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IKAAHUK/SACHS HARBOUR - It might not be too long before Brittney Esau becomes a household name around the NWT.

The 13-year-old Sachs Harbour student had the opportunity this February to rub elbows with the people who keep the territory running when she worked as a page at the legislative assembly.

Brittney Esau, 13, spent a week in Yellowknife working as a page at the Legislative Assembly in mid-February. The enthusiastic Sachs Harbour Grade 8 student said she had a great experience. - photo courtesy of Debbie Budgell

Esau said her teacher and principal submitted her name to the program along with her cousin.

"I was really excited when I found out I got chosen," she said, adding she was excited to travel to Yellowknife to see her mom. "It was nice to travel."

Esau said she was nervous when she went down to Yellowknife, where she spent five days paging during the recent sitting of the house.

"I was kind of nervous," she said. "We got to meet a whole bunch of other kids. There were eight of us, two from Hay River and four from Yellowknife. I really enjoyed getting to meet new people.

"I had to learn where every office was and who each MLA was. We had to get them water and pass around notes. We also had to take notes to their offices. I didn't find it too hard."

Esau said she got to meet most of the MLAs, including ministers Bob and Michael McLeod as well as Speaker of the House Paul Delorey.

"The Speaker said he was happy to have us there and hoped we could come back again," she said, adding her favourite MLA was Nunakput's Jackie Jacobson.

"He's really funny. Every time I'd grab his water he said he'd like a cheeseburger too."

Debra Budgell, principal at the Sachs Harbour school said she was approached by the GNWT for students at the school who would like to page.

"It was a really good experience," she said. "I wondered how they would handle being out in Yellowknife but it turned out well for them. I'm glad they were chosen to go.

"They learned a lot more than just about politics. It was a good experience for her to be able to do it."

Esau's teacher said she's got a quirky sense of humour, is very athletic and is a very out-going and friendly student, a perfect fit for the job.

The Grade 8 student said she learned a lot about how things work at the Legislative Assembly and thinks she might like to get into politics in the future.

"It was exciting to learn some things first, before other people got to hear it," she said, talking about plans for a new youth center in Sachs Harbour.

"It's really neat to be able to help out people in the North."