(Message from IDP we felt important to pass along)

Friends,

In just a few months, the Iowa Democratic Party will join delegates from across the country to share in the excitement of re-nominating Barack Obama for President!

And once again, we are inviting talented young people across the state who wish to represent Iowa to apply to participate in the Convention Page Program during the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina this September.

During the course of the convention, which will run from September 3 to September 6, 2012, our delegation will provide pages with a positive educational experience while fostering a new generation of Democrats through direct participation in the convention process.

Consistent with years past, pages will be involved in vital convention-related activities such as acting as floor runners, ushering our delegates to and from locations, assisting with caucus meetings, distributing official convention materials, and assisting with public and media relations related tasks. Meanwhile, there will be several activities planned throughout the week and duties may differ each day.

In Charlotte, the Iowa Democratic Party plans to utilize a range of audio, video, online, and social media communication tools as a means to provide National Delegates, and members of our Party in Iowa and around the country, with the most informative, creative, and memorable convention experience imaginable. Although experience in one or more of these technical areas is preferred, it is not required in order to apply. Pages will work closely with the Iowa Democratic Party staff, and will receive any necessary technical guidance and training in order to most effectively meet our Convention goals.

Candidates for the Iowa Democratic Party National Convention Page Program must be:

* Enthusiastic about helping to re-elect President Obama and other Democrats up and down the ticket

* Willing to volunteer long and irregular hours, potentially including weekends (to be determined by page and IDP staff)

* Personally organized and self-motivated

* Comfortable with public speaking and have strong communications skills

* Knowledgeable of communications technology and proficient with social media

Pages will be expected to arrive prior to the start of the convention on Sunday, Sept 2nd and remain in Charlotte until Friday, September 7th. Pages are expected to attend an orientation, work a full day, and attend all scheduled events during the convention.

Pages will also be responsible for paying for their own transportation to and from Charlotte (including airport transfers to and from their hotel), lodging expenses, and any incidentals. Some scholarship monies may be available, to be determined at a later date. Pages will be assigned a roommate and will be housed with the Iowa delegation at a nearby hotel during the week. Upon acceptance, further information on the specific hotel and transportation fees will be sent to the participants.

In order to be eligible to apply, page applicants must be at least 16 years old. All applicants under the age of 18 who wish to apply must have a parent or legal guardian’s consent prior to submitting their application materials. Accepted applicants under the age of 18 must be accompanied to Charlotte, NC, by a parent or legal guardian for the entirety of their time at the National Convention. (italics added)

The page position is a strictly volunteer role; however the experience will be an incredible opportunity to develop new skills while participating in a truly memorable event you won’t soon forget.

To learn more about the process of becoming a page, please visit the National Convention page on our website. If you have additional questions, please contact our office by calling 515.244.7292.

If this opportunity is one you’d like to pursue, please send us an email describing why you want to become a Page for the 2012 Democratic National Convention, along with your resume and portfolio (if applicable) to kjones@iowademocrats.org.

Up to two Pages will be accepted per state. Therefore, interested individuals are encouraged to apply early in order to be given proper consideration. All applications are due by 5pm on Friday, June 1, 2012.

Sincerely,

Sue Dvorsky
Chair, Iowa Democratic Party