Kid Governor cabinet challenges Vt. kids to go ‘Screen-Free’ May 18-25
May 18, 2026 | By Lisa Scagliotti
Kid Governor cabinet member Rumano Hassan from Burlington. Courtesy photo
An idea from a cabinet member of Vermont’s Kid Governor has led to a special challenge for Vermont youngsters this week: going “Screen-Free” from Monday, May 18, through Monday, May 25.
The Vermont Secretary of State’s office is helping to promote the project, as it has launched and overseen the Kid Governor program over the past year.
Vermont’s first Kid Governor is Roslyn Fortin of Highgate, who ran on a platform addressing homelessness. The six finalists – who became the Kid Governor’s cabinet members – ran on issues including youth mental health, healthcare accessibility, school lunch improvements, and bullying prevention.
The seven fifth graders together have been working on ways to draw attention to each of their top issues. This week, they are promoting the Vermont Kid Governor Screen-Free Challenge, led by cabinet member Rumano Hassan of Burlington.
“For one week, Rumano and the Kid Governor cabinet are encouraging kids across our state to explore some fun, rewarding alternatives to screen-based entertainment,” explained Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas in announcing the challenge. “Honestly, I’m personally inspired by this challenge, not to mention proud of how these driven young Vermonters are changing the world around them for the better.”
A bingo card offers kids ideas for screen-free activities.
In participating in the Kid Governor program, Rumano’s platform, focusing on youth mental health, was titled Vermont Strong: Inside and Out.
“Did you know kids ages 8 to 12 spend about 5 1/2 hours a day on screens for entertainment? That can take time away from things kids need to feel healthy and happy, like playing outside, moving their bodies, resting, being creative, and spending time with family and friends,” Rumano explained. “Screen-free time is one way to practice taking care of ourselves. When we put screens down, we make more space to notice how we feel, connect with the world around us, and choose activities that help us feel calm, creative, and strong.”
The challenge invites youth to “stop and think before turning to the television or tablet and give another activity a try instead.”
The Kid Governor cabinet recommends "The Amazing Generation" for ideas for kids to reduce screen time. Book cover art by Cynthia Yuan Cheng
Rumano and the cabinet members have created a bingo card filled with activities that are alternatives to screens, such as “take a walk outside,” “cook a new recipe,” and “write a card to someone.” They also have created a photo contest with several categories.
Participants in the challenge can enter by documenting their activities with their marked bingo cards, photos, videos and even email messages. Entries need to be sent in by May 31 and Kid Governor cabinet members will choose winners and compile the results.
Along the way, the cabinet shares a reading recommendation for ideas on going screen-free: the book, “The Amazing Generation: Your Guide to Fun and Freedom in a Screen-Filled World,” by Jonathan Haidt and Catherine Price.
They also remind Vermont kids that libraries are great places to check out not just books, but many other interesting things that can lead to fun activities such as binoculars, board games, puzzles and even hula hoops. For example, the Waterbury Public Library has a telescope to check out, as well as puzzles and kids’ gardening tools.
Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas and Kid Governor Roslyn Fortin at the State House ceremony in January. Courtesy photo
The challenge acknowledges that it may not be possible to be completely screen-free for a week (particularly since the challenge requires some screen use to enter). “The challenge is not about giving up screens perfectly. It is about trying something different and seeing how it makes you feel,” Rumano explains in introducing the effort. “Together, we can unplug, reconnect, and help create a healthier, happier Vermont!”
Find more information and entry instructions online for the Screen-Free Challenge at vt.kidgovernor.org/rumanos-screen-free-challenge.
Vermont’s Kid Governor program is in its first year. Fifth-grade classes from 47 schools around the state voluntarily joined in 2025, fielding candidates that were narrowed down to seven finalists. More than 1,000 students cast ballots in the election last fall. The exercise teaches about state government, voting, and civic participation. Kid Governor Roslyn Fortin and her cabinet were sworn into office in a ceremony at the Vermont State House in January.
Founded by the Connecticut Democracy Center in 2015, the program is active in multiple states, including Nebraska, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma.
More online at VT.KidGovernor.org.