OLYMPIA, WA – A Lewiston middle school student served as a Senate page in the Washington State Legislature last week. Charlie Alford, a 14-year-old eighth grader at Jennifer Middle School, was sponsored by 9th District Senator Mark Schoesler (R-Ritzville). He was one of 15 students who served as Senate pages during the ninth week of the 2023 legislative session.
The Senate Page Program gives Washington students ages 14-16 an opportunity to spend one week working in the Legislature. During their time at the Capitol, pages are responsible for transporting documents between offices, as well as delivering mail and messages. Pages often spend time in the Senate chamber to work during a floor session. They attend page school to learn about parliamentary procedures and the legislative process. During the week, pages work together to draft their own bills and engage in a mock legislative session.
“This week has been really fun, being able to learn more about the government and see whether bills get passed or not,” Alford said.
This week Alford worked on a mock bill that would make community college more affordable for people who want to get a secondary education.
“It was wonderful having Charlie as my page this past week. He is a very smart individual with a promising future ahead of him,” Schoesler said.
In his free time, Alford enjoys skiing, water sports, tennis, and basketball. Alford often can be found skiing at McCall on any given weekend during ski season. He hopes to attend Idaho State University to pursue a degree in architecture or mechanical engineering.
Alford is the son of Nathan and Joanna Alford of Lewiston.
