Local students recently joined Hamilton County legislators at the Statehouse where they participated in the Indiana House Page Program.
According to State Rep. Chuck Goodrich (R-Noblesville), the students toured offices of all branches of government in the Statehouse, helped staff with daily responsibilities and joined lawmakers on the House floor to witness the legislative process. The page program operates during the legislative session, which wrapped up on March 9.
“Visiting the Statehouse is a great opportunity to build on what students are learning in the classroom,” Goodrich said. “From listening to debates and meeting local legislators, pages get an up-close look at their government.”
“It’s always a privilege to meet and talk with student pages during session,” said House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers). “Civic engagement is critically important, and I hope to see more young Hoosiers take advantage of this opportunity next year.”
These area students served as pages during the 2022 legislative session:
- Taylor Bowman, Fishers, attends Holy Cross;
- Ben Boyce, Carmel, attends Carmel High School;
- Faith Helton, Fishers, attends The Classical Academy;
- Josiah Helton, Fishers, attends The Classical Academy;
- Jackson Hite, Noblesville, attends Noblesville High School;
- Luke Jarymowycz, Fishers, attends Riverside Junior High School;
- Chloe Jones, Atlanta, attends Hamilton Heights High School;
- Colin Kircher, Westfield, attends Westfield Middle School;
- Parker Paramoure, Westfield, attends Westfield Middle School;
- Nicholas Rivotto, Fishers, attends Mission Christian Academy;
- Alex Stempkowski, Fishers, attends The Classical Academy;
- Ella Podany, Carmel, attends Carmel High School;
- Olivia Podany, Carmel, attends Clay Middle School; and
- Ryan Podany, Carmel, attends Prairie Trace Elementary School.
“It’s uplifting to meet such bright and enthusiastic young people who are future leaders,” said State Rep. Chris Jeter (R-Fishers). “They truly are an impressive bunch.”
State Rep. Jerry Torr (R-Carmel) said students between the ages of 13 and 18 should consider participating during the 2023 session.
“Spending a day at the State Capitol offers students a chance to deepen their understanding of the legislature and learn how laws are created from start to finish,” Torr said. “Hamilton County is certainly home to many bright and talented students, and I hope they enjoyed their visit to the Statehouse.”
As a former educator, State Rep. Tony Cook (R-Cicero) said the Indiana House Page Program is an immersive learning opportunity.
“Civic responsibility is so important, and paging is a great opportunity to develop a passion for service,” Cook said. “Many students return year after year, and then intern with the House of Representatives while in college. Hopefully these students learned a lot and visit again.”
For more information about paging during the 2023 session, call 1-800-382-9841 or visit IndianaHouseRepublicans.com.