Waitsburg student served as senate page

OLYMPIA-Fifteen-year-old Waitsburg High School sophomore Cedar Stegall was a little nervous but mostly excited before traveling to Olympia as a Senate page the week of March 26.

Stegall said she knew little before the trip but learned about the parliamentary procedure while she was there. She hadn't been particularly interested in politics but thought it would be a fun experience when it was announced at school. Waitsburg teacher Gabe Kiefel shared his experience serving as a page in his youth, telling her it was a great experience.

Stegall's parents Lisa, Justin, and younger brother, drove her to the Capitol to serve the week as a page. She was sponsored by her district Senator Perry Dozier. Stegall said that senators are not as scary as they sound.

During the week, Stegall's duties began at 7 a.m. and ended at 4:45 p.m. Her duties included delivering messages and materials between buildings, helping security, and learning about state government. The experience was different than Stegall imagined, and she said she spent more time with security than expected.

During the week, Stegall could watch the process of bills being negotiated and voted on.

"It was interesting to see how many (bills) there actually are and how many pass every day," she said.

As a page, Stegall was asked to write and present a bill. Her bill was on decreasing drug use in schools; it did not pass by one vote. She is looking forward to voting when she turns eighteen.

Stegall stayed with a host family and played card games with her housemates during her off time. She made friends with other pages from Blaine, Puyallup, and Olympia.

Students ages 14 through 16 who may be interested in serving as a page in the House or Senate can find information about the Senate Page Program on the wa.gov website or directly at tinyurl.com/wapage.

According to the program's website, "Each year, hundreds of students from across Washington State have the opportunity to take part in the legislative process and observe the Legislature and other branches of state government in action."