BOSTON — Students from Saugus and Lynnfield were among those selected as winners of Gov. Maura Healey’s and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll’s portrait essay contest this week.
Jake Stuppia, a fourth grade student at the Belmonte STEAM Academy in Saugus, and Katie McGuinness, an eighth grader at Lynnfield Middle School, were chosen as winners after submitting essays urging Healey to hang a portrait of former Gov. Jane Swift in her office at the State House. The state’s current governor hanging a portrait of a former governor in their office is a long-standing tradition, and Healey sought input from students before making a decision.
While Healey ultimately opted to hang a blank frame in her office based on essays submitted by three students, Driscoll selected Swift, a former lieutenant governor who became the first woman to serve as the state’s governor when Paul Cellucci was selected as the United States Ambassador to Canada. Swift was “instrumental in cementing Massachusetts’ role as the nationwide leader in education,” according to a statement from Healey’s office.
“Governor Healey and I have long been inspired by Governor Swift, and it was heartwarming to see so many students feel the same,” said Driscoll in a statement. “She helped pave the way for us to serve as the first all-women team in Massachusetts history, and she inspired a lasting legacy of educational excellence in our state. I’m honored to hang her portrait in my office.”
Healey, the first woman and first gay person to be elected governor, said she ultimately chose the blank frame to inspire young people to see themselves in it.
“This frame serves as a reminder of those who aren’t always reflected or heard in the halls of power,” she said in a statement.
In addition to Stuppia and McGuinness, the students who wrote about Swift were: Lu-Anna Njinyah, Layla Keefe, Vane Jacobs, Leela Choudhury, Joseph Pisani, Marissa Matthews, Breonna Mody, Emily Jamieson, Bethany Luhrs, Ace Madrigale, and Heba Belyazid.
Secretary of Education Dr. Patrick Tutwiler, the former superintendent of Lynn Public Schools, thanked the students who participated and praised their “thoughtful submissions.”
“It was certainly a hard decision to make, but we learned a lot from reading each one – and we know the students did too,” said Tutwiler. “We’re grateful to all of the educators, administrators, and family members who supported the students in submitting their essays and helped us get the word out about the contest.”
Stuppia, a student in Brigitte Vaudo’s fourth grade class, was one of eight Saugus students to participate in the contest. In an interview earlier this month, Stuppia said he selected Swift because of her efforts on education, which he said “helped children like me attending public schools receive more money.”
Vaudo had her students participate in the contest because she wanted to both aid students’ writing skills and further their interest in government, which she said was sparked by the Edward M. Kennedy Institute’s future senator program.
