Students in Maricopa got a practical civics lesson during Constitution Week as volunteer attorneys and judges visited local classrooms to talk about the U.S. Constitution and how it applies in daily life, according to InMaricopa.
At Leading Edge Academy, attorney Ken Misajet, managing attorney at Stone Rose Law, spoke with students about the First and Fourth Amendments and tried to keep the discussion focused on real-world examples. The Arizona Bar Foundation’s annual Connecting with Classrooms initiative matched nearly 100 volunteer legal professionals with students at more than 90 schools across Arizona from Sept. 14-18.
One student, Daleyza Villazana, said the presentation stood out because she hopes to become a lawyer herself. She said she enjoyed hearing Misajet explain his work and some of the terms judges use, and said she wants a legal career so she can communicate with and help people.
Misajet said teaching students about their rights can help them become more informed citizens later in life. Constitution Week was also observed at Desert Sunrise High School, where AP social studies teacher Connor Exline said students were eager to connect the nation’s founding documents to their own lives.
Local officials also joined some of the discussions, including members of the Maricopa City Council, the Maricopa Unified School District Governing Board and Rep. Teresa Martinez. According to InMaricopa, the Arizona Bar Foundation also provided lesson plans, pocket constitutions and gavel pencils for participating students.
