E-mail from Indiana Senators David Long:
Sen. Long encourages students to make Statehouse their ‘classroom for a day’
Senator David Long today invited area middle and high school students to make the Indiana Statehouse their “classroom for a day” by serving as Senate pages during the 2010 Indiana General Assembly.
During the legislative session, pages spend one day at the Statehouse working with their senator and Senate staff. According to Long, student pages start the day in orientation before touring the historic Statehouse. Throughout the day, pages spend time in the Senate Chamber observing the introduction of bills, listening to debates and delivering important messages among senators and staff.
“Indiana’s legislative process is perhaps best understood through observation and participation,” Long said. “This valuable program allows students to interact firsthand with legislators and meet other students from across Indiana. It’s an experience that brings state government to life.”
Interested students should submit page requests in a letter or e-mail. The student’s name – as it would appear on a certificate – address, home telephone number, age and school affiliation should be included with the request. Friends wanting to page on the same day should send requests together. Specific date requests will be considered, but may not be possible. The Senate’s page office will confirm the scheduled date after processing incoming requests.
This will be a short session of the legislature – running from Tuesday, Jan. 5 to Sunday, March 14 – so days to serve as a page will be limited. Students are urged to send their requests as soon as possible. To be a page for Long, e-mail requests to Senator.Long@iga.in.gov or send by U.S. Mail to:
Sen. David Long
Indiana Senate
200 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204Participating as a page is an excused absence from school. Pages must arrive at the Statehouse by 8:30 a.m. Parents are responsible for transportation and student pages are responsible for their own lunches, which can be economically priced at the Government Center Cafeteria, Circle Centre Mall or one of the many downtown restaurants.
For additional information, call 1-800-382-9467.