Boundary County Excellence: Local shares experience from Legislative Page Program

BONNERS FERRY — Recent Bonners Ferry High School graduate Trew Lammers got a view of the legislative session that only a few people get to see.

Lammers spent six weeks in Boise, Idaho’s capital, as part of the Legislative Page program in the Idaho House of Representatives. The program is for high school seniors between the ages of 17 and 19. Students apply in the summer and fall for placement in the upcoming winter session.

She compared her time spent as a page, as like a gopher, as she had many different tasks to perform everyday across the capital. She was assigned to the State Affairs and Local Government committees and was tasked with preparing the meeting rooms beforehand each day. She also sat in the meetings in case anything was needed.

By being in the meeting rooms and observing how the government works, Lammers learned a number of things.

“I’ve always been super interested in government, never as a career path, but as something that piqued my interest,” she said.

She said she learned more about how governments work, the lobbying process and seeing parliamentary proceedings in action, which she was familiar with from Future Farmers of America.

She learned how to run a meeting from watching committee chairs.

The application for the program is available online, but each applicant is required to be sponsored by either a representative or a senator. Representative Sage Dixon, who represents Legislative District 1B, sponsored Lammers and recommended she apply to the program.

Applicants have the chance to choose work in the House of Representatives or the Senate, depending where their corresponding sponsor serves.

Prior to the program, Lammers didn’t follow any individual bills, but her family has followed particular issues, such as managing grizzly bears. In her six weeks in Boise, she followed bills going through the session, many of which were on education and libraries.

“They were fun to watch mostly because the debates were so long,” she said, remembering one time an education bill debate went through lunch.

Lammers said finding common ground and making a decision by vote after debate was very different from her experience participating in board meetings for FFA where the goal is directing and making plans.

She said she found the government to be less “corrupt” than she expected, adding there was more behind-the-scenes activity and conversation that goes on than she had originally thought. While compared to watching the government on the national level, Lammers said she has always thought the government was corrupt.

When it comes to giving advice to a senior interested in the program, Lammers recommended taking a lighter class load for the spring semester.

“You do spend eight hours a day [at the Capitol] five days a week,” she said. “Finals in right smack in the middle of the session, and so I had to do my finals online.”

She said when during the program she started with a full class schedule, but once the semester changed she had a lighter class load and made things considerably easier. She also had to take some of her finals early before going to Boise.

“I think that would be my biggest word of advice, don’t worry about your classes, you’re going to learn enough [in Boise],” she said. “Take a nice easy class load and learn what you can while down there.”

Lammers said after this experience, she isn’t against the idea of running for public office one day, but was very curious about lobbying, especially on the agricultural side.

“So, if I did get into politics it would probably be under the farm bureau, or maybe a lobbyist for agriculture,” she said, adding she wasn’t thinking about that anytime soon.

She added that for her government isn’t a career, but she’s not taking that off the table.

Participants in the page program pay for their own travel, housing and other costs. The position in unpaid.

“For me the experience was worth it,” she said.

She also had the chance to stay another six weeks, but declined due to being homesick. She was able to stay with family friends while in Boise.

Some experiences that prepared her for the page program included her independent nature, and her leadership experiences and communication skills which she learned in FFA and Farm Bureau.

Lammers recommends the page program to every student, even if they aren’t thinking of running for public office in the future, rather it is a great way to be an educated citizen and to learn about the going ons and process of government.

“I personally believe it is important for every citizen to know as much as they can about the government, so whether you’re interested in a career in government or not, it’s a good experience,” she said.

She said her interest in the state government will continue and she’ll continue to keep her eye on what’s going on during the session. She also made great friends in the program.

“Trew is an amazing student and I cannot wait to hear about all her future successes. I was not surprised at all to see her selected to be a Legislative Page,” said Jan Bayer, Boundary County School District superintendent. “She has worked hard to reach her goals.”

Bayer said a past legislative page included Kristi (Hinthorn) Wilson, who works in the district office.

Other regional legislative pages included Dixon’s kids.

“We are immensely proud of her,” said Mandy Lammers, Trew’s mother. “We always kept her active in clubs and activities when she was younger, but Trew has really taken the reins in her involvement the last few years. She always pushes herself to do different things and gain all these experiences.”

Boundary County Future Farmers of America Chapter Advisers Julie Smith and Gabby Johnson had the experience of teaching Trew Lammers the past four years at Bonners Ferry High School and said she was a joy to have as a student and an FFA member.

“Her dedication to FFA and her strong work ethic is remarkable. Trew is a self-starter and when she sees an opportunity, she takes advantage of it to get the most out of her experiences, especially in FFA,” Smith said.

“Trew has accomplished much in the last four years as an FFA member which has led to personal growth. Her passion for agriculture and FFA is amazing,” Johnson said. “As an FFA Adviser, we wish other FFA members would take advantage of opportunities like she has so they too could learn, grow and mature from what FFA has to offer. We are confident that she will continue to make an impact on agriculture and are excited for her future.”

Trew will be attending the University of Idaho this fall to study agriculture.

Page applications are reviewed in early December and accepted applicants will be notified by mail.

The regular legislative session convenes on the Monday closest to Jan. 9 and continues until sine die adjournment, sometime in mid to late March. The regular session is divided into two sections; the first half is January to the middle of February; and the second half is from the middle of February through sine die, most likely the end of March, with each group serving five to six weeks.

Legislative pages must have special written permission from their school administrator to be excused from classes.

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This article has been part of the Boundary County Excellence series, highlighting local residents and their experiences, accomplishments and battles with adversity. If you know a local with a story covering one of these topics, please contact Emily Bonsant, Bonners Ferry Herald staff writer, at ebonsant@bonnersferryherald.com.