Riley Essenburg, a homeschooled student from Yelm, was one of 19 students who served as a Washington state Senate page for the eighth week of the 2025 legislative session. She spent the week working at the Capitol in Olympia.
Sen. Jim McCune, who represents the 2nd Legislative District that includes parts of Thurston and Pierce counties, sponsored Essenburg.
“Riley was excellent as a page,” McCune said. “She did a great job with everything we asked and seemed to enjoy being a part of what happens during a legislative session. It was great getting to know her and see her thrive in this excellent learning environment.”
The Senate Page Program provides students an opportunity to spend a week working at the Washington Legislature. While attending page school, students learn about parliamentary procedure and the legislative process. They also draft their own bills and engage in a legislative mock session.
There are real responsibilities, too. Students are asked to transport documents between offices, deliver messages and distribute mail.
Riley’s highlights of the week included handing out papers and notes to senators in the Senate chamber, as well as assisting the Senate security staff, finding these jobs to be “very important work that not very many people notice or think about when visiting.”
In her free time, Riley enjoys reading and learning about history. She plans to pursue a career in politics as a long-term goal — and hopes to use social media to accomplish it.
Riley, 15, is the daughter of Rachel and Evan Essenburg, of Yelm.
Students interested in the Senate Page Program are encouraged to visit:
https://leg.wa.gov/learn-and-participate/civic-education-programs/page-program/
Applications for the 2026 legislative session open Nov. 1, 2025.
