Nicole Klarides-Ditria

State Representatives Nicole Klarides-Ditria and Lezlye Zupkus presented official state citations to Long River Middle School students Elliana Anderson and Arianna Mestuzzi for their winning essays on the Women’s History Month topic: “Important Women in Connecticut’s History and How Their Contributions to the State and Nation Impact Me.”

Each year, in honor of Women’s History Month, the veteran lawmakers ask school children in their districts to contribute to the voluntary essay contest.  This year at Long River, Anderson and Mestruzzi’s essays were selected from more nearly 40 entries!

Elliana wrote about Connecticut’s first female Governor Ella Grasso, noting that “Ella Grasso paved the way for women in politics, setting a great example of what women can do. She inspires me because she showed that women can do anything, even in politics terms, just as well, if not better, than men.”

Arianna chose to profile Connecticut’s first female Commissioner of Labor, Betty Tianti, writing, “Betty inspires me because she rose up to make sure others were treated fairly, and to help others.”