SHS’s Turner serves as page with Washington State Senate

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, March 6, 2019

Sequim High School freshman Ellie Turner got an up-close look at legislative action in Olympia after serving as a page in the Washington State Senate during the week of Feb. 25.

Pages are sponsored by the senator from their legislative district, or by another senator in the Legislature. Sen. Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim, sponsored the week for the 14-year-old Turner.

“Having Ellie with us this week was extremely helpful,” Van De Wege said. “We really appreciated her help, and hope that she enjoyed her week with the Legislature, and learned plenty.”

The page program offers a hands-on opportunity for students to find out how state government works, program representatives said. The educational experience is furthered by guest speakers, and it also includes classes with topics such as budget writing and how a bill becomes a law — which culminates in pages creating their own bills in a mock committee setting.

“Getting to write a bill made me understand the process a lot better,” Turner said. “Doing that process myself, and then watching on the Senate floor helped have everything make more sense.”

Pages also have the opportunity to work on the Senate floor while the Senate is in session. Their maroon coats and credentials allow them access to all parts of the state capitol campus.

Turner is involved in gymnastics at Sequim High. She is also very interested in science classes, because she hoped to be a doctor someday.

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