Video Introduces the First of Two Court Camp Models
Opening the Doors for More Joint Ventures by Courts and Chapters
Watch this space for court camp agendas and resources.
Two models of court camps – a day program at a courthouse on Long Island and a residential program at a law school in Utah – are breaking new ground for FBA chapters to assist courts with their civics education initiatives.
Last year, U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Bianco, an FBA member and the Civics Liaison for the Eastern District of New York chapter, pioneered the first-ever court camp and called it the Justice Institute. He brought into the effort Eastern New York Chapter President Dina Miller and the Touro Law Center. The Justice Institute is a five-day immersion program for middle school students on Long Island. Last year, some 90 participants interacted with justice system professionals, observed hearings, and learned about Miranda v. Arizona, which they applied to a fictional, but realistic, teen scenario in which young people could find themselves.
Watch this 4.5 minute video to get the flavor of the Justice Institute.
Last fall, Rob Clark, an FBA member in the Salt Lake City Utah Chapter, came up with the concept of a five-day residential court program called Civics, Law, and Leadership Youth Camp. The program, which has a strong leadership component, will be conducted at the BYU law school in Provo, UT. Students from across the country are eligible to apply for the inaugural session this summer. In addition to working with law professors, lawyers, and judges in realistic proceedings, students will live on campus and will get exposure to the law school. Students also will learn the skills to become civically engaged in their communities and beyond.
FBA members and judges are invited to observe all or part of these programs.
The 2017 Justice Institute is July 10-14 at the courthouse in Central Islip on Long Island. To make arrangements to observe the program, contact Dina Miller at dina_miller@nyed.uscourts.gov or (631) 712-5732.
The first Civics, Law, and Leadership Youth Camp is July 31 to August 4, 2017. To make arrangements to observe the program, contact Rob Clark at rclark@parrbrown.com at Parr Brown Gee & Loveless in Salt Lake City or (801) 257-7910.
More about the growing trend establishing court camps: