If you are interested in politics, government, law, or even art and architecture, keep the Minnesota House of Representatives High School Page Program in mind when planning your junior year of high school. This weeklong program, available exclusively to Minnesota eleventh-grade students, is a unique opportunity to not only get a firsthand look into the many moving parts of the state government but to actively participate in them as well. Participants undoubtedly leave the program with an incredible—some say life-changing—experience: new knowledge, perspectives, skills, connections, friends, and so much more.
The program was established in 1975, modeled after the Maryland Student Page Program, and is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary this year. Professionally, pages in the House of Representatives are responsible for delivering notes and information to and from Representatives; this program allows participants to fill that role during their week at the Capitol, among a variety of other activities. Facilitated by the Sergeant-at-Arms Office, the Page Program “remains wholly dedicated to providing students with a unique, challenging, and enriching educational experience.”
Zia Raukar, a junior at Rochester Mayo High School and a recent participant, described the Page Program as being energizing, curious, and spirited. “Everybody was so excited to be there,” said Raukar. “It was so nice to be around people who felt so much passion for what they were doing and who wanted to be there and wanted to teach.”
The Page Program is truly all-encompassing. On the first day, you are given a reporter-style notebook and told the importance of taking notes. By the end of the week, your notebook will be full of detailed information about everything from how a bill is written to the significance behind the materials used to build the Capitol. And the best part is: you are not learning anything second-hand; everything comes directly from the people who are doing it every day, such as representatives, lobbyists, revisors, auditors, researchers, analysts, and more.
Rushing around the Capitol building throughout the week brings a feeling of importance because of how invested everyone is in you and your experience. Many legislators look forward to meeting each week’s new Pages and make a point to introduce themselves. As a Page, you meet so many public servants—both partisan and non-partisan—who are genuinely happy to share their knowledge and dedicate time out of their day to sit down with you and answer individual questions. Having the space to ask questions directly to such a wide variety of people—from analysts to lobbyists to the Secretary of State to the Speaker of the House—is such a unique and valuable opportunity that you cannot find in the same capacity outside of the Page Program.
Having these interactions brings a personal aspect to politics that is often not represented by the news. “I went into this [program] thinking that certain groups acted certain ways, but in reality, that’s not what it was,” reflected Amelia Schulz, a junior and recent participant from Hopkins High School. “I talked with really cool people from every party.” Raukar expanded on this idea. “Our representatives and the people who are advocating for us truly do want to hear what we have to say and they are directly impacted by what we want,” said Raukar. “They’re very easy to reach and they’re very kind.”
A meeting with Representative Spencer Igo (R-Wabana Township) specifically stood out to Raukar. “He was just so passionate and so knowledgeable about what he wanted to do for Minnesota and I think he came at it in a really nonpartisan way. He wouldn’t let political parties divide any of his issues, which I just thought was super interesting and something that’s so lost today.” Raukar, founder of the nonprofit AEDs for Athletes, was able to utilize this connection through the Page Program to further her organization’s mission of advocating for AED equipment and awareness for young athletes by meeting again with Rep. Igo over the phone after her week with the program was over. “I asked him about a bill that I want to be introduced that would mandate more education on how to use AEDs and CPR.”
One of the gifts of the Page Program is the inherent spontaneity of it. There are regular meetings and activities for every week of Pages, but the details and schedules are constantly changing because of how busy the Capitol is. The benefit of this, however, is that every day is a surprise, and sometimes unexpected things happen. Governor Tim Walz, for example, does not normally spend time on the House floor, but he decided to stop by with brownies during week 3 of the Page Program. “I did not think that was gonna happen,” commented Schulz, who received a brownie from Walz. “That was shocking to everyone.”
It cannot be understated how unique, influential, and valuable the Page Program has been and continues to be for the students who participate in it. When asked if they would recommend the program, Raukar and Schulz both replied, “One hundred percent.” In more detail, Raukar responded, “It’s just such a good way to learn more about our state and the government as a whole.” Schulz added, “If you are interested in government, definitely apply.”
For more information about the Page Program and details on the application process, visit the Sergeant-at-Arms website: https://www.house.mn.gov/sergeant/introduction
