Steilacoom teen serves as page in state House of Representatives
Wyatt Whelan, a student at Pioneer Middle School in Steilacoom, traveled to Olympia to serve as a page in the state House of Representatives. Rep. Morgan Irwin was his legislative sponsor.
“It was a great pleasure sponsoring Wyatt,” said Irwin, R-Enumclaw. “He's a great kid. I hope he enjoyed his week at the Capitol making new friends, learning the ropes of his state government, and being a great addition to the House.”
As a page, Wyatt learned to navigate the many buildings around the Capitol campus, delivered messages and documents to legislators and staff, and assisted on the House floor. He attended page school each day to learn and understand the operations of the Legislature. By week's end, Wyatt had the opportunity to put his knowledge to the test and present a bill to his fellow pages in a mock hearing.
“Washington state is one of the few legislative bodies that still offers a page program,” continued Irwin. “Civic education is an important part of our state's curriculum. The best way to see how our government works is to get hands-on experience. Wyatt had the opportunity to learn by serving. I hope he takes what he learned and applies it to his future.”
Each year, students from around the state apply to participate in the legislative page program. Students spent a week attending page school, learning the inner workings of state government and assisting legislators on the House floor. Pages earn $35 a 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, click here.
