On May 28th, Coginchaug’s Class of 2021 had a visit from Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-3), the Representative for the Durham and Middlefield areas. In normal years, Representative DeLauro has visited with the Senior class during their trip to Washington, D.C., on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. However, due to the pandemic, there was no senior trip this year, and the seniors could not have the opportunity to meet with the Representative. Thanks to planning from the office of the Representative, as well as Coginchaug math teacher Craig Bradanini, who in normal years organizes the senior trip to Washington,  Representative DeLauro was able to speak with the Coginchaug senior class inside the auditorium. 

DeLauro entered to applause, and began by discussing her upbringing in New Haven as a child of Italian immigrants who were deeply involved in political life. She then explained her role as a Congresswoman, including the details of her role in the legislative process and as the chair of the House Appropriations committee, the committee which is in charge of setting federal funding for executive departments and programs. She encouraged people to contact her office to make sure she knows the overall opinion of the district before she votes. She then entered a period of student led questions. One of the questions was a retelling of her experience during the riots at the Capitol Building on January 6th , where she detailed her experience crawling over and under hand railings in the House gallery as well as lying on the gallery floor for twenty minutes before being escorted to safety. 

Overall, this experience was one which everyone, including Representative DeLauro, will remember. Hopefully, the next time DeLauro will be visiting Coginchaug students will be back on the steps of the Capitol building with the Class of 2022. 

Photos by Alex Nick