Castle Rock teen Kaia Offutt gains hands-on experience as a page at the Washington State House of Representatives

Kaia Offutt, a homeschool student from Castle Rock, recently served as a page in the Washington State House of Representatives with Rep. Peter Abbarno as her sponsor.

Kaia, 15, is in the 10th grade and was one of the students who participated in the House Page Program during the week of Feb. 3-7. Kaia said her favorite subject in school is debate.

“It was a pleasure to sponsor Kaia as a page. The Page Program is a fantastic opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the legislative process and gain valuable hands-on experience in state government,” said Abbarno, House Republican Caucus Chair. “With her passion for debate, Kaia was especially well-suited for this program. She had the opportunity to see firsthand how lawmakers discuss, amend, and vote on legislation, which mirrors the structured debate process she enjoys. She showed great curiosity and dedication during her time at the Capitol, and I hope this experience encourages her to stay engaged in civic leadership and policymaking in the future.”

As a page, Kaia’s responsibilities included delivering messages and documents to legislators and staff, assisting on the House floor, and participating in a mock bill exercise where students draft and debate their proposed legislation. Kaia worked on legislation to provide additional signage at railroad crossings to reduce the number of fatalities. The experience provided her with a front-row seat to the legislative process and how the state government operates.

Each year, students from across Washington apply to participate in the House Page Program. To be eligible, students must be 14 years old and have not yet turned 17. Pages earn a stipend for their work and can also do early community service hours for their time spent at the Capitol.

For more information about the House Page Program, click here.

###

Washington State House Republican Communications
houserepublicans.wa.gov