Kongmanivong serves as page in state Senate

Alexis Kongmanivong, 15, served as a page in the state Senate during the fourth week of the 2016 Legislative session.

  • BY Wire Service
  • Wednesday, February 24, 2016 4:35pm
  • News
Alexis Kongmanivong on the Senate floor with her sponsor

Alexis Kongmanivong on the Senate floor with her sponsor

For the Reporter

Alexis Kongmanivong, 15, served as a page in the state Senate during the fourth week of the 2016 Legislative session.

Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Kent, sponsored Kongmanivong’s week in the Legislature.

“Alexis was a very bright and kind young woman,” Keiser said. “She added great value to our office and I have no doubt she will use well what she learned during her experience.”

During their week at the Legislature, pages assist senators and staff, hear lectures from guest speakers, and attend page school where they create their own bills in a mock committee setting. Kongmanivong worked on a bill regarding later school start times. Her bill focused on high schools and proposed a start time between 8 and 9 a.m., to be decided by individual schools.

“It was cool to go through the whole bill process and to feel how legislators feel,” she said. “I think it’s a great way — the best way — to learn about the legislative process.”

Pages have a variety of responsibilities during their week on campus that allow them to walk the halls of the Capitol and grant them special access around campus. Pages will often deliver documents in small groups and are scheduled with different pages throughout the week. Kongmanivong said this was her favorite aspect of the program and she made many new friends.

“Since day one, we’ve all had a connection,” she said. “We all went to lunch together and have grown our friendship.”

Kongmanivong said many of her friends have already asked her about how to get into the program. She encouraged anyone to try the program while they can, and had a few words of advice.

“Don’t be shy,” she said. “Make connections and you will have a great time.”

Kongmanivong, a sophomore at Mount Rainier High School, participates in the Young Executives of Color program and envisions a career in business and fashion. She has a passion for traditional Lao dancing and is an advanced dancer and teacher. Kongmanivong participates in an annual exchange program through which she visits Laos along with other dance students.


Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

More in News

t
New Veterans Drive tunnel under I-5 in Kent to open to traffic

Tunnel opens July 16 to give drivers another option rather than SR 516 interchange

St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way. Courtesy photo
Medicaid cuts projected to heavily impact, strain local hospitals

84 hospitals across the state — including those in Renton, Federal Way, Auburn, Snoqualmie, Enumclaw and more — are expected to continually lose millions in Medicaid revenue.

t
Man, 19, pleads guilty to 2024 crash that killed Kent baby

Faces sentence for vehicular homicide in death of 21-month-old boy along SR 18 in Maple Valley

t
Kent-based UTOPIA Washington partners with Seattle nonprofit

HealthierHere announces 4 new partnerships to help residents get essential health and social services

t
King County buys building for new Kent animal shelter

Plans to close current site in Kent and move 2 miles north in 2027 at cost of $19.5 million

Courtesy Photo, Kent Cornucopia Days
Street list closure for Kent Cornucopia Days

Downtown streets to close Thursday evening, July 10 through Sunday night, July 13

COURTESY PHOTO, ShoWare Center
The city-owned accesso ShoWare Center in Kent continues to lose money, including about $2.5 million over the last three years.
City of Kent-owned ShoWare Center loses $1 million in 2024

Record-high operating loss since arena opened in 2009; city covers losses from its general fund

Kent Police officers examine a black 2013 Chevrolet Camaro after it crashed July 7 into a day care facility along East Smith Street. COURTESY PHOTO, Puget Sound Fire
Man, 42, could face vehicular assault charge in Kent crash

Federal Way man driving westbound down Smith hill when Chevy Camaro crashed into building

File Photo, Kent Reporter
Kent Police Blotter: June 23 to July 5

Incidents include construction site burglary, cable wire theft, rock thrower

t
City of Kent receives two state grants for park projects

Awards of $939,600 and $500,000 from Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program

t
Two people in car injured in Kent after crash into building

Incident at about 1:38 a.m. Monday, July 7 at day care facility along East Smith Street

t
Kent once again a Sister City with El Grullo, Mexico

Both cities reaffirm their commitment to strengthening partnership at Kent City Hall gathering