took a deep dive into the Kid Governor’s visit at Willimantic Public Library on my weekly public affairs show, “Let’s Talk About It.” Annie Clark, who has worked as a library aide there for 28 years, explained how much of an honor it was to host Kid Governor Ellie Mendez, who was elected by thousands of fifth graders all over Connecticut. The Kid Governor program offers an elected group of fifth graders a one-year term to get a better understanding of the way government works in Connecticut.

This 11-year-old girl from Monroe was elected Kid Governor after campaigning on the need for students to be heard about childhood anxiety and depression. Kid Governor Mendez chose that platform because she believes there are not enough resources for children’s mental health. She also wants to educate adults about the importance of mental health, its symptoms, and paths for treatment. She wants to be a voice for children who do not feel they can speak up. Her goals are:

• To educate students about the signs of anxiety as well as depress and share guidelines to cope with those feelings
• To promote strategies for Connecticut fifth graders to communicate their feelings
• To create a digital mental health hub with uplifting messages and interactive resources to inspire kids

We are thrilled that Kid Governor Ellie Mendez selected Willimantic to address her work. You can watch her entire speech by CLICKING RIGHT HERE.

Annie Clark and I also discussed the many services offered at the Willimantic Public Library. Please click below to listen to the entire show.

Annie Clark talks about what the Willimantic Public Library has to offer our community.