Currently, sixty-six young men and women are appointed by their Members of Congress to service as pages in the U.S. House of Representatives. Fifty-four slots are reserved for Republican pages (the slot reservation ratio between the two parties depends on which party controls the House). The pages live on Capitol Hill and act primarily as messengers delivering legislative material between the various buildings of Capitol Hill.
Full school year and summer options are available. To be eligible for the school year, all applicants must be 16 years of age at the time their appointment begins, be in their junior year of high school and have a cumulative grade point average of “B” or better in all major courses to date. To be eligible for the summer program, applicants must also be 16 years of age at the time of their appointment, have a “B” average or better, and be willing to serve as a page for approxi-
mately one month during the summer before or after their junior year of high school.
The definition of a “B” average is a 3.0 on a 4 point scale, or an 85 or better on a 100 point scale. Applicants should submit a completed application to Congressman Weller for review and recommendation. The actual page appointment is made by the Speaker of the House based on the nominations received from the Members of Congress.
Full school year pages live in a residence hall on Capitol Hill under the supervision of a resident manager and five proctors who reside on the premises. Males and females reside on different floors. The pages agree in writing to abide by a strict Code of Conduct which includes a curfew of 10 PM on the weeknights and midnight on the weekends. Beginning at 6:45 AM, the school-year pages attend five 40 minute classes at the Page School. The school curriculum includes American, British or World Literature (all with composition), or Humanities; Algebra II/Trigonometry, Trigonometry/Pre-Calculus or Pre-Calculus; Physics or Chemistry; U.S. History or Government and Politics; and Intermediate or Advanced French or Spanish.
The work day begins immediately following the last class (or 9:00 AM for summer pages) and extends to at least 5:00 PM or until the House adjourns for the day. The dress required for males is a navy blazer, long sleeved white shirt, dark gray slacks, dark socks, dark shoes, and a standard issue tie. For females, a navy blazer, long sleeved white blouse, dark gray skirt or dark gray pants, dark shoes, appropriate hose and a standard issue tie. The provided ties are navy with red and white stripes.
The pages also receive a modest amount of compensation and are responsible for covering the cost of room rental, some meals, uniforms, school supplies, incidental expenses and transportation to and from Washington, DC.
Applications are usually distributed in February of each year with a late March deadline for being submitted to Congressman Weller’s office. For applications and more information, please contact Reed Wilson, District Director on Congressman Weller’s staff at 815/740-2028 or (reed.wilson@mail.house.gov).
As Congressman Weller is able to nominate only one student from the11th Congressional District, becoming a page is a very competitive process. Yet, the opportunity to spend a large amount of time in our nation’s capitol while learning about the United States government from an unique aspect can be a wonderful educational experience for a young person and well worth the effort of completing the extensive application.
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