Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas to Celebrate Youth Leadership in Ceremony at Vermont State House

Montpelier, VT – Secretary Copeland Hanzas will hold a ceremony Monday January 12 in the House Chamber of the State House in Montpelier, celebrating youth leadership in Vermont.

The first part of the ceremony will be the inauguration of Vermont’s first Kid Governor, Roslyn Fortin of Highgate Elementary, and her six-member cabinet of fifth graders from across the state.

Kid Governor® is a free program that empowers fifth graders to change the world by using an authentic election to teach important lessons about state government, voting, and the power of civic participation.

The ceremony will also recognize Vermont’s winners and finalists of the 2025 John Lewis Youth Leadership Award. Organized by the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), the award honors the legacy of Congressman Lewis and is given to individuals under 25 who have demonstrated leadership abilities, have a passion for social justice, and are motivated to improve the quality of life in their community. Secretary Copeland Hanzas will recognize Vermont’s two award winners – Rafaela Botti of Orwell and Binti Aweis of Winooski – who will give remarks to the Kid Governor cabinet about their experience making a difference in their communities.

Several finalists for the John Lewis Award will also be honored.

What:   Ceremony: Vermont Kid Governor Inauguration; John Lewis Youth Leadership Award

Who:    Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas and team; Award winners and finalists

When: Monday, January 12 at 10:30 am

Where: House Chamber, Vermont State House, 115 State Street, Montpelier, VT

The event will be livestreamed by Orca Media – view here.

Contact: Bryan Mills, 802-261-5424

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https://sos.vermont.gov