Abby Snyder of Bothell served as a page in the Washington State Senate during the week of Feb. 16. Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, D-Bothell, sponsored Snyder’s weeklong experience in the Legislature.

“It was great having Abby at the Capitol this week,” McAuliffe said. “She is a bright student and was eager to about state government.”

During the week pages assist senators and staff, attend lectures with guest speakers and go to page school where they create their own bills in a mock committee setting. Snyder and a fellow page drafted a bill that would apply a 1 percent tax to dog and cat food and allocate those funds toward improving the quality of no-kill animal shelters. “I picked this bill because I love animals,” Snyder said. “And I don’t think they should be killed.”

Snyder said several aspects of the page program surprised her, such as how many different jobs were available at the legislature, and how approachable the senators were.

“The senators seem just like normal people,” Snyder said. “They were fun and cool, and they would casually come and talk to us.”

Leading people to appointments, handing out notes on the Senate Floor and meeting the senators were the best parts of Snyder’s week, she said.

“It was interesting seeing all the appointments senators have,” Snyder said.

Snyder was optimistic about her time in Olympia. “I had a lot of fun learning about government,” she said. “I learned more than I would have learned in school.”

Snyder, 16, is a junior at Cedar Park Christian School – Bothell Campus. She enjoys participating in volleyball, robotics, and math tutoring. In the future, she wants to become an engineer.