It seems that every month or so, I am given another reason or two to be proud of this glorious state. The most recent thing I have learned was that vulcanized rubber was the accidental creation of Charles Goodyear, who was born in New Haven and eventually set up a factory in Naugatuck. The Goodyear tire company was named in his honor, even though that company was founded in Ohio, nearly 40 years after Mr. Goodyear's death in 1860.

Furthermore, I have found that Albert Einstein resided in Old Lyme during the summer of 1935, a couple of years after he had fled Nazi Germany. During that summer, it is said that Einstein enjoyed sailing on the Connecticut coast.

This state's amazing history cannot be overlooked, and with entities like Callaway Cars, Electric Boat, Pratt & Whitney, and others like the Goodspeed Opera House being around, that history continues to be written every day. As such, I am very proud to be living in Connecticut.

Max Ian Engel

East Lyme