Every two years, a new world unfolds to legislative pages who spend one week at the Capitol in Helena.
The work is like an intensive, quick course in political science.
Two area students -- Frank Hendrickson, 18, of Butte Central High, and Kjersten Sandru, 17, of Twin Bridges High – recently put in week-long stints as legislative pages.
Hendrickson worked in the House of Representatives.
State Rep. Ryan Lynch, D-Butte, sponsored Hendrickson, who bunked at Lynch’s place, where Rep. Casey Schreiner, D-Great Falls, also resides during the session.
“It was a pleasure having Frank as a page,” said Lynch. “It’s young people like him and the rest of the pages who are involved who make me excited about our future.”
Hendrickson said a typical day included delivering email and phone messages to legislators that rolled in overnight from constituents; sitting in on assigned committees and making himself available to run errands; delivering last-minute notes to legislators before the daily floor session began; and finally, transporting Capitol recycling bins to the larger containers.
“They get tasked with a lot of things to do with real short deadlines, and Frank seemed to handle everything with no problem,” added Lynch.
Hendrickson said he learned how Montana’s infrastructure improvements should be a priority. He said he appreciated hearing Gov. Steve Bullock give the State of the State speech and U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., both promote the need for better infrastructure.
“I believe that this is one of the key pieces to making this a better place to live for all of our citizens,” Hendrickson told The Montana Standard.