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An elementary school in Simi Valley had an excellent reason to welcome California's Chief Justice

Madera Elementary School received the highest honor in California's Civics Learning Award program and a visit from California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, on Monday
Caroline Feraday
/
KCLU
Madera Elementary School received the highest honor in California's Civics Learning Award program and a visit from California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, on Monday.

They might not yet be old enough to vote, but a Ventura County elementary school has been given the highest honor in the State for its Civics Learning program.

These elementary school students at Madera Elementary school are too young to vote - but not too young to understand the process, said California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero during a visit to the school on Monday.

"One of my priorities and one of the biggest joys is actually part of the power of democracy. My favorite is elementary schools, just seeing what they're doing, encouraging their commitment to civic engagement and being engaged in their communities," she said.

This is the only elementary school in the State to receive the Civics Learning Awards of Excellence – the highest honor in the Civics program.

Guerrero – who paid a special visit to the students for the award ceremony - says they’re never too young to learn to be engaged citizens and says the visit is an opportunity to inspire the next generation.

"They can see I was just like them in public schools, too. And regardless of whether they have dreams of being a judge, lawyer, scientist, you know, whatever it is, they can see it and they can become it too," she said.

Caroline joined KCLU in October 2020. She won LA Press Club's Audio Journalist of the Year Award in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Since joining the station she's won 10 Golden Mike Awards, 6 Los Angeles Press Club Awards, 2 National Arts & Entertainment Awards and a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Writing.

She started her broadcasting career in the UK, in both radio and television for BBC News, 95.8 Capital FM and Sky News and was awarded the Prince Philip Medal for her services to radio and journalism in 2007.

She has lived in California for eleven years and is both an American and British citizen - and a very proud mom to her daughter, Elsie.