Auburn twins serve as pages in Olympia

Published 12:11 pm Monday, January 25, 2016

For the Reporter

Auburn’s Joelle and Sophia Joosten worked as pages for the state Senate at the Capitol in Olympia. They were two of 14 students who served as Senate pages for the first week of the 2016 legislative session.

Sen. Mark Miloscia, R-Federal Way (30th Legislative District), sponsored the Joosten twins.

“I was more than happy to sponsor both Joelle and Sophia Joosten. They were a pleasure to have around the office and very helpful in their role as pages,” Miloscia said.

The Senate Page Program is an opportunity for Washington students to spend a week working in the Legislature. Students are responsible for transporting documents between offices, as well as delivering messages and mail. Pages spend time in the Senate chamber and attend page school to learn about parliamentary procedure and the legislative process. Students also draft their own bills and engage in a mock session.

“The program helped me with time management and having less stage fright, which helped me talk to people more,” Sophia said about her experience with the Senate page program. Joelle added, “I liked meeting new people and learning about how our government works.”

Joelle enjoys singing in the St. James Cathedral Choir, playing cello for the Tacoma Youth Symphony Association, and fencing. Sophia likes participating in school plays, painting, hiking, and traveling around Europe. Sophia also plays in the Tacoma Youth Symphony and sings for St. James Cathedral Choir.

Joelle and Sophia, 15 and ninth-graders from Puyallup’s Edgemont Junior High, are the daughters of John and Lauris Joosten of Auburn.

Students interested in the Senate Page Program are encouraged to visit: http://leg.wa.gov/Senate/Administration/PageProgram/