Miss-Delectable
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Deaf teen works as page at Capitol | rankinledger.com | The Rankin Ledger
Derek Schmitz said he would have crossed politics off his list of potential careers, but a one-week stint as a page at the Capitol persuaded the 19-year-old from Florence to give it a second chance.
The Mississippi School for the Deaf student is one of hundreds of youths selected each year to assist lawmakers, but Schmitz is the first from his school.
"It's awesome," Schmitz said through a sign-language interpreter. "I have learned a lot about the legislative process. Before this, I would have said no to politics. But now I'm on the fence."
Schmitz described the inside of the Capitol as "the bomb," saying the building's architecture provided a pleasant work environment. He said he had never been to the Capitol before.
"I thought it was a great opportunity for Derek to see how the Legislature works," said Sandra Edwards, School for the Deaf superintendent. "He's learned a lot, and he plans to share it with the student body."
Schmitz has attended the School for the Deaf since he was 5. He was born deaf but uses sign language and can lip read.
Schmitz is paging for Rep. John Mayo, D-Clarksdale. They met when Mayo toured the Jackson campus.
"We spoke briefly, and the representative took interest in me," Schmitz said. "He felt I'd be a good page."
Mayo said not only was Schmitz a great page, but he interacted well with the other pages.
"I believe they learned more from him about signing and that deaf persons can perform duties as well as hearing persons," Mayo said. "I think that the more we are exposed to one another in our differences, the better of we all become in our day-to-day dealings and acceptance of each other."
Schmitz said he was surprised by the inside baseball of politics: what he thought would be a quick procedure became a heated debate on the House floor.
"People are really passionate about their issues," Schmitz said. "It's interesting to see that in people."
Schmitz, now a senior, plans to attend Gallaudet University in Washington in the fall to study biological sciences. He said his goal is to become a veterinarian, getting his bachelor's from Gallaudet and then going to Mississippi State University for veterinary school.
Schmitz said he would like to open a clinic, although he's unsure what his specialty will be.
"In terms of animals, I love them all," he said. "I don't care as long as it's animals."
Derek Schmitz said he would have crossed politics off his list of potential careers, but a one-week stint as a page at the Capitol persuaded the 19-year-old from Florence to give it a second chance.
The Mississippi School for the Deaf student is one of hundreds of youths selected each year to assist lawmakers, but Schmitz is the first from his school.
"It's awesome," Schmitz said through a sign-language interpreter. "I have learned a lot about the legislative process. Before this, I would have said no to politics. But now I'm on the fence."
Schmitz described the inside of the Capitol as "the bomb," saying the building's architecture provided a pleasant work environment. He said he had never been to the Capitol before.
"I thought it was a great opportunity for Derek to see how the Legislature works," said Sandra Edwards, School for the Deaf superintendent. "He's learned a lot, and he plans to share it with the student body."
Schmitz has attended the School for the Deaf since he was 5. He was born deaf but uses sign language and can lip read.
Schmitz is paging for Rep. John Mayo, D-Clarksdale. They met when Mayo toured the Jackson campus.
"We spoke briefly, and the representative took interest in me," Schmitz said. "He felt I'd be a good page."
Mayo said not only was Schmitz a great page, but he interacted well with the other pages.
"I believe they learned more from him about signing and that deaf persons can perform duties as well as hearing persons," Mayo said. "I think that the more we are exposed to one another in our differences, the better of we all become in our day-to-day dealings and acceptance of each other."
Schmitz said he was surprised by the inside baseball of politics: what he thought would be a quick procedure became a heated debate on the House floor.
"People are really passionate about their issues," Schmitz said. "It's interesting to see that in people."
Schmitz, now a senior, plans to attend Gallaudet University in Washington in the fall to study biological sciences. He said his goal is to become a veterinarian, getting his bachelor's from Gallaudet and then going to Mississippi State University for veterinary school.
Schmitz said he would like to open a clinic, although he's unsure what his specialty will be.
"In terms of animals, I love them all," he said. "I don't care as long as it's animals."