PARTIES TO ENDORSE CANDIDATES FOR 39TH DISTRICT SEAT NEW LONDON TEACHER, STUDENT TO SPEAK AT NATIONAL PUBLIC EDUCATION EVENT
New London — The Republicans, Democrats and Greens have scheduled meetings to endorse their candidates to run in the Feb. 26 special election to fill the vacant 39th House District seat.
The Republican Town Committee will meet at 7 p.m. today at the New London Senior Center at 120 Broad St. Democrats will meet at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at 38 Green St. The New London Green Party is scheduled to meet at 2 p.m. on Jan. 20 at the Right Path Organic Cafe at 147 Bank St.
The 39th House District covers the first and second voting districts in the city. The seat became vacant as of Jan. 9 when state Rep. Chris Soto resigned to take a job as legislative affairs director in the Gov. Ned Lamont administration.
As of Monday afternoon, Green Party member Mirna Martinez, Democrats Anthony Nolan and Jason Catala and Republican Susan Gorra had filed preliminary candidate paperwork with the state to run for the office.
A New London teacher and student will speak in front of politicians and public education experts in Washington, D.C., today during the release of a new report from The Aspen Institute National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development.
The report, From a Nation at Risk to a Nation at Hope, will outline steps officials should take to improve public education in the United States.
Members of the commission asked Interdistrict School for Arts and Communication social studies teacher Mike Kuczenski and seventh-grader Prishtina Gashi to speak about an immigration project they started in 2017 because it exemplifies the type of learning the report recommends.
The project, in which students wrote stories, took photos, shot videos and designed websites about 16 local immigrants for a traveling exhibit and a book, has received state and national recognition.
Kuczenski, who spearheaded the project, has been selecting different students to participate in each new speaking opportunity that comes along.
Kuczenski said Gashi will be the first student to speak at an event hosted by the commission, which formed in 2016 and includes leaders from education, science, government and the private sector.
Those interested in watching a livestream of the conversation, which will last from 9 a.m. to noon, can RSVP to do so at https://form.jotform. com/82874602184158. as its newest member.
The organization said the Mystic resident brings “significant management experience, community building skills and collaborative expertise” to the board in announcing her appointment.
“Annemarie started as a volunteer on Always Home’s gala committee,” said Always Home’s Board President William Smith. “She is a creative thinker and someone who has a deep sense of community and compassion. We are thrilled to have her join our Board of Directors.”
“When I was growing up, my family fostered children. I understood at an early age how important home and family is to a child’s wellbeing,” said Seifert.
She added what drew her to Always Home is that the organization works “to prevent homelessness before it happens, before a child has to experience the trauma of not having a home.”
In the last fiscal year, Always Home served 231 families seeking emergency housing assistance, including 435 hildren. By combining case management support, short-term financial assistance and creative homelessness prevention services, Always Home works to help families find immediate solutions to their housing crisis. The organization was formerly known as Mystic Area Shelter and Hospitality.