OPINION: STORM: Senate Page Program a great professional opportunity for Kentucky students

Nita Johnson, The Sentinel Echo, London, Ky.
·5 min read

Dec. 1—There are many time-honored traditions in the Senate, but one of the favorites is the Senate Page Program. Through the Senate Page Program, students in top academic standing are invited to apply for a position as a page for the Senate for the 2024 calendar year. I want to encourage students in my district to consider applying as a full-time page, daily page, or "Sunny Page."

Full-Time Page Program

Being a full-time page in the General Assembly gives students interested in a career in politics or public service within government an opportunity to witness first-hand how our state legislature operates. Senate pages sit at the front of the chamber for general assignments and aid the Senate clerk's office. They respond to requests from senators and staff within the chamber and sometimes assist with handling Senate materials and supplies. Pages report to the Senate Page Mother's Office, which ultimately answers to the Chief Clerk of the Senate, Donna Holiday.

If selected, a Senate page will serve for the calendar year in regular and extraordinary sessions. Each year, the Kentucky General Assembly convenes session at noon on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January. The 2024 Legislative Session will begin at noon on Tuesday, January 2.

Serving as a Senate page brings many benefits. Working in a professional environment gives the student confidence and boosts self-esteem. Pages learn to accept a large degree of personal responsibility for their work, as the experience helps prepare them for the future demands of their academic and professional careers.

In addition to developing meaningful friendships with others in the program, pages gain a sense of belonging as they meet and relate to those with similar potential career interests. They also get to work and build relationships with many people around the state. Full-time Senate pages are paid at a rate of $60 per day, which helps them begin learning how to make decisions on managing their finances, transportation, work demands, housing, and new friendships.

If interested in becoming a full-time page of the Senate in next year's legislative session, contact the Chief Clerk of the Senate, Donna Robinson Holiday, at 502-564-2450 or email donna.holiday@lrc.ky.gov. You will be asked to submit a cover letter stating why you would like to be a Senate page and a résumé. Please include all contact information. The clerk may then contact you at a later date for a job interview. The clerk will also contact all area schools to ensure that the applicant is of high academic standing and eligible to serve as a page for the year.

Daily Page Program

An extension of the full-time Senate Page Program is the Daily Page Program. This is for students between 12 and 18 who are too young or can't commit to being a full-time page. Pages generally have a Senate sponsor, typically the senator elected to their home district. Still, they perform a valuable service for all senators and staff by delivering messages, running errands, copying material and delivering bills — to name a few. During a typical day, there is a pool of pages available.

Full-time pages and daily pages do not have the same duties and will go through training with their respective supervisors. They will be taught where to be stationed during the session, how to carry out their various tasks, and instructed on proper decorum within the Senate chamber. Each daily page will be given a certificate of appreciation at the end of the day's work by their Senate sponsor.

Please get in touch with my office if you know a student between the ages of 12 and 18 who would like to participate in the Daily Page Program. I would love to have them join me in Frankfort, experience the legislative process and be recognized in the Senate chamber. You can connect with my office at 502-564-8100 or by email at Brandon.Storm@lrc.ky.gov.

Sunny Page Program

In addition, there is the Sunny Page Program. This is a very special program for children with disabilities, also allowing them to participate in the legislative process while serving as Senate Pages. Sunny Pages will be introduced on the Senate floor with their sponsor, carry out duties as they can, and receive a Sunny Page T-shirt and certificate of appreciation at the end of the day. My colleague Senator Danny Carroll started this program along with former Senator Dennis Parrett to include children with disabilities in this tradition and to bring awareness to some of the issues affecting those with special needs.

To become a daily page or Sunny Page if you are not in my district, don't hesitate to contact your respective senator's office or the Senate clerk at the phone number and email previously provided to arrange for a Senate sponsor. To streamline the process, please fill out the online applications for Daily or Sunny Pages and submit them to your senator's office or the Senate clerk via email.

Online application to be a Senate daily page or Sunny Page: https://legislature.ky.gov/Legislators/Pages/SenatePageProgram.aspx.

I hope to see bright young students from the 21st Senate District participate, and for those who do, I look forward to meeting you.