Way to Go!: Northport student participates in Senate Page Program

A Northport student got a firsthand look at the government’s inner workings through her participation in the U.S. Senate Page Program in the nation's capital.

Emma Canfora, 17, a senior at Northport High School, was one of about 30 students nationwide — and the only student from New York — selected to participate in the program, which required her to spend the spring 2018 semester in Washington, D.C.

To be considered, Canfora submitted her high school transcript and three letters of recommendation, among other materials. Her duties included setting up the Senate floor for legislative sessions, delivering correspondence between senators and distributing legislative material throughout the congressional complex. 

“I feel it’s our duty to be informed and involved in as many aspects of our government as possible, so when I was the only student selected from New York, I was determined to take every opportunity and learned as much as possible,” Canfora said.

Highlights during her time there included attending the State of the Union address, which Canfora called “surreal,” and receiving guidance from Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) on how to maintain friendships with people with whom one disagrees politically. Pages also attended classes at the United States Senate Page School, a program accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. 

At Northport High, Canfora is a member of the school’s law team and the community service club Our Town.   

By Michael R. Ebert

michael.ebert@newsday.com

Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.