Gretchen Corliss, an eighth-grader at North Tapps Middle School in Lake Tapps, spent a week working as a page for the Washington State Senate at the Capitol in Olympia. Corliss was one of 27 students who served as Senate pages for the sixth week of the 2013 legislative session.
“The program is a lot of fun and you get to see things most people don’t,” Corliss said. “I have been able to see offices people cannot get to, use the back stairwell in the Senate Chamber and be out on the Senate Floor with the Senators.”
31st District Sen. Pam Roach, R-Auburn, sponsored Corliss for the week.
“I am proud Gretchen took advantage of the opportunity to Page in the Senate,” Roach said. “She is learning about what it takes to keep Washington the great state it is.”
Corliss enjoys snow skiing, participating in her church youth group and being a spirit leader. She is the daughter of Beverly and Robert Corliss of Lake Tapps.
The Senate Page Program is an opportunity for Washington students to spend a week working in the Legislature. Pages, like Corliss, are responsible for such tasks as transporting documents between offices as well as delivering messages and mail. Pages spend time in the Senate chamber in addition to attending page school to learn about parliamentary procedure and the legislative process.
Junior high/middle school and high school students who are interested in the Senate Page Program are encouraged to visit www.leg.wa.gov/Senate/Administration/PageProgram.