House Page Program now accepting pages for 2014 session
I hope that everyone had a very happy, healthy and safe Christmas season this year. The excitement of session is nearly upon us, and I am very eager to get back to the Statehouse and fight for our community. As I update you on the happenings of the legislative session, I want to let you know that there are great opportunities here at the Statehouse for students to have an immersive learning experience. The House Page Program is a great way for teenagers to learn the ins and outs of our state government while having the opportunity to meet and mingle various elected officials. While paging, students get the chance to take tours of the Statehouse, the governor’s office, the Indiana House of Representatives, the Indiana Senate and the Indiana Supreme Court. Pages also get to watch floor sessions, get a glimpse of committee hearings and even help out the Statehouse staffers. This is such a rewarding experience. Many students have already learned about state government in their civics class, but this gives them a first-hand look at the democratic process. I think a chance like this will inspire students to think about how we can make our communities better and encourage them to get involved. Students between the ages of 13 and 18 are eligible to page and while students are given an excused absence from school, they are responsible for their own transportation to and from the Statehouse. I would encourage any interested students to schedule their visit to the Statehouse as soon as they can because spots tend to fill up fast. Students are asked to choose two dates for when they can come to the Statehouse between the second week of January through March just in case their first choice date is full. I want them to have the most fulfilling visit, and it is my recommendation that Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays are the best days to page since those are the days we are in session. There are no pages on Fridays because we typically head home for the weekend to host town halls or return to our full-time jobs. If interested, please do not hesitate to call the Page office at 1-800-382-9841 or sign up online at www.in.gov/legislative/House_republicans/off_cms/page. Also, if you have any questions about the legislative process, always feel free to call my office or send me an email at h74@iga.in.gov. |
