Sophia Kershaw and Paige Fisher, both 15 years old and ninth graders at Mercer Island High School, served as pages in the Washington State Senate during the week of Feb. 27, the eighth week of the 2017 Legislative Session. They were sponsored by Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island).

During their week at the Capitol, pages learn about the legislative process while assisting senators and staff. They hear lectures from guest speakers and attend page school where they create their own bills in a mock committee setting. Kershaw and Fisher proposed legislation that would implement a deposit system for plastic bottles.

“I enjoyed mock and writing my own bill,” Kershaw said. “It helped me understand the legislative process.”

“It’s a great experience,” Fisher said. “I know what a bill looks like now and how to present it to a committee.”

Pages have many responsibilities during the week that take them all around the Capitol campus and give them access to places restricted to the general public. Their short journeys give the pages the opportunity to meet and speak with many people.

Both said they would encourage their peers to take advantage of this opportunity while they still can, and apply early to make sure they can reserve a spot.

Fisher said that seeing the process up close was a “cool experience,” while Kershaw noted that “it is important to know how the Legislature works.”

For more information about the Senate Page Program, contact SenatePageProgram@leg.wa.gov.

Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island) with MIHS student and Senate page Sophia Kershaw.

Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island) with MIHS student and Senate page Paige Fisher.