Meeting our Governor’s Pages and learning about their goals is always one of the highlights of my week. As a career public servant, I appreciate the commitment of high school students from across our state who spend a week in Raleigh to learn about government from the inside.
This week, I had the chance to view this through the eyes and enthusiasm of a special Page: Dominika Krizanovicova, a high school junior from Slovakia in Central Europe, who is attending Cape Fear High School as a foreign exchange student. In flawless English, she explained why this volunteer opportunity was an important aspect of her American experience.
“I am very interested in learning how government works here and look forward to meeting the Governor,” she said. “I saw her lead the Council of State meeting and was impressed by how authoritative she is. Women in our government are not as prominent.”
Dominika, who hopes to return to America to study law, was surprised by the accessibility of state government leaders and awed by the office towers that dot the city. “We do not have many tall buildings at home,” she said. “I looked out at the city from the 14th floor of the Archdale Building and was so impressed.”
In addition to spending a week in the State Capitol, Dominka has seen much of North Carolina and plans to visit the mountains over winter break with her host family. “I’ve also been to New York City and Myrtle Beach, S.C.,” she said. “I had hoped to visit California, too, but I think instead I will try to see North Carolina’s beaches, especially the Outer Banks. I want to see and remember all these good things from my time here.”