Henrico students serving as Senate Pages

The Senate of Virginia officially appointed thirty-seven young Virginians as Senate pages when the legislature convened Jan. 10.  Two Henrico students – Colin Hudson of The Steward School and Peter Zhang of Holman Middle School – are among the 37.

Members of the Senate selected the class of 2018 from 190 applicants who sought admission to the Senate Page Leadership Program for the 60-day legislative session. Thirty-five schools throughout Virginia are represented in the incoming class.

The Senate Page Leadership Program is structured similar to a college preparatory program for students interested in history, civics, government and politics, with components centered on developing future leaders. Students who receive admission to the program carry on the tradition of page service in the legislature while fulfilling requirements in a professional development track comprised of speakers, site visits and class room-like instruction.

The chief duty of Senate pages is to assist the Senators during floor sessions and committee meetings. In addition to these responsibilities, Senate pages run errands, answer telephones, pull and file bills in the bill room, assist with mail distribution in the post office, offer support to the Clerk’s Office, assist in the public information office, offer guidance at information desks and engage with school groups and tourists visiting the Capitol.

While in Richmond, all Senate pages are responsible for obtaining and maintaining their schoolwork and assignments . A mandatory two-hour study hall is administered Monday through Thursday evenings.

Senate pages must be 13 or 14 years of age when the legislature convenes on the second Wednesday in January of each year. The program is recognized by the Virginia Board of Education for excellence in preparing young Virginians to be effective leaders and responsible citizens in their community.  In 2015, the Virginia General Assembly was recognized with the Kevin B. Harrington Award for Excellence in Democracy Education, presented by the National Conference of State Legislatures to the individual or organization that best informs students and the general public of the value and strength of our form of government.

For information about the Senate Page Leadership Program, visit the Capitol Classroom section of the Virginia General Assembly website.