The word intern is sometimes synonymous with menial tasks – fetching coffee, making copies, typing up fact sheets and running errands. For Blue Springs South High School graduate Alex Pratt, her summer internship was slightly different.</p><p>“We were urged to attend committee hearings. I actually got to watch the confirmation of Gen. David Petraeus, when President Obama put him in command of the Afghanistan War,” Pratt said. “Of course, I did run errands and make copies too,” she added with a laugh. </p><p>For five weeks this summer, Pratt was one of seven interns in U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts’ office, an internship she won’t soon likely forget.</p><p>“I’m so appreciative of the opportunity,” Pratt said. “My internship exceeded my expectations, definitely.” Pratt’s interest in law and politics started at an early age. </p><p>“My dad and brother are both attorneys and my brother is also running for Missouri Senate,” she said. “So growing up, I’ve always had an interest in law and been interested in political science and how politics affects people.” </p><p>In January, Pratt applied to be an intern at the senator’s office.</p><p>“I did research on different senators and kept coming back to Senator Roberts,” she said. “I heard great things about him and liked his politics. His was the only internship I applied for.”</p><p>After a long process of applications, letters of recommendation and an essay, Pratt was hired and began making plans to move to Washington D.C. for five weeks.</p><p>“In our intern packet, one of the things they talked about was getting a taste of D.C., learning to live and work there,” she said. </p><p>Pratt lived in the dorm rooms at George Washington University, which routinely keep their dorms open for summer interns.</p><p>“They require their students to live on campus all four years of school, so the dorms were more like apartments with bedrooms, a living room and kitchen,” Pratt explained. “But it was a new experience, living on my own in a big city. I live in Lawrence, Kan., for nine months out of the year while I go to KU, but I haven’t had to move so far away before.”</p><p>Soon, Pratt fell into the routine of life in D.C., learning the ins and outs of working at a senator’s office, visiting tourist attractions and learning her way around the city.</p><p>“I’m awful with directions, so learning the metro systems was a pretty big accomplishment for me,” Pratt said with a laugh. “I was especially proud when I could give people directions to things.” </p><p>Pratt said one of her favorite things in D.C. was exploring the neighborhoods.</p><p>“It sounds obvious and silly, but D.C. is such a historic place,” she said. “Even the grocery stores had plaques on them saying ‘this happened on this date here.’ It was so much fun to just wander around the neighborhoods and eat at the hole-in-the-wall places.” </p><p>Pratt said she also enjoyed working for the senator, a job that came with other perks.</p><p>“Working at the Senate Office, you see a ton of other lawmakers there so, despite the bad rap that politicians have gotten over the years, from what I saw, everyone was so happy and appreciative to be there, working for their country,” she said. </p><p>As for Pratt’s future in politics? She’s undecided.</p><p>“I’m finishing up at KU in May and this year I’m applying for law school,” she said. “I’m not sure I’d want to go into politics though. I think I’d enjoy it and like making a difference in people’s lives. But while I think it’s incredibly interesting, I’m not sure I’d want to make a career out of it.”</p><p>In the meantime, Pratt said she plans to help with her brother’s campaign and get ready to go back to school in the fall.</p><p>“I’m so thankful that I had the opportunity to be an intern in D.C.,” she said. “I’m sure it’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”</p><p><i>To reach Journal reporter Emily Jarrett, call 816-282-7018 or e-mail ejarrett@bluespringsjournal.com.</i>