Point Loma High School (PLHS) junior Alice Hewitt is currently representing the Peninsula in the nation’s capitol. From now until June, the Ocean Beach native is taking part in the House of Representatives Page Program. Hewitt left to begin her Washington experience Jan. 21. “It’s an amazing opportunity and I’m really excited,” Hewitt said. “It’s something that most people won’t get the opportunity to do and I just feel so lucky that I was offered this opportunity.” As part of the program, Hewitt will spend the next five months living, learning and working in Washington, D.C. She will live in a residence hall two blocks from the Capitol Building, where she will work and take a normal high school course load in classes held in the Library of Congress. “This is such a growing opportunity that I can’t even imagine all the things I am going to learn about myself,” Hewitt said. While in Washington, D.C., Hewitt will also get the chance to be a part of a number of unique experiences. That started on Jan. 27, when she attended the State of the Union address. Hewitt beat out a number of national and local applicants for the honor and was appointed under the sponsorship of local Congresswoman Susan Davis. As part of the application process, Hewitt had to write to essays, get three letters of recommendation and complete a number of other forms. “It was pretty difficult. I spent a really long time getting my wording of the essays right and filling out the application form and getting the right teachers to do the letters of recommendation,” Hewitt said. “I couldn’t have done it without everyone’s support.” Hewitt has been to Washington, D.C. once before as part of a school trip in eighth grade. Her love for politics extends to listening to National Public Radio regularly and watching “The West Wing” avidly. “I like just knowing about what’s happening in the world and how it affects my life as well as those of others,” Hewitt said. “I don’t like back and forth and the negative aspects. I like the positive of issues and how it helps other people.” Hewitt has lived in Ocean Beach all her life and attended Warren-Walker School before PLHS. At the high school level, Hewitt is involved with the band and played on the varsity tennis team during her freshman and sophomore years. In addition to gaining personal and professional experience, Hewitt hopes to represent the Peninsula community during her time in the page program. “It’s such an honor and a responsibility to show well in the community because we are such a great community and I want to represent that,” Hewitt said.
