Spending time at the Oklahoma State Capitol gave students a firsthand look at government while helping them grow as leaders. For several students, the Oklahoma House Page Program was more than just observing. It was an opportunity to learn, connect and gain real-world experience inside the state’s government.
During the program, students assisted representatives, delivered messages and observed daily sessions. This hands-on involvement allowed them to see how decisions are made and how lawmakers communicate. Being in that environment helped students better understand the pace and responsibility of government work.
Junior Charlotte Shortt said the experience helped her develop leadership skills while also changing how she views political differences.
“I learned how to be a better leader,” Shortt said. “It was really interesting seeing how two sides of the political scale could interact and be super friendly with each other, but also disagree very passionately.”
She explained that, despite strong disagreements, there was still mutual respect among legislators.
“At the end of the day, they all seemed like friends, and they could go get coffee together,” Shortt said. “It was really interesting to see that that’s how the state of Oklahoma works. I think that’s the Oklahoman spirit.”
In addition to learning about government, students also enjoyed the social side of the experience. Senior Olivia Dunham said one of her favorite parts was building new friendships while gaining a better understanding of how everything works.
“My favorite part of paging was probably the friends, and also learning about how it all works,” Duham said. “It makes a lot more sense when you’re actually there.”
Being surrounded by other students from across the state created a strong sense of community. She also highlighted the evening social activities that helped her grow closer to her fellow Pages such as swimming, eating dinner together, and going to the Oklahoma History Center.
“During the evenings, we had a different activity each day, which was really fun,” Dunham said.
For junior Olivia Giles, the opportunity to page was also influenced by her connection to the Capitol.
“My mom works at the Capitol,” Giles said. “She’s the Chief Clerk for the House of Representatives, so she’s involved with all the representatives and sessions.”
Being around that environment made her more familiar with how things work, but she still wanted to experience it for herself.
“She [my mom] wanted me to do it, but I also wanted to,” Giles said.
Overall, the paging program gave students a chance to see how the government actually works by being there in person. Watching representatives interact and getting to be part of the environment made the experience feel more real. Between meeting new people and trying something new, paging was something students said they would definitely recommend to others.
