Four Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) seniors are representing the school system this year in the Maryland General Assembly’s Student Page Program. They are seniors Jordyn Davis, Gabrielle Moore, Madeleine Schmidt and Vernon Stover.
Each of this year’s selected participants are leaders among CCPS students in the areas of academics, student government, athletics and extracurricular activities. Davis, Moore and Schmidt were chosen as program representatives and Stover is the program alternate this year. Students in the program, including the alternate, participate in the Maryland General Assembly’s legislative session.
Selected pages serve two nonconsecutive weeks, during the 13 weeks of session. The session runs from the second week in January to early April, each page serves one week during the first seven weeks and returns for a second week of service during the last six.
More than 100 Maryland high school students participate in the program annually, each serving as a representative of their respective school district. Three representatives are chosen from each district with a fourth student serving as an alternate. Students can apply during their senior year and the selection process is competitive. Applicants must demonstrate an interest in the program and interview before a panel of judges.
Davis is a senior at North Point High School. They heard about the program in ninth grade and applied for the program as soon as she became a senior. Davis learned more about the opportunity through friends who were student pages in last year’s program.
With their passion in government and the law, Davis saw an opportunity and took it. Davis comes from a family of members in the government. “My grandparents are in the government. They were a part of an organization called Blacks in Government.” Davis said. “Since I was two years old, I’ve been looking to see how it works.”
When Davis is not working at Cracker Barrel or playing sports they are serving in government associations at the school, county and state levels. Davis is the president of the school’s Student Government Association (SGA), a member of the mock trial team, math team, Math Honors Society and National Honors Society (NHS). Davis also serves as a member of the Charles County Association of Student Councils (CCASC) and serves on the Maryland Association of Student Councils (MASC) civic engagement committee and legislative subcommittee. Davis is also a dual enrollment student at the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) in the early college program.
In the program, they look forward to working with Maryland representatives to learn more about the functions of their role. Davis is also excited about working with other student pages in the program.
After high school, Davis plans to attend North Carolina Central University to major in political science on a pre-law track in a dual accelerated program at the school with a minor in economics and public administration.
Moore is a senior at St. Charles High School with dual enrollment in the early college program at the CSM. She was first encouraged to apply for the student page program through a counselor that she had at the American Legion Auxiliary’s (ALA) marquee Girls State program. She then learned more about the page program through a representative of the Maryland House of Delegates and on www.ccboe.com.
Moore finds herself involved in government office positions at school and in the community. She is the recent past vice president of SGA at St. Charles and former environmental affairs coordinator on the county level. She currently serves as the president of the Charles County NAACP youth chapter and as a public affairs coordinator on the executive board for the NAACP Maryland Youth College Division. She is the recent past president of the Southern Maryland chapter of Jack and Jill of America’s Youth Leadership Program. She is currently a member of Top Teens of America, serving as the first vice president of the Southern Maryland chapter and the Top Teens Area 2 financial secretary.
She said that she is looking forward to the program to serve on the Maryland government level, to meet state senators and to learn more about Maryland’s processes. “I am also excited to meet up with friends that I made at the ALA’s marquee Girls State program who were also selected as pages for the program this year,” Moore said.
After high school, Moore plans to transfer her CSM credits and attend a four-year college as a communications major. As she continues to apply to colleges and get acceptances, she is keeping her options open as she has her eyes set on a Maryland school.
“Overall, regardless of where I go, I plan to continue in my educational journey and possibly get a law degree or even a PhD because I believe learning is essential,” Moore said.
Schmidt is a senior at La Plata High School. She was first introduced to the page program in middle school by her parents and it became something that she looked forward to applying to when she became a senior. As her interest in law grew in high school, naturally she found herself applying for the program.
When she first received the news that she was accepted in the program, she was excited. “I was jumping up and down waving the letter everywhere, saying ‘Mom, I got in,’” she said.
When Schmidt isn’t on the field playing lacrosse and field hockey, she is heavily involved in government associations at the school. She acts as the current SGA president, is a member of mock trial, Key Club, NHS and the National English Honors Society.
The page program provides a great opportunity for high school students to learn more about Maryland’s government. “I am looking forward to enriching my knowledge on how government works especially in the state of Maryland,” Schmidt said. “I am excited to meet new people — specifically students who have shared interest in the government field.”
After high school, Schmidt plans to attend a four-year college and then law school to become a sports agent for the National Hockey League (NHL).
Stover is a senior at North Point who seizes every opportunity that approaches him. He first learned about the student page program from his AP government teacher and decided to apply for the opportunity.
He applied for the program to learn more about the legislative work that the program houses as well as seeing how the legislative process works. “I was interested in seeing how the experienced politicians work with the Maryland environment and hopefully an opportunity to network as well,” he said.
Stover currently serves as the vice president of SGA and is the 2022-2023 CCASC president. He is involved in any county student leadership opportunities that spark his interest finding any opportunity to grow in his government knowledge and experience.
After high school, he plans to attend a four-year historically black college and university (HBCU) to major in political science. He plans to also stay involved in community outreach opportunities, add to his resume and eventually work his way up in Maryland state government office.
