Dec. 1, 2008

Representatives Bailey and Smith
seek students to page at state Capitol
Legislative session begins Jan. 12, runs 105 days

Reps. Barbara Bailey and Norma Smith are seeking students between the ages of 14 and 16 to page at the state Capitol in Olympia. The 10^th District lawmakers are now accepting applications and encouraging students to apply.

“For more than a century, young men and women from across our state have come to Olympia to serve as pages in the Washington State Legislature. It’s truly a fun and educational experience, and I encourage students and their parents to learn more about the opportunity,” said Bailey, R-Oak Harbor. “As good as our schools and their civic lessons are, they just can’t replicate the rewards of being directly involved with a legislative session. Any past page can tell you how much they learned and how much fun they had. It’s a unique experience.”

“After such a great showing of young Americans at the polls on November fourth, I think the experience of paging in our statehouse would encourage even more young men and women to participate in the process,” said Smith, R-Clinton. “I hope parents and teachers will offer this opportunity to students around the Tenth District as part of their civics education. Participating in our democracy at every level is one of the best ways to understand how our form of government works and how we can make a difference.”

Page duties can vary, but primarily include attending page school, distributing written messages during committee and floor action, and assisting with the daily functions of the Legislature. Pages also continue their regular school work during their time in Olympia. 

To serve as a page, a student must: 

·         - Have permission from a parent or guardian;

·         - Have permission from school;  

·         - Be sponsored by a member of the Washington State House of Representatives;  and

·         - Be at least 14 years of age and have not reached his or her 17th birthday.  

Pages work for one week and are paid $35 per day. They are also responsible for their own housing and transportation arrangements, with many opting to live with host families in the Olympia area. If a student is accepted for the program, the Washington State House of Representatives will provide a list of available private housing.

Interested students and families can contact Bailey directly at (360) 786-7914 or bailey.barbara@leg.wa.gov, and Smith at (360) 786-7884 or smith.norma@leg.wa.gov.

More information, including a page application, can be found at: http://www.leg.wa.gov/House/Pages/HousePageProgram.aspx

The 2009 legislative session begins Jan. 12 and is scheduled to run 105 days.

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For more information, contact: Bobbi Cussins, Public Information Officer: (360) 786-7252