CLINTON — Three local students recently served as “Honorary Pages for a Day” in the Illinois Senate, invited there by Sen. Chapin Rose.

Grace Arnold, Cole Young and Garrett Swartz, all of Clinton, spent a day learning about what goes on in the seat of state government

 “ I liked how we got to go on the senate floor and really liked it when Sen. Rose stepped up to his microphone and introduced each of us by our names to some big time people,” said Grace Arnold.

“Talking with Sen. Rose was fun.  He treated us like our opinions were important.”

Grace also said she enjoyed the tour of the capital building conducted by Rose’s Springfield staff.  She told Rose she wanted to teach agriculture and be an FFA advisor after high school.

The opportunity to serve as an “Honorary Page for a Day” was given as a prize during the Prairieland Beef Producers banquet as a means of raising money to promote beef production in the area.  Grace does the “seeding” on her grandfathers beef herd.

 “Cool is the word. Just to meet and talk to so many people I had never met before,” said Cole Young.

“ I could get used to the page’s jacket they gave me to wear.”  Boys got jackets to wear and Grace got to show off her professional outfit.

Cole said he was feeling important when he asked and received permission to sit at the Governors’ desk.  He also enjoyed seeing the room the “Teen Advisory Committee” used to meet in and then finding out his mom served on that committee when she was in high school.

Cole wants to become a physical therapist.

Garrett Swartz said he was a die-hard republican and would like to help with Rose’s next election.

Garrett thanked Rose for all his work in keeping the power plant in Clinton. This means his mom and his family did not have to move to a new city. Garrett shared with Sen. Rose that he wanted to study chemistry and then work at the Clinton Power Station and conduct the water testing.

Garrett said he was dazzled by the capital building but wasn’t sure if he would like to walk up all those steps and fly the flag every day in spite of the weather that day.  He also was impressed with the tunnel connecting the capital building to the Stratten Building.  The archway and brick was “quite a sight,” he said

The Clinton students met Jo Ellen Johnson, Chief Attorney for the Senate.  She shared with students that she once served as Honorary Page for the Day and then stayed with her grandparents near Springfield and served as a real page during summers, when she was going to college.  “And, look where I landed for the past 27 years,” she said.”