In Olympia, students get a crash course in civics as pages

March 22, 2026 - 02:30

In the halls of Washington's Capitol, a unique civics education is unfolding. For one week, high school students trade their classrooms for the statehouse in Olympia, serving as legislative pages for an intensive, hands-on lesson in democracy.

These students are integrated directly into the daily machinery of state government. Their duties range from delivering documents across the capitol campus to assisting legislators and staff with essential tasks. Beyond the errands, the program is designed to educate. Pages attend daily seminars where they learn about the legislative process, engage with state officials, and even draft their own mock bills in a simulated committee process.

The experience often leaves a lasting impact. For some participants, it ignites a lifelong passion for public service. Notably, several current state lawmakers once served as pages themselves, tracing the beginnings of their political careers back to this formative week. The program underscores the importance of direct engagement, transforming abstract concepts from a textbook into the lived reality of lawmaking and governance, one student at a time.