.jpg)
Nolan Gaskill, a 10th grader at Napavine High School, spent a week working as a page for the Washington state Senate at the Capitol in Olympia. Gaskill was one of 15 students who served as a Senate page for the fourth week of the 2024 Legislative session.
Gaskill was sponsored by 20th Legislative District Sen. John Braun, who represents part or all of Thurston, Cowlitz, Lewis and Clark counties.
“Nolan did a great job serving as a page this week,” Braun said. “I am glad he was able to experience a week at the Legislature and get a feel for what we do here.”
The Senate Page Program is an opportunity for Washington students to spend a week working in the Legislature. Students are responsible for transporting documents between offices, as well as delivering messages and mail. Pages spend time in the Senate chamber and attend page school to learn about parliamentary procedure and the legislative process. Students also draft their own bills and engage in a mock session.
“I wanted to become a page because my father paged for the House of Representatives twice in the year 1998 and urged me to do the same because of the opportunities it gave him,” said Gaskill.
He also stated that this has been his favorite experience because of all the relationships he has created and that his advice to others is to be open and helpful as much as possible because you have one week to make the most out of this experience.
Gaskill, 15, enjoys reading, biking and collecting LEGO, which he has done for the past 11 years. He also plays the Baritone saxophone in his school's jazz band, and the pep band since eighth grade. His future plans involve a career in the engineering field and even perhaps a future at the Legislature. Nolan’s parents are Colleen Conway and Kaleb Gaskill.
Students interested in the Senate Page Program are encouraged to visit http://leg.wa.gov/Senate/Administration/PageProgram/
