BLOG #3 JUNE 19, 2025
For this blog, I wanted to give you an update on my platform and what my Executive Council and I have been up to lately.
During April and May, I traveled to Rye Middle School and Andover Elementary School to give a class presentation to educate kids on Animal Testing. This slide show presentation was also sent out to fifth grade classes across the state. Here are a few class presentation pictures.
I also launched the first episode of my ‘PAW-CAST”. I am using the Paw-Cast as a fun way to tell kids about special things I’m doing and keep them updated on important events and messages. My first Paw-Cast was an interview with a real animal testing survivor ‘Beau the Beagle’ and his owner Virginia. I hope you got a chance to watch it on the NH’s Kid Governor YouTube page.
Lastly, I had a really exciting thing happen in May, Governor Kelly Ayotte came to visit me and my school. We had a great time with her.
In fact, I am making another episode of the Paw-Cast to share her visit with you and as a way to help kick off the 2nd point of my 3-point plan to help stop animal testing in NH.
The Letter Writing Campaign:
I am asking everyone across the state to write letters to the Governor’s Office:
Governor Kelly Ayotte
Office of the Governor State House
107 North Main Street
Concord, NH. 03301
Tell her why you think animal testing should be banned and ask her to support any legislation to help end animal testing in NH. She’s expecting A LOT of mail this summer!
I hope you’ll check out this new Paw-Cast too, and MAIL YOUR LETTERS!!!
My Executive Councilors have been very busy working on their platforms as well. Here is what they have been up to:
Ainsley Gordon from Maple Street Magnet School in Rochester, NH
Platform: Stop Littering and Encourage Recycling
I’ve been visiting classrooms in my school and spreading the word about recycling. I have told classes what can be recycled and what can’t. I have sent home fliers in my school to families letting more people know about recycling and local businesses they can help support. I’m currently working on partnering with a nonprofit organization called “Don’t trash Rochester”. This is a great organization that meets once a month in different areas of Rochester and helps pick up and cleanup trash and litter. I’m looking forward to the rest of the year and seeing what kind of journey it will bring.
Vivian Klein from Jackson Grammar School in Jackson, NH
Platform: Littering
At our all-school meeting, I showed a video about Earth Day and encouraged my school to show up for our Valley Clean Up Day that was on May 3rd. I greeted them when they picked up their supplies and handed out free cookies to motivate them. I also shared my flyer with fifth-grade classes at other schools in the Mount Washington Valley and encouraged them to participate. We had the highest number of kids participating in our town this year!
Jack Tata from North Salem Elementary School in Salem, NH
Platform: Buddy Mentoring
Jack is still in the planning stages for a Buddy Mentoring Event this summer – STAY TUNED!!!
Glen Lucas from Lancaster Elementary School in Lancaster, NH
Platform: Childhood Hunger
I hosted a dance for grades 5 and 6 in April and collected money and canned goods! The dance was REALLY fun. There was corn hole, bucketball (basically the same as corn hole but different), limbo, and Knockout. With the help of friends, chaperones, and the local community center, I hosted a dance with the admission cost of $5 or two non-perishable food items. I raised a total of approximately $200 (including food donations). I got an envelope in the mail from David Rochefort with a check inside for $50 to support my platform of childhood hunger. With his donation, it brought the dollar value of non perishables to approximately $250. Three weeks after I got the envelope, I did research on what types of food to buy and then went shopping for non-perishables. I bought these foods and more: dry milk, canned meat, oatmeal, instant rice, mashed potatoes, beans, soup, pasta, and pasta sauce, to name a few. I also sent an email to my principal and the school’s social worker before I stocked the pantry, informing them that it would be stocked that Sunday.
Evelyn Palizzolo from Maple Street School in Hopkinton, NH
Platform: Helping Depression
I’ve made a school store in which we sell pencils and stickers that have kind or inspirational messages, and friendship bracelets! So far, we’ve raised approximately $20-$40, which we hope to donate to Youth Well NH at the end of the school year. Also, my friend and I entered the Magnify Voices art contest to help raise mental health awareness. My kindness notes board at school has been growing with notes to help make someone’s day.
Grace Gonsalves from Bicentennial Elementary School in Nashua, NH
Platform: Decreasing Smoking and Vaping
The first step in my platform to Decrease Smoking and Vaping in NH was to raise money by making and selling bracelets in my school. I raised and donated $200 to Breathe NH. Breathe NH has been working for over 100 years to improve lung health in our state. It was a wonderful opportunity to work with them. If you would like to join me in reducing smoking and vaping in NH, please consider making a donation to breathenh.org.
BLOG #2 May 12, 2025
I’m excited to share my first “Paw-Cast” featuring Virginia Drew, Director of the NH State House Visitor Center, who is also a huge animal advocate and involved in beagle rescue. Special thanks to videographer/editor Avery Adams (who also happens to be my sister). Enjoy! Go to my Paw Cast
BLOG #1 MARCH 18, 2025
Here is the first of three blog posts that I will publish during my year as New Hampshire’s Kid Governor. As part of my awareness campaign on animal testing, I will tell you about buying cruelty-free products. I will explain how to read labels and encourage you to make informed choices when purchasing products. I will also include a list of suggested cruelty-free products.
What is Animal Testing?
Animal testing is the use of LIVE animals for research, testing products, and educational purposes.
Common animals that are tested on:
● Mice, rats, fish, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, dogs, cats, birds, mini pigs, monkeys, and other farm animals.
Things that are tested on animals:
- Makeup & cosmetics
- Household cleaners and chemicals
- Food additives
- Medicines and drugs
Why is animal testing bad?
Every year over 100,000 MILLION animals are tested on in the US – and that’s a lot! They are burned, crippled, and poisoned. Even “mild” experiments cause damage to their bodies and minds. Most of these experiments are painful, cause suffering, and stress to them. They live in tiny empty cages all alone – lab life is horrible!
What’s worse is that many of the animals are killed after the experiments. And did you know that 9 out of 10 drug medicines that appear safe and effective in animal studies FAIL when given to humans? This is because these animals do not naturally have the same diseases as we do.
What can you do? Shop cruelty-free!
Switching to cruelty-free products is one of the best ways to say no to animal testing. Avoid products that may have been tested on animals. Check the Leaping Bunny Approved Brands and/or download the Cruelty-Free App to make sure the household, cleaning, and personal care products you purchase are not tested on animals.
When buying products, look for the logos: Know your bunnies!
Why is it important to buy cruelty-free?
Voting with your dollars is the first step in being a voice for these animals. It’s important to buy cruelty-free products to show these big companies that you are not supporting animal testing.
Animals deserve to be in loving homes, playing and having fun to get their energy out. They need hugs and lots of treats. I am encouraging kids all across the state to take action now and join me in buying cruelty-free and to be mindful when buying products.
Stay tuned for my next Blog post at the end of June where I will introduce you to my “Paw-Cast” series!