Congratulations to Lea Andrus of Sherwood, Oregon’s new Kid Governor. The fifth grader from Hawks View Elementary ran on an anti-bullying platform and was voted in by other fifth graders from around the state. “I know how it feels to be bullied and how hard it can be to handle the emotions that come with it,” says Lea. “I want to do my best to help other students here in Oregon to not only avoid those feelings as much as possible, but to feel supported by their classmates when they are feeling down.”
She was sworn in by Retired Chief Justice Paul DeMuniz of the Oregon Supreme Court at a special ceremony hosted by Secretary of State Shemia Fagen (pictured below, left) on January 11. “I felt so much support from Shemia Fagen as she told us about her own personal experiences when she was younger and explained the importance of helping students feel welcomed and supported when they are feeling bullied,” she says.
Part of Lea’s plan to combat bullying is to help schools appoint “kindness helpers.” She hopes to start working with her own school district as soon as possible and then branch out to other districts around the state. The other six student finalists in the election will make up Lea’s cabinet and help her enact her platform.
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