GSL junior found House page experience educational, fun

Glencoe-Silver Lake High School junior Aubrey Giesen recently got to see the state Legislature’s work up close and personal. In fact, from just to the side of the Speaker of the House’s podium.
Giesen spent a week as a House of Representatives page in February.
Giesen, who plans to study political science after high school, applied for the page program with the encouragement of high school teacher Tom Schoper. She had to write an essay and submit and application, and is the first page from GSL in several years. The program is open to high school juniors.
Giesen said the experience allows students to see the lawmaking process from the perspective of several key players, including lobbyists, representatives of both parties, office staff, the Secretary of State and the Speaker of the House, Kurt Daudt. She also spent time with local legislator Glenn Gruenhagen, a member of the House of Representatives.
“A lot of it was really educational,” said Giesen, who said that her group of eight pages got off to a fast start the first day with a 15-minute orientation before they headed into their duties.
While the House was in session, the group of eight pages were headquartered in the front of the chamber. Off the chamber were rooms that had documents that legislators may need, such as proposed bills, contacts from their constituents and other items.

For more, see the March 29 print edition of The Chronicle.