By Shirley Shuman
Kaiden Perkins, currently a senior at Braxton County High School, spent one semester as a U.S. Senate page. Each semester, 30 students are selected to serve as pages in the Senate, and Perkins was fortunate to be one of those. He recently reflected on the experience and what it meant to him.
The young man explained that he, along with other West Virginia students, applied to the office of Senator Joe Manchin, one of 30 U.S. Senators privileged to have a page for that particular semester. Perkins feels fortunate to have had the experience and discussed some of the activities in which he and other pages participated. “As a Senate page, I had the privilege of serving senators directly by delivering correspondence, preparing the chamber for sessions, and distributing legislative materials,” he noted.
He also mentioned that, along with these responsibilities, the pages “had a front row seat to history in the making, sitting just steps away from pivotal debates and votes that shape our nation’s future.” He felt especially honored “assisting in the delivery of the State of the Union invitations to senators” and called it “an incredible honor to play even a small role in such a significant event.”
Referring to it as “the most unforgettable moment of the program,” Perkins emphasized his reaction to attending President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address. He noted, “As pages, we lined up two by two behind the senators in the chamber. Vice President Harris led the procession from the Senate chamber through the Rotunda to the House chamber.” He added, “The moment we stepped out, we were met with a dazzling array of camera flashes, photographers capturing every step. It felt surreal, like a dream unfolding before my eyes. As a kid from a small town in West Virginia, I felt truly blessed to walk into a room filled with some of the most powerful men and women not only in our nation but in the world.”
Perkins did emphasize that the pages did not spend all of their time in the Senate chamber. As high school students missing a semester of school, they attended the Senate Page School, in which they studied English, science, math, and history. Their academic time came early each morning in the residence reserved for Senate pages. They woke early, “often heading to school as early as 5:30 a.m.” where they faced “a rigorous program designed to accommodate our unique schedules while ensuring we met academic requirements.” Their class began promptly at 6:15 a.m. and ended “about an hour and a half before the Senate convened. “
Even when the Senate was not in session, the pages reported to the Capitol where they used the time to catch up on their homework. Regarding doing homework in the U.S. Capitol, Perkins commented,” I felt incredibly honored to complete assignments, especially U.S. history homework, . . . surrounded by the history I was studying. I would read about a senator from the early 1900s passionately debating legislation, then glance up and see their historic desk just ten feet away. The experience was both surreal and deeply inspiring.”
On a lighter side, Perkins mentioned that one of his favorite times during the time he spent in Washington, D.C. was touring the city with his fellow pages. “Since I had been there before, I enjoyed showing them around because they were people who would understand like me.” He also noted that he enjoyed being with the other pages because they had common interests in government and history.
Summarizing his experience, Perkins said the U.S/ Senate Page Program was “one of the most incredible experiences of [his] life.” He added, “I had the opportunity to meet esteemed leaders such as former Vice President Mike Pence and Dr. Ben Carson, who served in the first Trump administration.” He continued, “If given the chance, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. The program felt like home—it surrounded me with like-minded individuals who share my goals and ambitions, creating an environment that challenged and inspired me to grow. Thriving in such a demanding setting was both humbling and empowering, and it remains a defining chapter of my journey.”