Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship
If you go to the Vermont State House, you’ll see a crew of lively eighth graders running around in green blazers. These students are Vermont Legislative Pages, young workers hoping to kickstart their careers.
While the page’s duties typically consist of delivering messages, speaking with representatives and lending a helping hand in the State House, they participated in a community art project on April 29. The pages laughed and shared stories in a meeting room while collaging barns and ski mountains for a map of Vermont.
Graham M. Gilman is the only page this session with a middle initial on his name tag. He said that he included it because it made him feel more professional. He is an eighth-grader at Crossett Brooke Middle School and spends Tuesday through Friday at the State House.
“I love to ski. I do karate. My time here at the State House has been great. What else is there about me?” Gilman said.
Gilman said his mom taught seventh and eighth graders for over 20 years and had previous students become pages and love it.
“I get to go kind of wherever I want in the State House because I have the green jacket on,” he said, noting that the coveted blazer is one of his favorite things about being a page.
“I would definitely like to work in the government as I get older, but we will have to wait and see how my future shapes up,” he added.
Maeve Wahlstrom is another page who goes to a private school in Whitingham, right on the Massachusetts border.
Because of the three-hour commute, Wahlstrom isn’t required to attend school on Mondays like the rest of the pages. She said her school told her it was okay because it was a great opportunity and was “better than whatever (she’d be) doing in her english class.”
Wahlstrom said she’s always wanted to be a page because of her grandpa.
“My grandfather was a representative, Peter Peltz, and he always wanted me to do this,” she said.
When she’s not delivering messages, Wahlstrom said that she does a lot of acting at her school and plays in a couple of bands. She recently assumed the role of Col. Mustard in the play, “Clue.”
Tamsin Wilson attends Manchester Elementary Middle School. She said she loves getting real-life experience working at the State House.
“It’s really cool to see the government in action and all that,” Wilson said. “My grandfather was a representative, and my family does a lot of public service, so I thought if I got into the legislative page program, I could also contribute to public service in Vermont.”
When she’s not assisting legislators, she’s assisting her teammates.
“I play hockey, lacrosse and soccer, and they’re all really fun. Hockey’s my favorite,” Wilson said. “I play defense in all sports … and I am pretty competitive.”
Keira Hallmartel is from Vermont but goes to Rivendell Academy, just across the state border in New Hampshire.
Hallmartel said that outside of the State House, she loves acting, writing, skiing and music.
“I can’t actually play guitar, but I like to pretend I can,” she said.
Her favorite genres to listen to are rock and musical soundtracks. She cited her love of “Hamilton” as a reason why she was interested in working for the government.
“That’s probably how I ended up here,” she said.
Hallmartel said being a page lets her meet people she never thought she’d meet.
“I think just talking to people and then realizing, ‘Wait, that’s the governor!’” she said.
Before they were sent back to various committee rooms, the pages exchanged glue sticks and colored pencils, mod-podging Vermont landmarks. They began an impromptu show and tell, explaining their artistic representations of the state they hope to continue serving in their future careers.