Schools

Mt. Carmel's Anna Page Chosen as Alternate for U.S. Senate Program

Page, a senior at Mount Carmel High School, was chosen as the first alternate for the United States Senate Youth Program.

Updated 10:17 p.m. Tuesday with a comment from Page.

Anna Page, a Mount Carmel High School senior who has said she wants to be president of the United States one day, has been chosen as the first alternate delegate for the 2013 United States Senate Youth Program, it was announced Monday.

“They are among California’s—as well as the nation’s—top scholars, and I applaud their achievements, both inside and outside the classroom," State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said in a statement about the two delegates and two alternates. "They are leaders and champions and, most impressive of all, they are dedicated to helping others and strengthening their communities.

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“I’m amazed at what these four outstanding young people have accomplished."

Page, who was chosen as one of Patch's 30 Under 30 Leaders for 2012,  is a student board member for the Poway Unified School District and a student member of the Rancho Peñasquitos Town Council. According to Monday's announcement, she also has a 4.22 GPA, is a black belt in Karate and is youth director on the California YMCA Youth & Government Board of Directors.

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"Being selected as an alternate for the United States Senate Youth Program is a tremendous honor," Page said in an email to Patch. "Past winners of this award have been Karl Rove, Chris Christie and other top officials whom I aspire to be like."

The United States Senate Youth Program provides a week of "intensive study of the federal government as guests of the United States Senate" in Washington, D.C. in March for two delegates from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, plus a $5,000 scholarship sponsored by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, according to the program's website.

The alternates only get to attend if one of the delegates is unable to. All four students, are scheduled to be recognized during the State Board of Education's meeting Jan. 16-17 in Sacramento.

Page said being chosen an alternate will only make her work harder.

"Though I did not win, coming close serves as an incentive to continue to work harder towards accomplishing my goals. I am grateful for the incredible opportunity to travel to Sacramento in January and look forward to meeting the program recipients," she said in the email.

"I am also very appreciative of everyone who made this opportunity possible for me and am honored to represent not only my school, but entire district."

All had to be nominated by their school principal. A California Department of Education selection committee reviewed the nominees and Torlakson selected the finalists based on their leadership, academic achievements and community activities. A total of 71 students from across the state were nominated.

The two selected delegates for California were Josephine Kao, a senior at a senior at Mira Loma High School in the San Juan Unified School District in Sacramento County, and Deeksha Goyal, a senior at Redlands East Valley High School in the Redlands Unified School District in San Bernardino County.

The second alternate is Stefano Rumi, a junior at the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies in the Los Angeles Unified School District.


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