State Sen. Rodric Bray (R-Martinsville) opened the Indiana Statehouse doors to local students, providing them an immersive experience in the legislative process. These students, coming from a variety of educational backgrounds, including public schools, Christian academies, and the homeschooling community, served as Senate pages in January and February, according to a recent announcement from State Senate Republicans.
Serving for a day, their activities weren't just limited to touring the historic building – the youths also got ringside seats to witness debates unfurl on the Senate floor. Serving as pages, they each interacted with their state senators, an opportunity that most young citizens, engrossed in textbooks and lectures about government, seldom encounter. Among the pages was Preston Rivera from Indianapolis, who attends Paramount Cottage Home and was pictured alongside State Sen. Spencer Deery (R-West Lafayette).
This initiative by Sen. Bray fits a broader narrative of leadership engaging the youth in participatory governance. But not all students come from the institutional backdrop of public schooling. Ezra Harkins, Patrick Lackey, Hudson Mechenich, and Simon Messmer, all home-educated, joined peers from Mooresville Christian Academy, Center Grove Middle School North, and Martinsville High School, among others, to partake in this real-world legislative stage.
The Statehouse program aims to nurture a practical understanding of the state's legislative proceedings. Alex Alcala, Phoebe Batts, Laynie Cole, Charlee Cramer, Chloe Denney, Brynn Harper, Adrienne Schwab, and Layla Wolff were also welcomed by Sen. Bray when serving as pages.
