By Amy Nath
The week of March 17, students, judges, and attorneys across Hillsborough County came out in droves to enthusiastically celebrate Law Week 2014. Year after year, Law Week draws support from judge and attorney volunteers who choose to spend countless hours mentoring local elementary, middle, and high school students by leading courthouse tours, giving talks, or presenting mock trials.
School exam schedules required that Law Week be moved roughly six weeks earlier this year than in recent years, leaving Hillsborough County Bar Association Law Week organizers to wonder whether volunteer needs could be met in a significantly decreased amount of time. The organizers rallied for support, but their worry was unwarranted. Dozens of veteran volunteers raised their hands for an opportunity to work with the students again, and a new generation of Law Week volunteers stepped up as well. Once again, when all was said and done, thousands of Hillsborough County students and scores of attorney and judge volunteers actively participated in Law Week festivities.
Throughout the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse, children and tour leaders could be found attending proceedings or discussing the workings of the court system. In classrooms across the county, students performed the mock trial of The Three Bears v. Goldilocks, and volunteer attorneys discussed the Law Week 2014 theme, “American Democracy and the Rule of Law: Why Every Vote Matters.”
Although the theme is particularly relevant in election years like this one, it also reminds us that the fundamental right to vote must never be taken for granted. The topic of voting rights can be as important in an introductory lesson to elementary school students as it can be in a reminder discussion with high school seniors, reflecting on the importance of a citizen’s right to vote and the challenges we continue to face in ensuring that all Americans have the opportunity to participate in our democracy.
On behalf of the entire HCBA Law Week Committee, I extend a sincere “thank you” to the volunteers, students, and educators who helped create another fantastic and inspiring Law Week. We hope to see you next year!
The HCBA would like to thank all the volunteers who participated in Law Week 2014:
Classroom Speakers
Dale Appell
Zachary Bayne
Jennifer Waugh Corinis
Terin Barbas Cremer
Kevin Elmore
Diana Evans
Martha V. Evans
Cameron Frye
Alexandra Haddad
Lynn E. Hanshaw
Tom Hyde
Caroline Levine
Paul McDermott
Ryan McGee
Bradley Merritt
Felix Montanez
Anthony Palermo
Eliott Peace
Joshua Roman
Robert Webster
Courthouse Tour Guides
Tim Anderson Jr.
Tim Anderson Sr.
Carmen Bland
Chris Broussard
John Castro
Ed Comey
Gretchen Cothron
Antoine Daniels
Wendy DePaul
Katelyn Desrosiers
John Dingfelder
Katherine Fand
Christina Anton Garcia
Melissa Gonzalez
Tony Julian
Jared Kahn
Susan Lopez
Antina Mobley
Lauren Nayrouz
Jessica O'Connor
Tom Palermo
Sara Peacock
Elyse Roenick
Jennifer Strouf
Mock Trial Volunteers
Chris Bentley
Cecilia Bidwell
Jan Brown
Judge Marva L. Crenshaw
Jackie Coleman
Vivian Cortez
Eric Cruz
Antoine Daniels
Frank Deak
Sacha Dyson
Brandon Faulkner
Janice Garren
Brian Guthrie
Charles Harden
Sam Harden
George Harder
Mark Heilig
Cullan Jones
Rachel Jones
Kyle Lee
Barbara Leon
Caroline Johnson Levine
Maegen Peek Luka
Melody Manning
Jason Margolin
Judge Mark Massey
Paul McDermott
Brad McDonald
Whitney Miranda
Richard Mockler
William Edwards Muniz
Jeff Patenaude
Nathan Paulich
Wendy Powell
Matthew Ransdell
Tara Rao
Amanda Sansone
Dale Swope
Ashley E. Taylor
Donna Wysong
Jennifer Wallace
Rachel Zysk
