An eighth grader from Aurora spent a day running Colorado state government nine days ago, reviewing budget plans, briefing with agency staff, and signing an official proclamation before taking questions from reporters at the State Capitol. Angelique Tolbert, a student at Sky Vista Middle School, became one of two inaugural winners of Governor Jared Polis's new “Governor for a Day” contest, and her October 12 term put her in rooms where state policy gets made.
Polis described the experience in a post on Facebook, writing that he welcomed Tolbert to serve as governor for a day. According to the governor's account, Tolbert joined meetings, learned about state government, and signed a proclamation declaring October 12 “Let Students Lead Day.” The contest itself traces back to late August, when the Office of Governor Jared Polis invited seventh and eighth graders statewide to submit short video entries explaining why they wanted to lead state government, with the application window running from August 31 to September 7.
More Than 150 Students Applied
The response surprised the governor's office. The contest drew more than 150 student video submissions from across Colorado, and two youth governors were selected, with the winners announced on September 14, per the governor's office. Tolbert was named alongside Weston Hancock, an eighth grader from Ridgeline Middle School in Windsor, whose own term as Governor for a Day was scheduled for October 28.
Tolbert brought an existing leadership resume to the role. At Sky Vista Middle School in Aurora, she participates in student council, drama club, a selective leadership class, and the National Junior Honor Society, according to the governor's office. Hancock, for his part, was separately appointed as a student representative to Colorado's Gifted Education State Advisory Committee, as noted in a post from Weld RE-4 School District.
A Full Day of Policy Briefings
Tolbert's day in office went well beyond ceremony. She reviewed state budget plans, met with Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff on environmental preservation, and sat down with the Department of Early Childhood to discuss universal preschool and child care access, the governor's office said.
Tolbert also used her time at the Capitol to promote her own initiative, a program she calls B.R.A.I.N., aimed at fostering cultural understanding among middle schoolers, according to Wisevoter. The outlet reported that Tolbert had recorded her original contest submission video in a garden setting that emphasized community-focused leadership, a theme that carried through to how she spent her day running the state.
Signing a Student Leadership Proclamation
During her Capitol appearance, Tolbert signed the proclamation declaring October 12 “Let Students Lead Day.”
Tolbert's day also included attending events celebrating Colorado's upcoming 150th anniversary of statehood in Denver's Auraria neighborhood, the governor's office said. Polis said Tolbert's questions kept his team on their toes during the day's meetings.
Colorado Public Radio also covered Tolbert's story.
