ST. PAUL – December 4 is the application deadline for high school juniors interested in gaining hands-on experience with Minnesota’s state government by serving as a legislative page at the Capitol in St. Paul.
The House of Representatives page program has been in place for more than 40 years and is one of only a select few programs in the nation to provide young people with such an in-depth look into state government. High school pages attend meetings with legislators, assist members during the session, participate in mock committee sessions and more. There are seven four-day sessions available in 2016, stretching from mid-March until mid-May.
“I encourage local juniors to take advantage of this rare opportunity to get an up-close look at how our state government functions," said Rep. Jeff Howe, R-Rockville. "Students who come through this program gain new perspectives from this experience and bring their understanding of the Legislature to a whole new level. It is always good to see students from our area serve as pages and I hope to see more at the Capitol during the upcoming session."
Program participants are selected in the fall of each year based on a formal process, which includes an application, faculty recommendation and an essay. Stipends are available to defray expenses. More information is available by logging on to www.house.mn and clicking the “High School Page Program” link near the bottom of the site, or by calling (651) 296-7452. Local schools also can provide further guidance.
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