Mustang Messenger Spring 2014 | Page 12

Pages from the MD Capitol Three BMHS Students Selected for Maryland Capitol Page Program Since 1970, Maryland's high school seniors have had the opportunity to learn about the legislative process by serving as student pages in the Senate and the House of Delegates during the annual session of the Maryland General Assembly. The program was begun by House Speaker Thomas Hunter Lowe and approved by the Maryland State Board of Education. Each year, 105 pages and 36 alternates are selected from across the State to represent their schools and counties in Annapolis. The Page program is nonpatronage, and selection is done through Justice Stanton '14 I had at a great experience at the Maryland State Page Program. I served as a House of Delegates page. It allowed me to get a better understanding of how decisions are made by our elected officials. I was able to attend two hearings by different committees and observe how they work. I got along great with my fellow pages and formed a close friendship with them. I am extremely thankful for being chosen to participate in this excellent program. the local school systems. Each county in Maryland has a county page coordinator who is appointed by the local superintendent of schools. This person is responsible for organizing and conducting the selection process used by the county's public and nonpublic schools to select the students who will serve as pages and alternates. Of the five students chosen from Prince George's County, Bishop McNamara High School sent three students. Those students were Justice Stanton '15, Ashleigh Williams '15, and Erin Musselman '15. Read what they had to say about their experiences below: Ashleigh ]