Rep. Peter Abbarno encourages students in 20th District to apply for Washington State House Page Program

Rep. Peter Abbarno is encouraging students in the 20th Legislative District to apply for the Washington State House of Representatives Page Program.

Applications opened today (Wednesday), Nov. 1. Eight different weekly opportunities are available for the 60-day legislative session, which begins Jan. 8 and ends March 7. When applying, potential pages can select which weeks they are available to work.

Pages work for one 40-hour work week assisting House members with a variety of duties, including serving on the chamber floor, making deliveries throughout campus, supporting member offices, and attending Page School.  

Page School supplements the hands-on learning experience with a classroom component geared toward understanding the legislative process.

“Since territorial days, legislative pages have made sure the lawmaking branch runs smoothly,” said Abbarno, R-Centralia. “And while page duties no longer include tending horses or cleaning laundry, every young person who serves as a page in Olympia puts in an honest 40-hour work week and gains valuable first-hand knowledge of how their government works.”  

In the upcoming 2024 legislative session, House members can sponsor two pages. Last year, Abbarno received 11 requests and helped them find page positions with other legislative sponsors after his allotment was filled.    

“I was thrilled with the turnout we saw from our local students in 2023, and I look forward to that same level of enthusiasm in 2024,” added Abbarno. “I firmly believe serving as a page can be an important part of a student’s education and life experience.”  

Eligible students must be at least 14 years of age and have not reached their 17th birthday.

Pages earn a stipend of $65 per day and can also earn up to 20 hours of community service.

Students interested in participating next year can find more information about the program at Leg.Wa.Gov/House/Pages/HousePageProgram.aspx.

Applicants who need financial assistance for the expense of traveling and staying in Olympia may also apply for the Gina Grant Bull Memorial Legislative Page Scholarship, which helps to offset expenses. Applications for the scholarship can be found at: https://leg.wa.gov/PageSchool/pages/ginagrantbullscholarship.aspx

For more information, contact Abbarno’s Olympia office at (360) 786-7896.

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Washington State House Republican Communications
houserepublicans.wa.gov