Washington, D.C. -- A Moanalua High School junior will be taking her love of history, curiosity in government, and devotion to the U.S.S. Missouri Memorial to Washington, D.C. this summer for an experience of a lifetime on Capitol Hill.

U.S. Representative Neil Abercrombie today announced the appointment of Marissa S. Kubo, 17, a Moanalua High School junior, to the U.S. House Page Program’s 2009 summer session which will enable her to work this summer in the U.S. House of Representatives in a program steeped in tradition and history.

“The Page Program’s summer session is simply one of the most unique summer jobs any teenager will experience, and the program’s 200-year history is a perfect fit for Ms. Kubo whose love for history is something to admire,” Abercrombie said. “She has consistently challenged herself in her academic life and has been successful in her endeavors. She will be an outstanding representative of our state and First Congressional District because of her accomplishments in school and the community.”

Abercrombie last month was given the rare opportunity of selecting a page from his First Congressional District. Selected House members—on a rotating basis—are tapped by the Speaker of the House to fill 72 Page positions for a semester or summer session. After a month-long application process, Abercrombie named Kubo to receive his appointment to this year’s summer session which runs from July 5 to July 31.

“Attending this program in Washington, D.C. will allow me to put all of my historical knowledge in context,” said Kubo whose interest in government was raised after taking an online advanced placement U.S. history course that electronically linked her from Moanalua to an AP class at Iolani School during the past academic year. “Nothing would interest me more than seeing this government in action. Being a part of the House of Representatives will deepen my respect for the American political system and heighten my political awareness.”

“Marissa is one of the most talented history students I’ve encountered in my career,” said Russell D. Motter, Kubo's online history teacher who works in Iolani School’s history department. “Marissa doesn’t just memorize the facts, she interrogates history in a way that gives her arguments persuasiveness that one rarely finds in the work of a teenager.”

Kubo’s enthusiasm for history has been passed on to many visitors at the U.S.S. Missouri Memorial at Pearl Harbor where she volunteers as a tour guide. “As a tour guide, Marissa was responsible for learning the basic history of the ship and on a weekly basis continues to share that knowledge with our visitors who come from all over the world,” said Maria Cristina Rivera, tour supervisor of the U.S.S. Missouri Memorial. “It is not uncommon for Marissa to return from a tour full of questions that she then incorporates into her presentation, enhancing the visitor’s experience as well as her own breadth of information. Visitors have consistently commented on the professionalism and enthusiasm that Marissa displays.”

Kubo is also a member of Moanalua’s math and science teams and plays the oboe in the school’s symphony orchestra. In her spare time, she also plays the piano.

Pages have been serving the House of Representatives for nearly 200 years. Working as a team, Pages assist members of the House with their legislative duties, deliver correspondence and small packages within the congressional complex, answer phones in the Member cloakrooms, and prepare the House Floor for sessions.

High school juniors work as Pages in the U.S. House. While serving the House, Pages live in Washington D.C., at the Page Residence Hall, a few blocks away from the Capitol.

Marissa is the daughter of Kevin and Christine Kubo of Aiea.

-30-