November 2007

THE GROWTH OF LAW-RELATED EDUCATION IN NEVADA

BY MARCIA ELLIS, LAW-RELATED EDUCATION COORDINATOR, STATE BAR OF NEVADA

Law-related education programs in Nevada are growing by leaps and bounds.  Nevada’s students are enjoying the thrill of competition while developing valuable life skills and learning about the law, the U.S. Constitution, and our system of government.  In addition, teachers around the state are incorporating programs such as “We the People . . . the Citizen and the Constitution,” “Project Citizen,”  “Law Day,” and “and High School Mock Trial Competition” into their history and government curriculums.  In the process, teachers (and those who help deliver these programs) are also helping students become better citizens.

While learning about the law, students are constantly challenged to develop mental skills including critical and strategic thinking, organization and presentation, problem solving, and teamwork.

Imagine the excitement of a student who is able to speak before a group of people for the first time. Or, envision the collective growth of a group of young people learning what it is like to work as a team on a project and then to see that project through to its fruition.  Or picture their enthusiasm when meeting a judge or attorney in a non-threatening and non-confrontational setting.  On top of all of this, Law Related Education provides is an opportunity for students to gain a new appreciation and understanding of the legal profession-- and not rely on the images painted by those dramatic characters so familiar to television and movie audiences.

This is where YOU can have some impact!!!  Whether it is a short, one-time event or a more involved program of coaching and mentoring for the “Mock Trials” or “We the People. . . .,” students will benefit greatly from your interactions with them.  Attorneys and judges who participate in these programs reap the rewards of helping these young people grow and develop into wiser and more responsible citizens.  

The list of programs for you to participate in is like a full menu, ranging from the fun and easy-to-implement Law Day dialogue programs to one-time presentations on various topics of interest to youth to the more meaty involvement with We the People and the High School Mock Trial Competition. 

There are now some new program initiatives for you to consider as well:

●The Third Branch Project, a new initiative from the Board of Governors, will center around attorneys going to classrooms and engaging students in a dialogue to help them better understand the functions of the judiciary system, the various professional roles that make the court system work, and hopefully, to demystify the workings of the court system. 

● Court Tours is a collaboration between State Bar of Nevada and Project REAL (Relevant Education About the Law).  In this program, classes will visit a courtroom in session to observe the proceedings, the people who keep the court activities flowing, and the types of cases dealt with.  The courtroom visit is followed up by an attorney’s visit to the classroom to talk with the students about their observations and impressions of courtroom activities. One anticipated outcome of this program is that students will be more familiar with how a real court works (and not rely on what they see on TV shows). 

● Imagine helping students understand public policy through Project Citizen. Through a deliberative process, students (whether in a class or in an after-school program) determine one problem or issue within their community they feel they can have a voice in trying to correct or improve. The class works through a four-step-process, guided by the teacher, to determine a solution to the chosen problem/issue and suggests a solution to an appropriate governing body.  You may have heard several years ago of a case where students presented a case to the Nevada State Legislature on the necessity of students having cell phones on campus during school hours.  YES: middle school students were able to take a proposal to Nevada’s legislative body.   Not every project gets this kind of audience, but it does give students confidence that they can have a voice in what goes on their respective communities.

● We the People  is one of the ongoing programs with which coaches are always helpful in prepping/training the students as they prepare for their simulated congressional hearing. In We the People, students study about the development of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. They discuss the issues faced by the framers and the founding fathers when they met in Philadelphia to solidify a government for this developing nation.  Students are asked to formulate opinions about the relevance of the U.S. Constitution today, how the Constitution impacts their daily lives, and to speculate on how the Constitution or our system of government might be different if the demographics of the Constitutional Convention had been different, along with other relevant, thought-provoking topics.

I have met many people-- attorneys and teachers-- who feel they don’t know enough to help coach a class on this subject. But it is easier than you think. Students respond to specific questions and the volunteer coach will guide them in determining whether or not their answer is on target or if more information is needed. And you may find that all that studying you did “way back when” will come back to you.

● High School Mock Trial competition is also a popular program in schools across the state. This is an extra-curricular program in which teams of students, six to eight students per team, study a fictional case selected for the competition. Team members and their teacher and attorney coach determine the role each student will play, whether it is prosecution or defense, witness or attorney. The students rehearse their roles diligently for several weeks, practicing after school or on weekends, guided by their attorney coach. There are two regional competitions (Reno and Las Vegas) with eight winning teams moving on the state competition. Some students choose to study for a profession in law as a result of their experiences in mock trial competition! 

The opportunities for you to interact with young people and to have a positive impact on their development and education are numerous.  You decide how often and when your schedule allows you to participate. Giving your time and expertise in this way is very rewarding for you and for the youngsters.

If you would like to participate in law-related education programs or if you want more information, contact Marcia Ellis at the State Bar of Nevada, marciae@nvbar.org, or 702-317-1408, or Cathi Britz at cathib@nvbar.org.