Governor Visits OC Elementary

Governor Visits OC Elementary
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OCEAN CITY – A friendly invitation from a third grade student prompted Maryland Governor Larry Hogan to stop and chat with students and teachers at Ocean City Elementary School on Friday morning.

In the midst of his short tour of the lower Eastern Shore, with Friday stops at Assateague Island, Berlin, Snow Hill and Pocomoke planned, Hogan said he visited OCES because of a letter penned by third grader Savannah Palmisano back in November.

“Savannah invited me to come to visit your school during American Education week, but I wasn’t able to come then,” said Hogan as he posed with Palmisano for a photo op, “but I wanted to come and visit you and your school today.”

Hogan, who traded jabs with Democrats at times during the recently concluded legislative session in Annapolis, took a much friendlier line of questioning from third grade students at OCES.

“Are you like the mini-President of Maryland?’ one student queried.

“Well, I guess I am in a way,” said the governor. “I kind of like how you put that.”

Hogan also snapped photos with a student named Lucas Magathan who had battled leukemia.  The governor spoke of Lucas’ courage and resolve and said he could relate to the young boy’s battle referencing his own public battle with lymphoma just months after winning the election to be Maryland’s governor.

Gov. Larry Hogan and wife Yumi are pictured with Lucas Magathan, who recently battled leukemia.

Gov. Larry Hogan and wife Yumi are pictured with Lucas Magathan, who recently battled leukemia.

Hogan was also presented with a hand-drawn framed picture, created by OCES students to commemorate his visit to the school.

“What a great picture,” Hogan said. “I’m going to put that in my office in Annapolis to help me remember my trip to your great school.”

About The Author: Bryan Russo

Bryan Russo returned to The Dispatch in 2015 to serve as News Editor after working as a staff writer from 2007-2010 covering the Ocean City news beat. In between, Russo worked as the Coastal Reporter for NPR-member station WAMU 88.5FM in Washington DC and WRAU 88.3 FM on the Delmarva Peninsula. He was the host of a weekly multi-award winning public affairs show “Coastal Connection.” During his five years in public radio, Russo’s work won 19 Associated Press Awards and 2 Edward R. Murrow Awards and was heard on various national programs like NPR’s All Things Considered, Morning Edition, APM’s Marketplace and the BBC. Russo also worked for the Associated Press (Philadelphia Bureau) covering the NHL and the NBA and is a critically acclaimed singer/songwriter and composer.