Local students join Hamilton County legislators at the Statehouse

Posted by: Katlyn T Milligan | Friday, April 8, 2022 8:35 am

STATEHOUSE (April 8, 2022) – Local students recently joined Hamilton County legislators at the Statehouse where they participated in the Indiana House Page Program.

According to State Rep. Chuck Goodrich (R-Noblesville), the students toured offices of all branches of government in the Statehouse, helped staff with daily responsibilities and joined lawmakers on the House floor to witness the legislative process. The page program operates during the legislative session, which wrapped up on March 9.

"Visiting the Statehouse is a great opportunity to build on what students are learning in the classroom," Goodrich said. "From listening to debates and meeting local legislators, pages get an up-close look at their government."

"It's always a privilege to meet and talk with student pages during session," said House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers). "Civic engagement is critically important, and I hope to see more young Hoosiers take advantage of this opportunity next year."

These area students served as pages during the 2022 legislative session:

Taylor Bowman, from Fishers, attends Holy Cross;
Ben Boyce, from Carmel, attends Carmel High School;
Faith Helton, from Fishers, attends The Classical Academy;
Josiah Helton, from Fishers, attends The Classical Academy;
Jackson Hite, from Noblesville, attends Noblesville High School;
Luke Jarymowycz, from Fishers, attends Riverside Junior High School;
Chloe Jones, from Atlanta, attends Hamilton Heights High School;
Colin Kircher, from Westfield, attends Westfield Middle School;
Parker Paramoure, from Westfield, attends Westfield Middle School;
Nicholas Rivotto, from Fishers, attends Mission Christian Academy;
Alex Stempkowski, from Fishers, attends The Classical Academy;
Ella Podany, from Carmel, attends Carmel High School;
Olivia Podany, from Carmel, attends Clay Middle School; and
Ryan Podany, from Carmel, attends Prairie Trace Elementary

"It's uplifting to meet such bright and enthusiastic young people who are future leaders," said State Rep. Chris Jeter (R-Fishers). "They truly are an impressive bunch."

State Rep. Jerry Torr (R-Carmel) said students between the ages of 13 and 18 should consider participating during the 2023 session.

"Spending a day the State Capitol offers students a chance to deepen their understanding of the legislature and learn how laws are created from start to finish," Torr said. "Hamilton County is certainly home to many bright and talented students, and I hope they enjoyed their visit to the Statehouse."

As a former educator, State Rep. Tony Cook (R-Cicero), said the Indiana House Page Program is an immersive learning opportunity.

"Civic responsibility is so important, and paging is a great opportunity to develop a passion for service," Cook said. "Many students return year after year, and then intern with the House of Representatives while in college. Hopefully these students learned a lot and visit again."

For more information about paging during the 2023 session, call 1-800-382-9841 or visit IndianaHouseRepublicans.com.

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State Rep. Tony Cook (R-Cicero) represents House District 32,

which includes all of Tipton County and portions of Hamilton, Madison, Delaware, Howard and Grant counties.