Emily Horrocks is spending six weeks this winter as a House page inside the Idaho Legislature.
While most of her classmates at Century High School in Pocatello are sitting in class and attending basketball games, Emily is sitting in committee meetings and attending House sessions.
"Kids complain about high school and high school isn't even hard," Horrocks said. "They're like, 'Class is boring'. I'm like, 'I just sat through JFAC, you don't even know what boring is'".
For those that aren't up on their legislative slang, that's the Joint Appropriations Finance Committee.
The nine House and nine Senate pages, though, are more than familiar with the everyday lingo and inner workings of the legislature.
Pages are on their feet most of the day at the beck and call of the legislators.
"You're going to do anything [they ask]," Horrocks said. "Stuff envelopes, you're going to set up committee rooms... you're going to get water."
Horrocks said the page program is similar to a paid internship. Pages make eight dollars an hour, but, most of them, are still in school during their time at the Statehouse.
"It's going to school full-time and working full-time," she said. "When I go back, it's going to make high school seem so much easier that I won't know what to do with myself."
Horrocks said she doesn't know if pursuing a career in politics is in her future, but the opportunity to work as a page has allowed her to put her best foot forward.
"I think it has enabled me to have a... stronger foundation as I go out and look for other jobs," Horrocks said. "Also, it looks good when you can have the Speaker of the House write you a letter of recommendation."
