The day at the State House started in the gift shop, where we met Virginia Drew, Director of the State House Visitor Center. She started the tour by sharing information on some of the memorabilia in the gift shop, such as the wall of primary candidates, state candidates’ buttons, and money from visitors from around the world.
Virginia has a wealth of knowledge about state history, U.S. history, stories about items around the State House, and so much more. We learned about everything from the Senator’s Room being built in 1819, to New Hampshire being the 1st state with all female leadership, to detailed information on all of the portraits hung in the hallways.
We had the privilege of entering and sitting in the Senator’s room and being joined by Senator Kevin Avard, who shared stories about running for Senate, constituents that he’s met, and when asked what his greatest priority is currently, shared that he is advocating for a pier at Hamstead beach. He shared that he believes that it would provide revenue for the local area as people would be drawn to the pier and that he believes it would allow individuals with mobility concerns to access the ocean breeze.
We also were able to meet Senator Cindy Rosenwald before moving into the Representative Hall, where we met House Representatives, Linda Ryan, Laura Telerski, Christal Lloyd, and Susan Elberger. They discussed which committees they sit on, how the process works to become a House Representative in New Hampshire and that they have to submit bills they support in the first 10 days after being sworn in. We learned about Organization Day in December, where the chairs are selected.
Governor Kelly Ayotte joined us briefly in the Representative Hall, speaking for a couple of minutes about her life leading up to being sworn in as Governor, just a few weeks prior. Secretary of State David Scanlan also joined us in the Representative Hall, speaking about how the Secretary of State is elected and how he got started in politics from a forestry degree. After the Representative Hall, we learned about the some of the flags displayed in the front hall. Some of the flags date back to the Battle of Gettysburg. While we learned about the flags, we ran into Miss New Hampshire, who was on a tour herself.
Afterwards, we had a nice lunch in the State House Café and walked out the front door of the State House to a large crowd of protesters. They were holding signs such as, “Vote for Law and Order”, “1 earth, 1 future, 1 hope”, and “Fire the Liar 2025”. They were also chanting, “Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, Fascist Trump has got to go!”.
Overall, the morning was an eye-opening experience involving New Hampshire politics, meeting important leaders, and gaining knowledge in the field of government. I greatly appreciated and was inspired by the whole day.
By Erin Copeland
Gateways Autism Center
Educate, Emphasize, Encourage
After the State House cafeteria graciously supplied lunch, we traveled back to Nashua for our afternoon session. We gathered at City Hall Auditorium to meet our three panelists: Mayor Jim Donchess, Peggy Gilmour, and Donnalee Lozeau.
Mayor Jim Donchess was the first to speak. He gave a brief overview of his responsibilities as Mayor, then opened the room up for discussion. The topic of affordable housing was mentioned – a hot topic among us as we’ve observed the immense spike in home and rental costs. Donchess informed the class that in 2024 the median cost of a home in Nashua was $500,000. The reason? Demand is high and supply is low. Donchess then went on to speak of several housing projects occurring in Nashua, and his biggest frustration regarding these projects. Contractors have received permits from the city to build but will wait several years to do so. Our class shared in his frustration, knowing of the great need for affordable housing in Nashua. The takeaway: We’re amid the waiting game. The solutions are there, but it’s a matter of certain parties acting and pending approvals from needed committees. The mayor finished up by discussing opportunities for Nashua residents to join various Advisory Committees. When Donchess asked who lived in Nashua, about a dozen or so hands went up. He encouraged our class to consider joining a committee, especially if there is a certain topic or issue, we’re passionate about. We learned the process to join is quite simple – just fill out a request form online!
Our next speaker was Peggy Gilmour, former State Senator, and current Lobbyist. She told us a bit of her background history and how she became involved in local government. She was a nurse by profession and worked in Boston, then relocated to England. While in England, she observed many different medical practices, specifically related to end-of-life care. When Peggy returned to the United States, she formed a volunteer run hospice in Nashua, which is now the well-known Home Health and Hospice Care. She noticed policy issues in the medical field and was ready to make a change. This motivated her to run for the State Senate in 2008. She was elected and served two terms, 2008-2010 and 2012-2014. She is now a Senior Policy Advisor for Preti Strategies, helping organizations on particular issues and advocating on their behalf. When describing the role of a Lobbyist, Peggy stated, “You help people see the importance of using their voice to make the change.” She didn’t hesitate to offer our class assistance and encouraged us to reach out if we needed an advocate.
Our final panelist was Donalee Lozeau. She served as Nashua’s Mayor from 2008-2016. Donalee was raised in Nashua, and while her parents were involved with Republican parties, she admitted to having no interest in politics. My ears perked up once the former mayor said these words. Personally, I’ve always struggled to gain a deep interest in politics. I asked Donalee what was the turning point that led her to seek a role in government. She shared that a friend of hers recommended she join the NH House of Representatives. At first, Donalee was opposed to the idea, commenting that she disliked politicians and they are all the same. Truthfully, I’ve shared this sentiment along with a few of my classmates. Her friend then responded by saying, “Change comes from the inside, not the outside.” Donalee joined the Judiciary Committee at the young age of 24. She authentically spoke about getting emotional during legislative meetings and calling out other legislators, stating “we’re missing the mark.” Donalee continuously emphasized the need for legislators to work together, noting that it’s not about “how you say it”, but “how you do it.” I applaud Donalee for her candidness. Hearing her speak was refreshing.
We concluded our day at the lovely JaJaBelle’s on Main Street where we enjoyed a delicious charcuterie spread and wine. Alyssa O’Mara, and her brother, Patrick, talked to us about their personal experiences with political campaigns, in particular, Presidential campaigns. Both had not anticipated being involved in campaigning but expressed they were glad they did so. Patrick told our class, “Educate yourself on what’s important to you.”
I would summarize our afternoon session in three words: educate, emphasize, and encourage. Going into this session, I felt intimidated. Here I was with a lack of knowledge, and quite honestly, a lack of interest in government and politics which our whole day revolved around. After listening to each speaker, I felt enlightened. I was under the impression that to be involved in legislation, you had to be a master of all things political, but that’s not the case. It’s really about identifying what is important to you and using your voice to speak to that cause. This doesn’t automatically mean running for office. It can be as simple (and effective) as reaching out to a lobbyist for advocacy, testifying on behalf of a bill, or joining an advisory committee. As someone once said, “change comes from the inside.” I can sit here and be frustrated by politics, or I can educate myself, speak to supporters, and encourage others to do the same. I think I prefer the latter.
Olivia Echteler
Humane Society for Greater Nashua
