Congressional Page Opportunity - Is it Worth It? - Page 2

PhotoOp · 09-11-2009, 12:58 PM

Wow. My daughter would love to take your son's place. Why on earth would you pass up this opportunity for your son?

crescent22 · 09-11-2009, 02:21 PM

because it's better to stay on whatever tracks he is on in his existing school? because he doesn't want to get knocked off in his class progression, team sports, etc?

amy11112222 · 09-24-2009, 03:06 PM

answers to highhopes questions:
My child was a senate page during a spring semester.

Q: I understand that foreign language is tutored on Sundays. So is that just once a week? Does the Program pay for it or is the page responsible for it?
A: the page pays for it. it's only once a week. the home school sends the work and a tutor follows the work sent.

Q: Does anyone know what the spring semester schedule looks like, ie., spring and/or winter breaks? does it follow the DC public school schedule.?
A: they have their own schedule (does not follow dc schools). last spring semester they were off for a long weekend in feb and then for a week at the beginning of April.

Q: Are pages on the floor for the State of the Union address?
A: yes! the senate pages met prior to the state of the union on the senate floor and led the procession of senators thru the capital to the house floor for the address. they stood in the back and watched.

Q:. Are books provided or do the pages need to purchase them?
A: they were provided

Q: I.ve heard mixed things about AP classes. Are classes taught at that level and is there any AP test prep involved?
A: classes are rigorous, but not officially AP. Some kids do take the AP tests though. kids who wanted the prep got some extra work to do outside of class to help them prep.

if you have other questions you can PM me and i'll be happy to answer them.
The program is a fantastic experience!

levirm · 09-26-2009, 09:55 AM

Thanks for all of the information, everyone! In regard to the last poster who stated that the pages can get extra work to help prep them for AP tests, is this guided by a teacher or other adult, or must the student come up with his or her own study program? In regard to the language tutoring, what is the approximate cost of this? Are students prepared to go on to the next level of language study after this tutoring, or must they repeat the year?

worknprogress · 09-26-2009, 12:54 PM

My DD worked on her own to prepare for her AP tests - but everyone else was also preparing so there were some group study sessions. Historically, the Congressional Page School gets high marks for their students' performance on the AP test, even though they don't offer AP classes per se.

Crescent 22 - You are correct, many students don't want to leave the track they are on in high school. A student is taking a risk, walking away from activities, leadership positions, etc. The kids who chose to be pages take that challenge, not because it is easy, but because it is an unusual opportunity to live, work, and study away from home with young people from all over the country. If a kid does well academically, it is not because a parent was nagging them!

The only downside of the program, is that it is often difficult for these young people to return to high school for senior year. They have been so independent for so long and they have grown so much, being back in high school feels like they are going backward. All of the moms agreed that returning was difficult, but the transition to college was easy.

levirm · 10-23-2009, 10:02 PM

Again, thanks for all of this information. Do the pages have any opportunity to get exercise? In the Congressional Page School, do the students have Spanish or French class, or is this also tutored? Are the pages able to travel to weekend family events? Does anyone know the spring break schedule for this year?

worknprogress · 10-24-2009, 07:30 PM

Levirm - in the Congressional Page School, Spanish is available. I think the principal of the school is also the Spanish instructor. Because the classes are so small, there is a lot of opportunity for conversation and interaction in the language.

Exercise - DD made it a point to run a couple of times a week. There is a small exercise room as I recall. If you are an athlete, I think it is difficult to work out as much as you would do with a team.

You can ask permission to go home for a weekend, but you "serve at the pleasure" of the Clerk of the House and you cannot count on going home for a wedding, or the prom, etc. On some Saturdays, you are also scheduled to go on trips with your class and you cannot be excused from them.

When you become a Page, it is a little like going into the military. You really do give up certain rights. You must understand this and be willing to accept that for a semester, you and your parents are agreeing to abide by their rules.

Once again, my DD would say it was the best experience for her. She loved working and serving with her fellow pages. On weekends when they were free they used the metro to travel all over DC and had a great time.

levirm · 10-24-2009, 08:15 PM

Thank you so much, worknprogress and all of the other posters who have been sharing information. How do you suggest requesting the weekends to attend family events? We have three family events that would be nice to attend, but not attending would not be the end of the world, although one of them is right in DC! However, a sibling's Sunday early morning college graduation in Philadelphia in May would be very important to attend! Should we request this at the outset or wait until closer to these times (March, April, and May)?
We are still waiting for confirmation, but it looks like the Congressman's recommendation will come through in the next week or two. Then, is it up to the Speaker to actually make the appointment or how does this work? Must the applicant be accepted by the school? The home school has already sent the transcript to the Page School principal.

worknprogress · 10-25-2009, 04:50 PM

Levirm - are you hoping for a spring appointment? When your congressman nominates someone, the appointees are chosen by the Speaker and the Minority Leader. In the past, the majority party had twice as many appointees as the minority party, but as with anything, that might have changed. I believe each party as its own system for choosing pages from the nominees, but I think the choice as more to do with the representative making the nomination than the student selected.

As for going home, let me quote from the handbook (which we have from when DD was there):

"While we are fully aware of the importance of family events, home school activities, homecomings, proms, organizations and honors which might be bestowed upon you, it is imperative that before you leave home to come to Washington and become a Page, you understand that Pages are employees of the US House of Representatives, and an important part of the House's day-to-day legislative business. Therefore, all family activities, such as reunions and sibling graduations as well as home school and community activities which interrupt your Page School and/or work activities must be put on hold until you are no longer a Page."

You really need to have the right mind set. You will be given a calendar and there will be weekends that appear free, but that can change. In the case of the siblings graduation, you can ask for permission (parents have to write letter, etc.) but even that can change if the House is in session or the school plans an activity. It is best to just assume you won't be able to attend and think about whether this experience would mean that much to you.

DD would tell you to choose being a Page and I think almost all of her former classmates would say the same.

levirm · 10-26-2009, 09:20 PM

Thanks, worknprogress!

levirm · 10-27-2009, 12:23 PM

I really do appreciate your help! Another question: do pages bring computers with them, to use for homework, emailing, etc.?

worknprogress · 10-27-2009, 02:09 PM

Levirm - I sure do hope this all works out for you!! I want to be one of the first to know if you are nominated and chosen to serve!

DD bought & brought a computer, but as I recall internet access was not good. I can't remember the details and maybe it has changed. I seem to remember she couldn't get access in her room, although there was a computer room.

levirm · 10-27-2009, 03:25 PM

Thanks, worknprogress. I am a mom, by the way. I just don't understand what "DD" and all of those acronyms mean, being a relatively rare poster, so I have avoided using those terms. My daughter (would she be DSSD if she has one older sister and two older brothers?)is the one whom the congressman is recommending. She is waiting for the final word before she finds investigates details about what to bring, etc., but I wanted a heads up on some of these details now. For example, if we have to purchase a computer that would be helpful to know asap! Do you know if the computer room is accessible and if there are enough computers there for all of the students to use for homework?

worknprogress · 10-27-2009, 04:03 PM

DD bought a laptop which was great for doing papers. I think there were a limited number of computers in the computer room. Keep in mind, that the staff of the Page School and the staff of the Residence Hall are in constant communication, so I don't think the students did as much computer based research as they did at home. I know they would go to the Georgetown Library to do research, which was ironic because school was on the 4th floor of the Library of Congress. I would advise buying a laptop, she can do papers and she will have it for college.

I don't know why I thought you were the student - sorry!!

If you have any questions, PM me. I cannot begin to tell you how much that semester meant to my DD (darling daughter)!

worknprogress · 10-27-2009, 04:13 PM

Levirm - another thought. The security there was tight and supervision was strict. The pages are expected to keep their rooms clean and there are regular inspections. I loved the supervisor of the Pages for the Republican Party, her name was Miss Sampson, and the kids referred to her as the Mama of the House. The pages are allowed to travel all over on the metro, but they must always go in groups of at least two.

The only drawback to the program, as I mentioned before, is returning to high school the following fall. Your child will have been working fulltime in an adult situation while going to school. She will have lived with two other girls and will have learned to be pretty self-reliant. She will have bonded in a way that you only can when you are living, working, eating, and socializing with a small group of people. I have remained in contact with a couple of the other page parents, and we all say that they became more like siblings than friends. It does make for a long senior year.