Students who live in the 24th Legislative District are encouraged to apply to serve as a page in the Washington State Senate during the 2020 legislative session, Sen. Kevin Van De Wege (D-Sequim) said.

Applications for participants in the page program are being accepted for the 2020 legislative session that begins Jan. 13. Applicants must be 14-16 years of age, have a parent/guardian’s permission and get a recommendation from a teacher and the applicant’s school principal.

Financial assistance is available to help offset the expense of traveling to and staying in Olympia for a five-day work week during the 60-day legislative session.

Each year, students from across the state spend a week taking part in the legislative process and observing the legislature and other branches of state government. The interactive learning experience includes classes focused on topics like budget writing and the lawmaking process, with pages ultimately creating their own bills in a mock committee setting.

The experience is bolstered by guest speakers, and pages’ credentials allow them access to all parts of the Capitol Campus.

“Our Legislature has one of the finest page programs in the country, and I strongly encourage as many young people as possible to take advantage of it,” Van De Wege said in a press release on Dec. 18.

“Whether on the Senate floor, or in lawmakers’ offices, or in the page classes they attend, they get to see the workings of our government in a way few people do.”

Get more information about the page program and how to apply on the Washington State Legislature’s website at leg.wa.gov/Senate/Administration/Page Program/Pages/senpage application.aspx.