Student winners threw out the first
pitch at the New Britain Rock Cats game.

For Law Day 2009, the CBA honored two American legends: Lincoln and baseball. The CBA held a Law Day coloring and essay contest for New Britain, CT students in elementary and middle schools. The grand prize was to join the CBA barbeque at the New Britain Rock Cats baseball game on May 1 and throw out the first pitches. Also attending the game were the law-related education volunteers, CBA members, families and friends.

"One of the prides of New Britain is the AA (minor league) baseball team, the New Britain Rock Cats," Dewey explains. "We wanted to get the youth involved in Law Day but also in their community; and, for our Law Day celebration we teamed with the Rock Cats, with the thought that there is nothing more American than baseball and Abraham Lincoln. This approach worked out well in attracting the youth of New Britain to participate in the essay and coloring contests."

The Law Day activities started in March with the coloring/essay contests with the New Britain public schools. Working with a school liaison, the CBA was able to spread awareness of the contests to elementary and middle schools and had 6,063 students participate. They highlighted the 2009 Law Day theme, A Legacy of Liberty: Celebrating Lincoln's Bicentennial, with age appropriate contests. Coloring contests for grades 1-3 showed pictures of Lincoln splitting rails, while the contests for grades 4-5 depicted Lincoln studying. The essay contest for grades 6-8 asked students to think about Lincoln’s Gettysburg address and his words, "a new birth of freedom," while exploring laws in the school.

In addition, the CBA has many law-related education (LRE) programs that take place in the schools and community centers around the state throughout the year. All the programs are lead by attorney volunteers. The CBA created the first annual LRE Award to honor a dedicated volunteer and distributed the award during the culmination of their Law Day activities at the New Britain Rock Cats game.

The CBA's Law Day 2009 celebration helped build a stronger working relationship with the New Britain public schools, the LRE volunteers, members and the community. Through this event they have more volunteers and are reaching more schools throughout Connecticut.

Attorney Melvin Oden-Orr responds to student questions.

Classroom Law Project's 29th Annual Law Day Conference explored the U.S. legal system and celebrated Lincoln's legacy through 16 exciting and pertinent workshops for high school students. Workshop topics included legal issues related to student rights, military enlistment, racism, and more.

"Workshops are engaging, topical, and so current that many are being argued in the courts today," states Cover. One of the workshops was even hosted by an Abraham Lincoln impersonator, highlighting the 2009 Law Day theme, A Legacy of Liberty: Celebrating Lincoln's Bicentennial.

Nearly 500 students from 18 different high schools attended this year's event located at Portland State University in Oregon. The workshops brought together educators, lawyers, police officers, and other community leaders with Oregon youth to discuss opinions and views about current legal issues. The students were exposed to new ideas and given access to resources to help them make informed decisions.

The planning committee, comprised of attorneys, educators, and civic leaders throughout Oregon, began planning the conference in Fall 2008. They brainstormed workshop topics and potential speakers, and contacted the Classroom Law Project's extensive teacher network for new ideas, based on their curriculum and students' interests.

In addition, student participants are invited to join a Student Law Day Committee whose purpose is to share ideas and input for the next conference. It's an exciting opportunity for the students to get more deeply involved and have a vested interest in the event's success. Also, by beginning the planning process early in the school year, teachers have an opportunity to incorporate topics into their lesson plans.

Honest Abe with the Dallas Bar Association's Law Day Committee Co-Chairs and student contest winners.

Following the 2009 Law Day theme, A Legacy of Liberty: Celebrating Lincoln's Bicentennial, the DBA reached hundreds in the local schools and community. In the schools, the DBA offered volunteer attorneys the opportunity to speak to the classrooms. Contests were administered to the elementary schools (art), middle schools (essay and photo) and high schools (editorial and photo). The high school students also participated through a mock voire dire demonstration at the local courthouse. For the local community, the celebration of law culminated with a luncheon honoring the local and state judiciary, as well as the first-place winners of the youth contests.

By partnering with community groups, schools and legal organizations, the DBA was able to effectively reach a broad audience with the Law Day message.

"The message of celebration and recognition of the rights and the responsibilities of our legal system will have lasting impact as approximately 2,000 children will see the legal system in a positive light," states Smith.

Legal professionals discuss with youth the responsibility that comes with turning 18 in the DVD, "You're 18? You’re an Adult."

The Kern County Bar Association Charitable Foundation (KCBACF) worked with multiple organizations and volunteers, over several months, to produce a DVD that effectively conveys the legal implications of turning 18. By utilizing this format of communication, the KCBACF, through the Kern County High School District, approximates that more than 65,000 teens will be exposed to this important information in the coming years. Many teens see becoming an adult as being free from limitations of being a minor. The DVD, "You're 18? You're an Adult", explains why becoming an adult bears many responsibilities as well as new freedoms.

Created with the participation of actual high school students, teachers and lawyers, the DVD includes a lively discussion with Deputy District Attorney Vikki Del Pellegrino and Deputy Public Defender Teryl Wakeman with teens about what it really means to turn 18. For instance, Del Pellegrino explains that while 18 year olds can legally enter a contract, so too, can they be sued for not abiding by the terms of the contract.

Completed in May 2009 for Law Day, the DVD has been shown in Government and Economic classes and the KCBACF aims to have this resource available online through the Kern Educational Television Network. Long after Law Day, the DVD will continue to have a lasting influence on youth.

"We're very excited about the positive impact this project has already had, and we are confident its impact will be far reaching," states Wilson.

In addition to the DVD, the KCBACF created an instructional PowerPoint for teachers, and accompanying quizzes and question sheets for student participation.

During a live webchat on Fox 6, Nicholas Desiato, Eric Knobloch, and Tim Johnson answer questions.

The MBA hosted a webchat and phone banks with the local FOX television affiliate in which attorneys answered real-time questions for the public to see online. In addition, they organized and sponsored the Law Day Community Partnership Event that attracted more than 700 attendees visiting 60 information booths set up by community groups and non-profit legal service providers and partnered with the county bar association to offer free legal clinics.

The MBA also partnered with the Washington High School in Milwaukee for their "Law, Education, and Public Service (LEAPS)" program. In 2009, the MBA provided students with a special four-hour program designed "to inform ... to educate ... to inspire" on our "Legacy of Liberty." Members of the local bench, bar, media, and law enforcement showed students how our system of laws is a unique legacy that all of us need to support.

In addition, the MBA partnered with the area Boy Scouts and Fire and Police Commission to hold a Law Day/Law Badge event. More than 50 scouts attended a day-long program by lawyers, judges, and law enforcement. By the end of the day, scouts were expected to define law, discuss the jury system, discuss laws and organizations that protect consumers, learn 15 jobs related to the law, witness a mock trial, and more.

"We partnered with more people and were exposed through more types of media than ever before," comments James Temmer, Executive Director, Milwaukee Bar Association.

High school award finalists with the Rochester Bar Association Law Day Committee and judges from the Rochester District Court who also served as oratory contest judges.

On May 13, 2009 the Rochester Bar Association (RBA) held its Fourth Annual Law Day Oratory Competition at the Older Persons Commission (OPC) in Rochester, Michigan. The audience was made up of senior citizens from the OPC and a local veterans organization, family members of the participants, and attorneys from the RBA.

The competition involved representatives from four high schools located within the 52-3 Rochester District Court Jurisdiction. Each student delivered a five to seven minute speech relating to the Law Day 2009 theme, A legacy of Liberty: Celebrating Lincoln's Bicentennial. In addition to the student's view point, for the first time in this competition, a representative from the OPC delivered a Law Day speech. Thus, allowing a comparison of perspectives between senior members of the community with that of high school students. The comparative views created a "fantastic inter-generational event," according to the OPC Senior Center Director, Rhonda Nelson.

The competition was judged by the three person bench of the 52-3 Rochester District Court and the winners received various cash awards, ABA Law Day medals and certificates.

Student judges are part of the court's Law Day events, seen here with U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Abrams of the Central District.

The Court hosted a program for 16 area high schools. The program centered on a mock trial with all student participants and actual counterparts (federal judge, attorneys, court clerk and court security officers) guiding them. Several students were witnesses; the remainder were divided into jury groups with each group reaching a verdict. Afterwards, the students heard presentations from the host judge, participating attorneys, pretrial services, and probation department. Deputies from the U.S. marshal services and their K-9 unit gave demonstrations. Over 800 students and teachers attended; approximately 120 Central District employees assisted in the four-day event.

Ms. Yurtchuk attributes the success of their Law Day program to multiple, detail-oriented committees. Committees were formed for all elements of the program, even handling the U.S. marshals and their K-9 unit. By having such a focus on all the details of the event, the program was able to run smoothly and was enjoyable for all those involved.

One teacher commented on the program, "It was such a pleasure to see my students actively involved in the mock trial in which we were fortunate to be invited to participate a few weeks ago. They were also very much impressed with the individual presentations they received beginning with Judge Johnson. The program was a HUGE success for them. On behalf of myself and my grateful and engaged students, thank YOU for helping me provide a memorable lesson to them ..."