Alongside 11 other students, Violet Gorman, a sophomore at W.F. West High School in Chehalis, recently spent a week working as a page for the Washington state Senate at the Capitol in Olympia.
The students worked as Senate pages for the second week of the 2025 legislative session, which lasted from Jan. 20 to 24, according to a news release.
Violet was sponsored by Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, who represents the 20th Legislative District, which serves parts of Thurston, Lewis, Cowlitz and Clark counties.
“Violet was great to have as a page, and I’m glad she enjoyed her time with us,” Braun said. “The page program offers a unique learning opportunity, and it’s great to see students make the most of it.”
The Senate Page Program provides an opportunity for Washington students to spend a week working at the Legislature. Participants get the opportunity to transport documents between offices as well as deliver messages and mail.
Pages spend time in the Senate chamber and attend page school to learn about parliamentary procedure and the legislative process. Students also draft their own bills and engage in a mock legislative session.
Gorman said she knows many people who have participated in the page program and was very happy to be able to say the same about herself.
“The highlight for me was being on the Senate floor, because it was like being behind the scenes of what gets shown on TV and on the news,” Gorman said. “Politics are interesting to me so it was a cool experience, and I would recommend it to others.”
Violet, 16, is the daughter of Thomas Gorman and Jessica Homyack, of Chehalis.
Students interested in the Senate Page Program can learn more by visiting https://leg.wa.gov/learn-and-participate/civic-education-programs/page-program/.
The last day to apply for the Senate Page Program for the 2025 session is March 17, or until all available openings are filled. Applications for the 2026 legislative session open Nov. 1.
