SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Students across the Commonwealth are being called on by Governor Maura Healey to participate in a portrait essay contest to help pick a former Massachusetts Governor portrait to hang in her office.

Students are asked to research and suggest a former Governor that inspires them and should be featured in the Governor or Lt. Governor’s office. The contest is open to all Massachusetts students and essays should be 600 words or less answering the following question: “Which former Massachusetts governor inspires you the most, and why should their portrait hang in the Governor or Lieutenant Governor’s office?”

Essays can be submitted on the Mass.gov website and are due by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, February 10.

The winners will be invited to the State House to meet Governor Healey and Lt. Governor Driscoll for the unveiling of the chosen portraits.

“The State House is the people’s house, and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and I want our future leaders to have a voice in the symbols and messages we choose to highlight,” said Governor Healey. “This is an exciting opportunity for Massachusetts students to learn more about our state’s history and determine for themselves what makes a great leader. We can’t wait to review the submissions.”

“Governor Healey and I will be looking at these portraits every day while we are making important decisions that impact the lives of all Massachusetts residents,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “Each time we see the portraits, we’ll be reminded of the lessons we learned from these student essays. We hope that all students will participate in this unique opportunity to shape our state’s future.”

Healey is the 73rd Governor of the Commonwealth. Former Governors include:

  1. John Hancock
    • Thomas Cushing: Acting Governor for remainder of Hancock’s term
  2. James Bowdoin
  3. John Hancock
  4. Samuel Adams
  5. Increase Sumner
    • Moses Gill: Acting Governor for remainder of Sumner’s term
  6. Caleb Strong
  7. James Sullivan
    • Levi Lincoln Sr.: Acting Governor for remainder of Sullivan’s term
  8. Christopher Gore
  9. Elbridge Gerry
  10. Caleb Strong
  11. John Brooks
  12. William Eustis
    • Marcus Morton: Acting Governor for remainder of Eustis’ term
  13. Levi Lincoln Jr.
  14. John Davis
    • Samuel Turell Armstrong: Acting Governor for remainder of Davis’ term
  15. Edward Everett
  16. Marcus Morton
  17. John Davis
  18. Marcus Morton
  19. George N. Briggs
  20. George S. Boutwell
  21. John H. Clifford
  22. Emory Washburn
  23. Henry Gardner
  24. Nathaniel Prentice Banks
  25. John Albion Andrew
  26. Alexander H. Bullock
  27. Williams Claflin
  28. William B. Washburn
    • Thomas Talbot: Acting Governor for remainder of Washburn’s term
  29. William Gaston
  30. Alexander H. Rice
  31. Thomas Talbot
  32. John Davis Long
  33. Benjamin F. Butler
  34. George D. Robinson
  35. Oliver Ames
  36. John Q. A. Bracklett
  37. William E. Russell
  38. Frederic T. Greenhalge
  39. Roger Wolcott
  40. Winthrop Murray Crane
  41. John L. Bates
  42. William L. Douglas
  43. Curtis Guild Jr.
  44. Eben Sumner Draper
  45. Eugene Noble Foss
  46. David I. Walsh
  47. Samuel W. McCall
  48. Calvin Coolidge
  49. Channing H. Cox
  50. Alvan T. Fuller
  51. Frank G. Allen
  52. Joseph B. Ely
  53. James Michael Curley
  54. Charles F. Hurley
  55. Leverett Saltonstall
  56. Maurice J. Tobin
  57. Robert F. Bradford
  58. Paul A. Dever
  59. Christian A. Herter
  60. Foster Furcolo
  61. John Volpe
  62. Endicott Peabody
  63. John Volpe
  64. Francis Sargent
  65. Michael Dukakis
  66. Edward J. King
  67. Michael Dukakis
  68. Bill Weld
  69. Paul Cellucci
    • Jane Swift, acting Governor for remainder of Cellucci’s term
  70. Mitt Romney
  71. Deval Patrick
  72. Charlie Baker