OLYMPIA… Luke Hawkins and Loren Hensley, both freshmen at Sterling Junior High School in East Wenatchee, served as Senate pages during the week of March 13-17 at the state Capitol in Olympia, WA

Hawkins and Hensley were sponsored by 12th District Sen. Brad Hawkins, R-East Wenatchee.  14 students served as Senate pages last week, assisting lawmakers by transporting documents between offices, providing staff support, and working on the Senate Floor.

Hensley, 14, is the son of Julia Hensley of East Wenatchee, WA

Hawkins, 15, is the son of Sen. Brad Hawkins and Shawna Hawkins of East Wenatchee, WA

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“I’m super excited that my son Luke and his best friend Loren could serve as my Senate Pages this week,” Hawkins said. “Recruiting them was sort of a package deal and I’m thankful it was ultimately successful.”

Hawkins and Hensley served as the Page color guard team carrying the American and Washington state flags into the Senate Chamber to begin the day’s proceedings. The pair also attended a committee hearing on legislation which would support the construction of a regional sports complex in the Wenatchee Valley.

Sen. Hawkins said, “It was so fun to have them experience a local issue and to see firsthand how we can join forces to advocate for our communities, which is an important aspect of our representative government.”

During their Page week, the boys worked on a mock bill that would require insurance companies to prioritize mental health in the same way as physical health. This would allow a patient’s treatment to be covered by their insurance.

“Being a Page, this past week has been a great experience. I have met many new friends and learned a lot,” Luke Hawkins said.

“It has been a really cool experience being here in Olympia,” Hensley said.

Both boys are involved in cross-country and swim team. They also share a similar educational aspirations to become engineers.

The Senate Page Program gives is open to Washington students between the ages of 14 and 16.  During their time at the Capitol, pages also attend a classroom-like setting learning about state government, parliamentary procedure, and the legislative process. Pages collaborate on their own bills and in a mock legislative session.

Click here to watch Luke and Loren present the colors during the Senate’s opening ceremony.

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