Maryland General Assembly Student Page: Journal Entries Day 0

Hi, I’m Tyler Seawell and I am a senior at Calvert High School. Over the next few months, I will have the honor of participating in the Maryland General Assembly Student Page Program. Highly competitive, the program was founded in 1970 and has allowed students to increase their knowledge of the Maryland State Legislature. I am excited to share some of the valuable information I am learning in this program.

January 11th, 2022

Today was orientation day and we learned about what we would be doing during this amazing experience. First, we were greeted by Ms. Tawana Offer, who will be our coordinator for the upcoming General Assembly and shown a video of Larry Hogan (yes-the governor!), who welcomed us to the program. We were then greeted by Ms. Victoria Gruber, the executive director of Maryland Legislative Services, the first female to ever hold this position! We learned some of the different things that the Maryland General Assembly will be focusing on this year including the legalization of cannabis (HB001) as well as juvenile justice. It is possible for students to read through a document published by the Department of Legislative Services that tells students all the different things they can expect to see during the General Assembly.

Next, we had the opportunity to take a “virtual tour” of the Maryland State House, the oldest state capital in use in the United States! There are two sides to the capital: the old side and the new side. Another cool fact is that the Maryland State House was where George Washington, the first president of the United States, resigned his commission at the end of the Revolutionary War. For any student organizations interested in doing a “virtual tour,” contact the Visitor’s center for more information. They are very excited to be working with different student groups and organizations

Next, we were greeted by the president of the Maryland State Senate, Senator Bill Ferguson. He welcomed us to the program and answered many student’s questions. Finally, we were given a tour of the Maryland Legislative Services Website, where we learned how to navigate it and see what is offered.

Orientation was a great way to start my experience as a page at the Maryland General Assembly! I am excited to participate in this program and learn all about the Maryland State Legislature. I cannot wait to use this newfound knowledge as I move forward in my life and share it with others.

Make sure to return to the CHS Courier in late February for an update on my first official day as a page.