Today, Governor Chris Sununu announced that Madelynn Dinan, of North Hampton, New Hampshire has been selected as the 2022 ‘Governor for a Day’ competition winner. Madelynn will act as Governor for a Day tomorrow, June 1st, and join the Governor for the entire day at the State House.
Madelynn is in the 6th grade at North Hampton School and wrote about supporting small businesses and wanting to “gain a better understanding of how the state government works.” There were over 250 applications submitted as part of the competition this year.
“I am excited to welcome Governor Madelynn Dinan to the State House tomorrow!” said Governor Chris Sununu. “While there were so many great submissions, Madelynn’s application highlighted her positive spirit, keen attention to important issues facing New Hampshire, and a willingness to learn and grow.”
“I love my home state, and I want to do everything I can for it,” Madelynn wrote in her submission. “I can’t imagine living anywhere else, and because of that, it is my duty and pleasure to help my state grow and thrive. I would love going to the Capitol Building and seeing how the government operates.”
A video of Madelynn receiving a congratulatory phone call from Governor Chris Sununu can be viewed here.
The “Governor for a Day” initiative was launched in New Hampshire in 2018 to foster civic education and promote youth participation in government. The competition was open to all Middle and High School students across the Granite State this year after a brief hiatus due to COVID-19.
Interested applicants were invited to submit a 250–500 word essay completing the sentence, “If I were Governor for a day, I would…” One individual is selected to serve as the official student “Governor for a Day” and is invited to join Governor Sununu for a day full of educational experiences. Additional information on the initiative can be found here.
A full copy of Madelynn’s submission letter can be read below:
“If I were Governor for a day, I would try to expand my learning of New Hampshire’s history farther than what I already know. I would hope to gain a better understanding of how the state government works and give my most educated input on the problems that may pop up that day. A certain incentive I would love to focus on is Project Restart New Hampshire. I would like to help expand small businesses and find ways to get people wanting to work again, which would greatly help our state and the people in it, especially the people who haven’t been able to land a solid job since the pandemic. I realize that many places had to close their doors during Covid, and helping reopen some of those businesses would help and bring joy to so many. Maybe even help people who lost their companies start completely new businesses, different from what they had before. I love my home state, and I want to do everything I can for it. I can’t imagine living anywhere else, and because of that, it is my duty and pleasure to help my state grow and thrive. I would love going to the Capitol Building and seeing how the government operates. I was about to go on a field trip to the Capitol when Covid struck, and this would be a great chance for me to do what I never got to. How my state is governed is very important to me and I would love to be involved in it any way I can. I know the world is in a dark state because of Russia and Ukraine, so it’s crazy that we can manage to have this amazing opportunity in the middle of a war. New Hampshire is such a special state, with its beautiful forests, snow capped mountains (especially for skiing), and gorgeous ocean views on the sandy beaches. Except no one knows about it because they’re too focused on the famous cities like Hollywood, L.A., and New York City. They’re just not looking hard enough. I would love to help my state and government in any way I can. I’m so glad to have my hat in the ring. Please consider me for a chance at being the Governer of the Day, 2022.”