|
|||||||||||||
Printer-Friendly
Email this Story
Post a Comment (0)
Notre Dame student works on Capitol Hill
For the past six months, Notre Dame Academy student Samantha Heaslip has been spending a lot of time on Capitol Hill.
That's because for the second half of her junior year, Samantha, 17, worked as a Congressional page for House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio).
"I always had the impression that politics was so serious," said the rising senior at the Middleburg private school. "But after being there I realized how it is very down-to-earth, and politicians are just normal people. You don't have to be a brainiac to have a conversation with them."
To be chosen as a page, however, you do have to beat out hundreds of applicants from across the United States.
Samantha, who lives in Purcellville, said she was lucky because a family friend working on Capitol Hill helped her with the application process, and although there were no slots available with any congressmen from Virginia, she was able to secure a spot with Boehner.
Although she wasn't extremely interested in politics, Samantha said she was excited to have the opportunity.
"I was so thrilled because I was kind of getting to the point in high school where I really wanted a change," she said. "I was just ecstatic, but I was nervous, too, to leave everything and start over with new friends."
In January, Samantha moved into the page dormitory on Capitol Hill. Each morning she and the other 67 pages – juniors in high school from across the country – woke and took five high school classes starting at 6:45 a.m. in the page school, held in the attic of the Library of Congress.
When Congress was in session, the pages worked directly on the House floor, answering phones, running bills back and forth between congressional offices or performing other helpful tasks.
"It's not hard work, but it does get pretty busy," Samantha said. "There are a lot of us, but you're constantly on the move."
Samantha said she learned a lot about politics and the issues affecting our country. She also met dignitaries such as King Abdullah II of Jordan, Prime Minister Gordon Brown of England and Brian Cowen, prime minister of Ireland.
She also got to shake hands with President Barack Obama.
After her experience, Samantha said she has decided to major in international relations in college.
"I want to learn about different issues and about the world economy," she said. "That's what I would like to go into."
Contact the reporter at ecoe@timespapers.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.