ST. PAUL – Rep. Dale Lueck, R-Aitkin, encourages high school juniors to seize a rare opportunity to spend a week working behind the scenes at the Capitol as a House page.
Applications to the high school page program are now open for the 2020 session, with a Nov. 21 deadline.
High school pages attend meetings with legislators, constitutional officers, members of the judiciary and others. Pages also assist members and staff during House floor sessions, participate in mock committee hearings and more.
A dozen, week-long slots are available from mid-February until mid-May and stipends are available to defray expenses.
“There’s no better way for students to learn about how our state government functions than active participation and this page program provides about the best hands-on experience you can find,” Lueck said. “This is a rare opportunity to actually spend time on the House floor and in meetings working alongside government officials. It’s a win-win scenario, where we truly appreciate the work students perform and the students themselves come away with new insights into how things work at the Capitol.”
The House of Representatives page program has been in place for more than 40 years and Minnesota is one of only a select few states in the nation to offer this program, providing young people with such an in-depth look into state government.
Program participants are selected through a formal process which includes an application, faculty recommendation and an essay.
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 assistance.
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