MONTPELIER – “All roads lead to the Northeast Kingdom.” Senator Peter Welch shared as community leaders from across Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom gathered at the Statehouse on Thursday, Jan. 22, for NEK Day, a day of collective advocacy focused on the unique needs and strengths of the region.
Nearly 100 Northeast Kingdom community members, from Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans Counties, participated. Meeting with legislators, providing testimony, and joining in the NEK Day Press Conference with Abby Long, of the NEK Collaborative, introducing Senator Peter Welch, State Treasurer Mike Pieciak, Representative Mike Marcotte, Representative Leanne Harple, and Lieutenant Governor John Rodgers.
“There’s no place better than the Northeast Kingdom to showcase the strength and opportunities in rural life. Folks in rural Vermont just know how to figure it out. The role we have in government is not about handouts, it’s about creating a level playing field for rural communities. That means affordable and accessible health care. That means state-of-the-art broadband. That means opportunities for small businesses and farms to grow and thrive. What’s happening in the NEK is really special, and the federal government’s absolute responsibility is to make sure the infrastructure to succeed is strong in rural America,” said Senator Welch.
Long shared the beauty and strengths of the region are due in part because of the Kingdom’s rural nature. Yet it is recognized that rural character layers unique economic and social challenges. The region is geographically isolated, experiencing consistent population decline, and deep poverty. The NEK has been deemed a federally recognized REAP Zone, Rural Economic Area Partnership Program, one of only five in the nation. This allows for additional and priority funding dedicated to the region and the NEK Collaborative houses this agreement with USDA Rural Development.
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“It is the Collaborative’s role to consistently keep our pulse on the region’s needs. To share with USDA, but also policy and decision makers on all levels, what our Kingdom needs to thrive.” said Ms Long. “It was clear from the region’s annual NEK Together convening this past November 2025, that housing, healthcare, affordability, flood & climate resilience all layered with the concern over the shift in sustainable funding are our highest priorities.”
NEK Representative Mike Marcottee, shared “When we look at our workforce needs, we need high quality affordable housing, healthcare, childcare, and education in order to keep Vermonters here and to entice new, younger people to come to Vermont.”
State Treasurer Mike Pieciak spoke about his recent NEK Baby Bonds pilot program, a creative solution to the wealth inequality in the region. “The Northeast Kingdom has a number of advantages, its natural beauty, easy access to outdoor recreation, and its deep sense of community, but Vermonters also have to be able to afford to live there,” said Treasurer Mike Pieciak. “The lack of affordability impacts the entire state, but it is felt deeply in rural communities. It’s why investments in housing, healthcare, transportation, and job creation are so critical to rural Vermont to ensure no Vermont community has left behind.”
The region also understands education reform is up for discussion this session in Vermont’s statehouse, therefore they will use their collective voice in support of strong, equitable rural education that sustains NEK communities and future.
NEK Representative Leanne Harple, who serves on the House Education Committee and is an NEK educator herself received the greatest applause, saying passionately, “We know what our small schools contribute. They anchor communities. They pass down skills, values, and responsibility. They shape the character of the places we love. And yes, sometimes they need support. Sometimes they need to adapt. But we never start from the assumption that smallness itself is the problem. We can’t legislate away geography. We can’t consolidate away rural life. And we can’t remap Vermont into being something it’s not. In the Northeast Kingdom, our schools are smaller because our communities are smaller. That’s not a flaw—it’s a feature of a very special place defined by distance, independence, and strong local ties. Our schools know their students. They know their families. And they are often the heart of the town. Strong rural schools are essential to strong rural communities. And if we want the Northeast Kingdom to have a future—if we want families to move in, stay, and put down roots—we must maintain and protect strong schools in those communities.”
Highlights of the day also included multiple Northeast Kingdom leaders testifying in the House Committees on Commerce & Economic Development, Human Services, General & Housing, Government Operations, and Education, where witnesses shared powerful accounts of their lived experiences tied to the region’s priorities.
Lieutenant Governor John Rodgers, a resident of the Northeast Kingdom, welcomed his fellow NEK neighbors to a personal meet & greet. “As someone with Kingdom roots five generations deep, I know firsthand the grit and heart that define our communities. Our rural heritage may present challenges, yes, but it also fosters collaboration, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to one another. NEK Day is about showing up together and celebrating the power that comes from who we are. I know that’s why you’re here and is definitely why I’m here. Thank you for being you.” said Lieutenant Governor John Rodgers.
