Herndon High School students in political science courses often get to experience what many college students only dream of — interning on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

Shane O’Flynn has been working as an intern for Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas). He said the laid-back atmosphere at his internship was surprising. Kenny Corum, an intern with the Alliance for Climate Protection said many of those who work in his office are younger than the thought it would be.

O’Flynn said he spends a lot of time helping sort through mail, taking photos and helping answer phones. He said he got to attend a hearing and has also given tours. “That’s always a lot of fun,” he said.

Corum said he worked on similar activities and has had a focus on communication during his internship. He said he looks for information and news on energy related topics and helps upload videos to the Internet. O’Flynn said he has learned a lot about communication during his internship and how important it is to take initiative and continue to look for things to do rather than wait for someone to give him an assignment.

Corum said he found that when it comes to working in Washington, D.C. being able to multitask is essential. He said staffers must be able to think on their toes, even though it is a more casual environment. He said he is thankful for the opportunity made available to him through teachers Doug Graney and Rebecca Smalls at HHS.

O’Flynn said he thought he might be treated differently as an intern but that hasn’t been the case. “It’s a pretty cool experience. It turns out it’s better than I thought,” he said. He said he has gotten to attend outside events with other staffers and Rep. Sessions took him out to dinner recently.

Kristina Biron has been working with Rep. Sue Myrick (R-N.C.). She said when beginning her internship she was nervous at first but soon became more comfortable. “I learned how the Capitol works,” she said. She said she a lot about the political process and about what she might face in a college internship.

Eftakhar Alam, an intern with Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) said, “It was a unique experience.” He said there is a noticeable difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate. He said beyond the difference in size in the two groups, the Senate is more formal, while the House is more relaxed. “My office, I just think it’s awesome,” he said.

During spring break Alam said he and his brother decided to travel to Utah to check out the landscape and where the senator he has been working for is from. He said it was a really great place and he enjoyed how friendly the residents were.

Victoria Le, who has been interning locally for Herndon Mayor Steve DeBenedittis, said her experience has been different yet. She said she works for a small office, but because it is small she has a good relationship with the staff there. She said she has learned a lot about local government, including zoning ordinances and roads, and has learned how to use the complicated office equipment.

“I do so much more than sitting at a computer and checking mail,” Biron said. She said she has gotten to meet lots of new people and one day a couple from Spain came to tour the Capitol and no one on staff could translate to them, so she got to give the tour since she knows Spanish. She said it was exciting to use her second language skills.

Elysia Phekoo, who is working for Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), said from the beginning everyone in her office was very friendly. She said she didn’t expect that congress members would have such large staffs. She said on most days she works helping the tour guide, checks messages and keeps a tally of why people contact Sen. Murray.

One day Phekoo was surprised by a large crowd of people standing just outside the office she works in only to find out that in the center of the crowd was Hillary Clinton. She said it’s also cool to see politicians like Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) while walking through the halls of Congress. “This is an amazing experience,” she said.