In every legislative session, lawmakers can sponsor students to serve for one week — five business days — as legislative pages. During those five days, the students are immersed in the Legislature while assisting senators and staff.
I mention this because now is the ideal time to apply to be a page during the 2019 legislative session. And it’s an experience I strongly recommend. The pages’ varied responsibilities take them all around the Capitol Campus and give them access to places not normally seen by the general public. Invariably, they come away with an appreciation for the program and for the knowledge they gain.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a student who didn’t enjoy their week as a page. Even those who arrive in Olympia feeling shy or nervous typically discover within the first few hours that their shared experience with their peers is as enjoyable as it is enlightening. In addition to interacting with lawmakers and staff, the pages hear lectures from guest speakers and attend page school, where they introduce and debate their own bills in a mock committee setting.
Meeting and working with student pages is one of the most rewarding aspects of my job as a legislator. I am grateful to each of the fine young people who paged during the 2018 legislative session and I encourage anyone to make the most of this unique opportunity for students between ages 14 and 16.
To learn more about the page program or how your child can serve as a page in a future session, please go to http://leg.wa.gov/Senate/Administration/PageProgram/Pages/default.aspx.
