Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Do you know any 14-16 year olds interested in politics who are looking for a paid, hands-on experience in state government? The Legislature’s Page Program is accepting applications for 2025. Sponsorship slots fill up quickly, so I encourage you to apply at as soon as possible!

To apply, you must attend school or be homeschooled in Washington state. Students not being homeschooled must include a letter of recommendation from their principal and one teacher with their application. To be a page, you also must be sponsored by a representative or senator. Legislators have a limited number of sponsorship slots, so please reach out to your desired lawmaker’s office directly to request and confirm sponsorship.

Pages spend one week in Olympia, serving in either the House or Senate. Throughout that week you’ll:

  • Attend Page School.
  • Assist offices and lawmakers.
  • Deliver messages and materials to the chamber floor.
  • Attend talks by prominent guest speakers, such as supreme court justices, party leadership, and agency directors.
  • Participate in a mock committee debate.
  • … and more!

The position is paid; pages earn a stipend of $65 per day and potentially up to 20 hours of community service.

Scholarships are available for students currently receiving free or reduced lunch. You can apply for the scholarship here. Scholarship applications will be considered up to one month before you are scheduled to page, and all information is kept strictly confidential.

Serving as a page is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about state government and earn valuable political experience. Now, more than ever, we need young, driven people to get involved. If you have any questions or would like to request sponsorship, please reach out to me at Sharon.Shewmake@leg.wa.gov.

Quick Updates!

The 2025 legislative session is coming up, and I’m honored to announce I will serve as chair of the Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee. I am excited to help guide the committee’s work to support farmers and our thriving agriculture sector, manage over two million acres of publicly owned lands, oversee water rights, conserve fish and wildlife, and provide outdoor recreation opportunities for millions of people.

Washington’s robust economy is built on our wealth of natural resources. Our water sustains a multibillion-dollar agriculture industry and one of the nation’s largest commercial fishing economies. We generate one-third of the nation’s hydroelectric power. Thanks to our forests, we are the country’s second-largest exporter of lumber. Outdoor recreation alone contributes $20 billion to our economy and employs nearly 200,000 Washingtonians.

Climate change threatens to undermine this prosperity. We don’t have to choose between a healthy planet and a strong economy — we can, and must, have both. As chair of the Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee and a member of the Transportation and Environment, Energy & Technology committees, I will work to pass policies that prioritize a vibrant rural economy, safer transportation system, sustainability, restoration, and preservation. With smart, innovative policy, we can safeguard our natural resources and the critical industries that rely on them for generations to come.

Keep in Touch!

There’s a lot of work to do, and I look forward to collaborating with you as we work to move Washington forward. You can reach me any time at Sharon.Shewmake@leg.wa.gov — your input is always valuable.

Sincerely,