WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced that he appointed Rance Smith, a junior at New Haven Academy in New Haven, as a U.S. Senate Page for the Spring 2016 Senate Page Program starting February 1, 2016. Rance is one of just thirty high school juniors from across the country to be selected for the prestigious program. As a Senate Page, Rance will help with the important day-to-day operations of the U.S. Senate.

“Rance is a stellar Connecticut student who demonstrates incredible leadership among his peers and in his community,” said Murphy. “This list is impressive—he is class president, a peer mediator, and is an active member of New Haven Academy’s Model UN, debate team, math team, and intramural basketball team. He has been recognized as a National Society of High School Scholar and is an all-around outstanding member of New Haven Academy’s community. The Senate Page Program is a rewarding opportunity for our nation’s future leaders to learn firsthand about public policy and develop the skills they’ll need to improve our communities through service.  I’m confident that Rance will excel in this environment, and I look forward to seeing him in Washington.”

Rance Smith said, "When applying, I was mainly focused on the experience that would be offered through the Senate Page Program. Meeting and connecting with the most deliberative body in the world is an honor and a blessing. I am looking forward to learning new and efficient ways of debate and mediation, in hopes of reaching a consensus, to which benefits everyone. I plan on bringing these strategies back to New Haven Academy's student government, as well as, the New Haven Citywide High School Student Cabinet. Most importantly, I will take this opportunity to strengthen my core and begin to mold myself into the person who I may be for the rest of my life, because without doing so, my time in Washington would just be another impressive description added onto my resume, rather than an experience I could reflect on and remember for the rest of my life."

"When we learned about the opportunity for students to apply for the senate page program, our team instantly thought of Rance. Rance embodies our mission of civic engagement and social action; he is a leader in the school community, in student government and every day, by example; and he is an outstanding student who has challenged himself each year to excel," said New Haven Academy Principal Greg Baldwin.

“Rance is a great example of the kind of leader we develop in the New Haven Public Schools. The district wishes him much success during his journey,” said New Haven Superintendent Garth Harries.

Page responsibilities include delivery of correspondence and legislative materials within the U.S. Capitol complex, taking messages for members, preparing the Chamber for Senate sessions, and carrying bills and amendments to the desk. Pages are also required to attend classes each morning at the Page School beginning at 6:15am. The Senate Page Program is administrated by the Sergeant at Arms, the Secretary of the Senate, and the party secretaries.