<p>I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this??</p>
<p>My son is very interested in being a Senate Page. He is more intrigued with the idea of being away from home, working at an interesting job and learning about how the government works. His real, true, deep interest is in world religions (all of them), philosophy and justice -- and he is thinking that this would broaden his understanding of how these factors play in real life.</p>
<p>I am wondering how competitive the process is? Does he have any chance? And is there something he could do to help his chances (he has a 4.0, and he is just a freshman.)</p>
<p>Also -- I am worried that the Senate Page school likely doesn't offer AP courses (they only go to school from 6:45AM to 9:15AM). </p>
<p>It really sounds like a unique experience -- but I am just not sure how it will play out. </p>
<p>I was a Congressional Page back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and it was a fantastic experience. The rules have changed since I was there, but I believe it is still under the Patronage Program. I suggest he go onto his Congressperson's and Senators websites to see the qualifications. Many appointments are just for a semester so he might be able to make arrangements with his school about the AP classes. When I was there we could live wherever we wanted and had no curfews. Now things are much more structured and dormitory space is provided. </p>
<p>" His real, true, deep interest is in world religions (all of them), philosophy and justice -- and he is thinking that this would broaden his understanding of how these factors play in real life." </p>
<p>I hate to burst his bubble, but Pages are glorified messengers who have access to places that tourists can't go. There are few, if any, opportunities to see philosophy and justice in action. He will however see lots of arm twisting and real "Politics" in action and have memories that will last a lifetime.</p>
<p>thanks for the info -- he is just looking into this.</p>
<p>as far as his interest in justice, world religions, etc -- there aren't too many places for him to really experience that anyway! </p>
<p>We have looked at his senator's website -- it doesn't say much! just "fill out the application and send it in" stuff. only asks for GPA and any awards or honors. also asks for a high school transcript.</p>
<p>He is going to keep looking into it for now -- he is interested in so many things I think he is trying to figure out how to fit it all into high school.</p>
<p>as far as being stricter and having curfews -- I am glad for the strictness and supervision (being the parent) I just hope they get a chance to experience the DC area and all it has to offer!</p>
<p>Don't forget to try networking. Ask around and see if anyone knows a "friend of a friend, etc" who could get the application to the top of the pile.I don't think the program accepts kids until they are in their junior year so he could try to make some connections now. Your state legislature may also have some type of program too. Certainly not the same as being in D.C. without your parents - but still interesting.</p>
<p>I'm still amazed that my parents let me go to D.C. unchaperoned and unsupervised at the age of 16 - They were totally cool and at least in my case, really didn't have anything to worry about.</p>
<p>To add to what NYOBK said, far better, imo, to do a semester/quarter in Washington program when in college. Often lots of scut work but at least a chance of doing some interesting thing and and least a good observer's vantage.</p>
<p>I was a congressional page during the summer of 05' it was a 3 week deal. Im not going back as i end my junior year as a senate page. Being a congressional page over the summer was the most fun ive had. Being away from the parents and being able to roam the capital late at night because its raining outside and the guards dont want us to get a cold, is honestly the most AMAZING experience ever...not to mention you have unlimited access to anywhere in the Capital. Being a summer house page was great, but i imagine going as a senate page and having school will be intense. I remember as a congressional page thinking how stressed i probably would have been if i had to take school every morning and then go to work for 9 hours, but im doing it. </p>
<p>If he really wants it he needs to go talk to his representative, email, call...dont give up. </p>
<p>Also they have no Ap classes...:( i have to drop two, or else i have to arrange for the school to send me reports on my AP classes and honestly thats to much of a hastle and i would probably fail the AP exams....but, id give them up to go back to DC. n</p>
<p>thanks for the information -- that helps. He already emailed his senator, but hasn't gotten a resonse yet.</p>
<p>No AP courses would be OK as long as we already know that in advance (he is a freshman this year). We will just make arrangements for that year (take easy AP courses like psych and/or human geography. maybe AP amer government would work.</p>
<p>It really sounds like a great opportunity -- both to meet people, learn things and mature. </p>
<p>How were you able to get the appointment? what are your stats, classes taken, did you have connections, etc.</p>
<p>oh, well is he's a freshmen he has plenty of time. The page program is only for Juniors (school year) or sophomores going into their junior year for the summer. </p>
<p>My freshmen year i was doing a internship with my congressman, i just made an appointment to meet with him, and they ended up offering me the opportunity, and ive been goin in ever since. So getting to know your rep would help well, exspecially if its one you admire.</p>
<p>Ummm...im not quite sure how i got this opportunity.</p>
<p>I was a figure skater and 11th in the region (pacific)
I was an intern, won various awards and scholarships, top 10% in my class, but my school is very low income, actually the worst in the state of Nevada, On youth council boards, governor council board, community service hours, just basically the norm...No real connections besides my rep. I got to know my congressman, went on a trip to dc and found out about it, talked to everyone in my reps office and just made it happen. I was relentless, kept calling, emailing, they might of just got annoyed of me, but i definently think my persistence showed them how much i wanted this.</p>
<p>our school area is also not the best (he is homeschooled right now) but his classes and stats are good, so are his EC's. Nothing spectacular at this point, just good.</p>
<p>I will tell him to get with the senator and/or rep and meet them. Maybe see about working on the next campaign (if one comes up before his junior year) or volunteering to work in the office.</p>
<p>yea...that would be great...i was interning when my congressman was campainging, and that was also a good experience, and really fun!..well goodluck :)</p>
<p>I interned for a Congressman and at the time he was actually looking for pages for the fall semester.</p>
<p>I think the way it works is that you can do it for a semester during your junior year. But the deal is that who can pick a page rotates throughout the ranks, so each Congressman may not be able to nominate a page each year. Most Congressmen will want to send someone from their own district, so I think you just have to hope for the luck of the draw.</p>
<p>Also, I think you are a page for your Congressman's party. I dug this up for you from my Congressman's website. It has pretty much the whole rundown of the program. (Not my actual Representative, but the one I interned with)</p>
<p>my son is definitely set on trying for a position as a page and I support him completely. I think the experience would be great for him, he would learn and mature so much.</p>
<p>I am going to have him contact both the representatives and senators in our state and see who will be in rotation to appoint a page fall of 2007. Then we will get to work on convincing that person that my son would be the best nomination.</p>
<p>When contacting an elected official it is to your advantage to have met them first of to know someone who knows them well. It also helps to know something about the person you are going to meet with, read their on line bios as a start.
Don't be disappointed to meet with a staffer, busy people often delegate authority.</p>
<p>thanks -- we will do that. I think we know someone who knows our state senator, so we may go that way.</p>
<p>At least we have some time to work on this!</p>
<p>My son did do some work for the republican party last presidential election, but is was in Kentucky. Lucky for us, Colorado is all republican, so we are in the same party.</p>
<p>Also any representative can nominate you from any state....you dont have to be from the state to get nominated. My friend from michigan got sponsored my texas....not quite sure how that works but...it happens.</p>
<p>Also, you dont have to be republican to be nominated by a republican, or democrat to be nominated by a democrat. They reps and senators wont ask. I was a republican house page over the summer and im going back a demictratic senate page. Neither my senator or rep cares...they just want me to get the experience, and when im older, decide what party ill be in, so im getting all aspects of the spectrum, but i would really of like to go for a republican.</p>
<p>I have a friend who went through this process this fall... we were both interning on our senator's re-election campaign, and when she decided to apply to the program she managed to get the senator to recommend her, referrals from her chief of staff, etc. It was made very clear to me during this process that if you have connections it is much much easier to get selected, and that only if no one else who is applying has connections will someone w/ just good grades, etc. be chosen. I'm not sure whether this is truly the case, and perhaps it is more selective in some states than others (and i would presume that it is more difficult to be a senate page than a congressional one).</p>
<p>However, my friend was selected to go... but she came back a few weeks later. I haven't actually talked to her about why she came back, and it seems from this thread that some people have a great time, but you might want to think about whether your son is really ready for this. </p>
<p>On the other hand, i didn't know about the program until it was too late for me, and i think i would have really enjoyed it! i hope it works out for your son.</p>
<p>thanks -- i figure that connections would really help, so we can start looking for connections!</p>
<p>If you find out from you friend why she came back, please post!</p>
<p>I think my son would be ready for it -- he is older than the standard student, just missed the cut-off and he is very mature for his age. he has also been to several programs away from home and is very responsible. we have discussed it and I think he would really benefit from the experience!</p>
<p>One of the reasons is probably because of school. You go to school before class...only an hour class...and your expected to do alot. I also kno some people would get very very homesick, but no one went home.</p>
<p>She might of gotten kicked out also. House page is a little more lenient...but senate pages have higher standards...you screw up once for seriously. the stupidest things you can think of, and youve got a meeting with the speaker of the house and your packing your bags...</p>