A kid from Portland named Zoya Shah is the Oregon Kid Governor for 2024. Cheryl Myers, who works for Oregon’s government, told everyone at Findley Elementary School about this on Monday.
In Oregon, every elementary school can pick one student for the Oregon Kid Governor program. It helps kids learn about the government. They give out free stuff to help kids learn more about Oregon’s way of running things.
Deputy Secretary Myers said:
“The Oregon Kid Governor is a great civic education program, supported by the Oregon Capitol Foundation and our office, to help teach young Oregonians how their government works. This bi-partisan program provides free toolkits and lesson plans that help celebrate Oregon democracy,” “Thousands of fifth graders from across Oregon vote for their Kid Governor during the election cycle. The future of our state looks promising thanks to these impressive future leaders.”
This year, 22 videos about running for Kid Governor were sent in. Some judges picked seven of them. Then fifth graders from different schools voted. They chose Zoya to be the 2024 Oregon Kid Governor.
Portland fifth grader named 2024 Oregon Kid Governor:
Portland fifth grader named 2024 Oregon Kid Governor.https://t.co/jWuXXSjMBd
— FOX 12 Oregon (@fox12oregon) November 27, 2023
Zoya’s big idea is to help kids understand mental health better. She has a plan with three main points:
- Make sure everyone knows about it, feels okay talking about it, and stops thinking it’s something to be ashamed of.
- Find out what makes kids feel anxious or sad.
- Help them by giving support and things to help them feel better.
The other final candidates and their community issues were as follows:
- Bassem—Community Issue: Finding Friendship in Schools
- Kaayva—Community Issue: Plastic Pollution is Hurting the Environment
- Lydia— Community Issue: Conserve and Protect Oregon’s Resources
- Phebe—Community Issue: Endangered Species
- Remy—Community issue: Discrimination
- Shaurya—Community issue: Prevent Racism
All the finalists for Oregon Kid Governor have now been chosen. They will all become cabinet members and work to move forward their platform problems as well as the Oregon Kid Governor’s platform.
Zoya’s one-year term will start with an opening in January 2024.