Sedro-Woolley student spends week in Olympia learning about Legislature
Logan Johnson, a student from Cascade Middle School, traveled to Olympia February 28 to serve as a page in the state House of Representatives. He was sponsored by his 39th district Rep. Elizabeth Scott.
As part of his page duties, Logan learned to traverse the many buildings on the Capitol campus while delivering messages and documents to legislators and staff. He assisted representatives on the House floor during voting, and participated in opening ceremonies at the start of each day of session.
During his week in Olympia Logan attended page school every day to understand the operations and actions of the Legislature, often directly from elected officials. As a culminating project, he applied his new knowledge and experiences to co-write a piece of legislation. Focusing on reducing accidental gun injuries by requiring those seeking to purchase a firearm to undergo a firearm safety course, Logan and his group presented their bill to fellow pages in a mock committee hearing.
Each year, students from around the state apply to participate in the legislative page program. Students spend a week attending page school, learning the inner workings of state government and assisting legislators on the House floor. Pages earn $35 per day while serving in the program.
To become a page, applicants must have a legislative sponsor, be between the ages of 14 and 16, and obtain written permission from their parents and school. For more information about the House page program, visit: http://www.leg.wa.gov/House/Pages/HousePageProgram.aspx.
