Everyone has once imagined what it would be like to work in politics, but very few people have actually experienced it hands on. One way students have experienced it, though is through the Senate and House page programs. The Senate and House page program is a unique and distinguished program that allows you to work alongside politicians to observe their daily life and assist them with anything they need. One student who seized this opportunity is Millbrook sophomore Harris Green.

Harris Green was born in Raleigh. She enjoys traveling and hanging out with her friends, and her favorite subject is history. She works very hard in school to make good grades, making her well liked by her teachers and peers. Mr. McClure, Harris’ former Civics teacher, comments by saying, “Harris is a hard worker, very inquisitive, and she was very fun to have in class. She was always willing to engage into what was put in front of her.” In addition, Harris has become very involved in extracurricular activities at Millbrook, including World Cultures Club and  Key Club. She has been swimming since she was 8 years old and is even on the Millbrook swim team, where she specializes in back stroke. Over the summer, Harris even taught English to immigrants around the world.

Harris became familiar with the Senate Page Program through a previous participant in the program. She then applied online and emailed a senator’s assistant to receive a sponsorship. Pages were then appointed by senators and leadership of the Senate to serve.

Once she was accepted, she had the task of helping senators with jobs during floor sessions and committee meetings. Tasks include mailing out letters, retrieving copies of bills, assisting in the public information office, and answering their phones. She admits she was a little nervous to start this program, but was more excited.

While the pages were not out doing work, they had to be on stand and had to be prepared in case a senator needed anything like water or needed to deliver a message to a fellow senator. Needless to say, pages are constantly on their feet from the time they walk into the building to the time they walk out to go home.

“I would recommend that you don’t wear heels because there is lots of walking involved,” Harris advises to anyone interested in participating in the future. She would also advise you to always have good manners and show friendliness and enthusiasm throughout your service because the senators love to see that you are excited to participate.

Harris believes that the best part of her job would be being able to see the process of a bill becoming a law. Because she played an important part in helping that process move along, it helped her to appreciate and have enthusiasm. She also found the debates she was allowed to sit in on extremely interesting, where she was able to witness politicians showcase their passion on various topics. Overall, she found program very enjoyable.

Jack Satisky, a former page, agreed by saying, “The program was a good way to meet people from around the state and see how the state government process works.”

Harris mentioned that the worst part about being a page would be waiting around for a senator to need help and request service, although it did allow her to bond with some of the other pages. Being involved in the page program has allowed Harris to realize that she may want a career dealing with politic. Going through this program will definitely be an extremely rewarding and unforgettable experience, and Harris would definitely recommend her fellow Maniacs to give it a try!