Untitled Document

News Release
Congressman Bob Etheridge
North Carolina

December 17, 2003

Contact: Sara Lang
Phone: (202) 225-4531

Etheridge Nominates Louisburg Student to Serve as Congressional Page

RALEIGH - U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington) today announced that he has nominated Melissa Anne Eddy of Louisburg to serve as a Congressional Page in the U.S. House of Representatives for the spring term. Eddy was selected from among applicants from the Second Congressional District by a panel of community leaders. As a page, Eddy will work, live and study in Washington from January 25th until June 4th.

"I am proud that Melissa will have the opportunity to live, work and learn in our nation's capital," Etheridge said. "Pages provide an important service to Members of Congress and to our nation, and they learn firsthand about the inner workings of our government. Melissa is bright and hardworking, and I know she will make all of North Carolina proud."

Eddy is the daughter of Kelven Eddy of Louisburg. She is a junior at Louisburg High School, where she has grade-point-average over 4.0. She is interested in pursing medicine or politics as a future profession.

Pages are young people who are hired to serve as support staff for the U.S. House of Representatives. Pages are housed in the House Page Residence Hall and take classes in the House Page School. Pages report to work after classes, delivering correspondence, legislative material and packages within the Capitol complex, answering phones and assisting Members of Congress.

In her personal statement, Eddy said she wanted to serve her country as a Congressional Page. "When thinking of how our nation was shaped and rounded over the years, I think of how the founders of our nation must have felt when they were teenagers. Thanks to people who have believed that young people will one day take their places and possibly make the United States a better place to live for everyone. I believe I am one of those people who can change our country for the better."