February 25, 2010 the Oklahoma Supreme Court convened to honor Diane Walker and Thoreau Demonstration Academy for their commitment to citizenship education. Principal Tom Padalino accepted the award on behalf of Thoreau. Teacher Sandra Warren spoke regarding the law-related programs in which the students from Thoreau participated. A large group of Ben Franklin Science Academy students came to show their support for Ms. Walker. Walker acknowledged her family for instilling a respect and interest in the political system at and early age and her desire to pass that on to her students.

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Volume 3, Number 3 S

pring 2010

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Page

2

LRE Coordinator’s

Welcome

2010 Mock Trial

State Champions

Page 3

2010 We the People Citizen and the

Constitution State Finals

Page

4

Close Up

Dominican Republic

Delegation

Page 5

Hatton W. Sumners

Foundations of Democracy

Citizen & the Constitution Workshop

PROS

20th Annual Oklahoma Supreme Court School and Teacher of the Year

School of the Year Thoreau Demonstration Academy

Teacher of the Year Diane Walker

Ben Franklin Science Academy, Muskogee

Principal Tom Padalino, Thoreau student representatives, and Sandra Warren, pose with Chief Justice James Edmondson after the ceremony.

Diane Walker accepts trophy from LRE Committee Chair, Jack G. Clark. Also, featured Justices Tom Colbert, Joseph Watt, Marion Opala and Steven Taylor

LRE Page 2

Making Connections… Jane McConnell, OBA/LRE Coordinator

The Christian Heritage Academy Crusaders pose with their state High School Mock Trial Champion-ship trophy. At left is their teacher Jerrid Eischen and at right is their attorney coach Jennifer Miller.

2010 State Mock Trial Champions Christian Heritage Academy-Crusaders Team

June 14-18, 2010 ~ Hatton W. Sumner’s Teacher Institute Tulsa ~ Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center This will be our 3rd summer to host the Foundations of Democracy Teacher Institute. Although a civics education program, it reaches across the curriculum to ELL and counselors incorporating 4 basic democratic concepts; Authority, Privacy, Justice and Responsibility. We will explore Oklahoma PASS correlations for each of our PK-12th Grade level lessons and activities throughout the institute. Mornings are lecture format featuring national and state speakers while the afternoons are lead by national trainers using grade appropriate classroom applications for PK-12th grades. First and second year participants will join us on the final day for our new program, Representative Democracy in America. Becky Walderbach, Edmond Media Specialist, will serve as our trainer. Foundations of Democracy Teacher Institute is an all expenses paid institute for selected participants. Professional development hours are earned for each contact hour throughout the institute. Applications are reviewed and accepted on a first-come basis. Applications must be postmarked by April 15, 2010. The application is available at: http://www.okbar.org/public/lre/files/HattonSumnersApp.pdf

LRE Page 3

2010 Citizen and the Constitution State Finals 2010 State Champions

Enid High School

Third Place Team Norman High School

District finalists gathered to compete in the We the People: Citizen and the Constitution State Finals held January 23rd, 2010 at the Oklahoma History Center. The students partici-pated in a mock con-gressional hearing, fielding questions regarding the Constitu-tion and Bill of Rights. Competitors were judged on presentation skills and subject knowledge. The competition consists of 6 units reflecting on different aspects of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

The Unit Award winners were: Norman HS—Unit 6 Rock Creek HS—Units 3 & 4 Enid HS—Units 2 & 5 Southeast HS—Unit 1

.

State Champions, Enid High School, will advance to the National Finals to be held April 23-27, 2010, in Washington, D.C.

All competitors are to be applauded for their hard work.

A Special THANKS to the judges and volun-teers that helped make this event possible.

Second Place Team Rock Creek High School -Bokchito

Above: First Lady Kim Henry addresses the group; Left: Judge David Lewis enjoys lunch with participat-ing students

Kids’ Cyber Safety

Connect Safely www.connectsafely.

org

NetSmartz Workshop

www.netsmartz.org

SafeTeens.com www.safeteens.com

Wired Kids

www.wiredkids.org

WebWiseKids www.webwisekids.

org

Wired Safety www.wiredsafety.

org/educators

iKeepSafe.org www.ikeepsafe.org

Commonsense

media www.commonsense

media.org

LRE Page 4

Oklahoma Close Up

February 16-19, students who attended the Close Up program engaged in shadowing at the State Capitol, observed an accelerated criminal appeals court docket, participated in mock legislature, and dined at the Governor’s Mansion.

Program speakers included First Lady Kim Henry; Lt. Gov., Jari Askins, Representatives Gary Banz, Chris Benge Anastasia Pittman, and Scott Inman; Senators Andrew Rice and Randy Brogdon, Oklahoma Supreme Court Chief Justice James Edmondson, Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Gary Lumpkin, Attorney General Drew Edmondson, Frosty Troy; Dr. Laura Pittman, Department of Corrections; OU Professor Mary Sue Backus; Communications Officer, Terri Watkins; Brian Bush, Academy of Leadership and Liberty, and Kathy Taylor, Governor’s Advisor on Education Strategy. The three day program afforded students the oppor-tunity to observe and take part in government functions.

OBA/LRE Hosts CIVITAS Partners from Dominican Republic

Above: l-r, Frida Pichardo de Vallamil, Charlie Bevers, and Gervasia Valensuela Sosa at Whittier MS in Norman Right: Sosa and Vallamil visit with Rep. Ed Cannaday

February 4-10, the OBA Law-related Education Department hosted CIVITAS Dominican Republic delegates Gervasia Valensuela Sosa and Frida Pichardo De Vallamil. The delegates met with officials from all branches of Oklahoma government, as well as U.S. Rep-resentative Tom Cole. The pair observed the Oklahoma legisla-ture in session and visited local schools and museums.

2010 LRE

CALENDAR OF

EVENTS

April 23-27

Citizen & the Constitution

National Finals Washington, D.C.

May 5

Project Citizen State Showcase Oklahoma Bar

Center

June 14-18

Hatton W. Sumners Foundations of

Democracy LRE 101

Teacher Institute

July 25-29

Project Citizen National Showcase

Louisville, KY

August 21

Citizen & the Constitution Workshop

Oklahoma Bar Center

September

PROS Workshops

Tulsa Tech Jenks/Tulsa

14 Elementary 15 Secondary

Oklahoma Bar Center, OKC

28 Elementary 29 Secondary

LRE Page 5

Hatton W. Sumners Summer Institute Foundations of Democracy: Law-related Education—Basic 101 Monday, June 14—Friday June 18, 2010 ◦ Tulsa Institute participants will engage in lectures presented by constitutional scholars followed by peer led classroom activities. The program follows the Foundations of Democracy curriculum authored by the Center for Civic Education. The textbook series instructs students on the four fundamental concepts of government: Responsibility, Privacy, Authority, and Justice. The texts are appropriate for grade levels Pre-K to 12. www.civiced.org

Friday training will be offered in the Representative Democracy in America - Voices of the People Program. Participants gain supplemental, multimedia classroom materials to enhance the teaching of representative democracy. www.representativedemocracy.org

Attendees receive free meals, lodging, in-state mileage, a classroom set of textbooks, and professional development credit.

Deadline for application: April 15, 2010

We the People: Citizen and the Constitution Workshop

Attendees receive instruction regarding utilization of the Citizen and the Constitution curriculum devised by the Center for Civic Education. Each educator attending will receive a classroom set of textbooks. High school students participating in the cur-riculum are eligible for district, state, and national competition. Competitors partici-pate in a mock congressional hearing, testing each student’s knowledge of the U.S. Constitution. When: August 21, 2010 Where: Oklahoma Bar Center Time: 9 a.m.—3 p.m.

Program agenda and application available at: www.okbar.org/public/lre/people.htm

Register Now for PROS Student Led Peer Mediation

A project of the Early Settlement Programs administered by the Supreme Court of Oklahoma, Administrative Office of the Courts, and Law-related Education Department of the Oklahoma Bar Association. PROS is a peer mediation program designed to reduce conflict in schools. Peer media-tion in schools decreases suspensions, violence, and fighting. Peer mediation results in less instances of name-calling and put downs. Peer mediation helps students achieve improved self-esteem and self-respect. Participating students develop conflict resolu-tions skills beneficial in all interpersonal relationships. Program information for the 2010-2011 year can be found at:

www.oscn.net/static/adr/pros.aspx Peaceful Resolutions for Oklahoma Students

Law-related Education Programs Oklahoma Bar Association P.O. Box 53036 Oklahoma City, OK 73152

Find it Online! www.okbar.org/public/lre/default.htm

What you will find on the LRE web

pages:

• Contact Info • News Releases • Calendar of Events • Description of Programs • Useful links • Newsletter Archive

FORMS: Free Materials Request Request for Attorney Speaker Hatton W. Sumners: Foundations of Democracy Institute Application We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution Workshop Application

Oklahoma Bar Association Executive Director

John Morris Williams

Law-related Education Committee Chairperson

Jack C. “Chip” Clark Vice Chairperson

Michael Wofford

Law-related Education Coordinator Jane McConnell

janem@okbar.org (405) 416-7024 Administrative Assistant

Debra Jenkins debraj@okbar.org (405) 416-7023

1901 N. Lincoln Blvd. P.O. Box 53036

Oklahoma City, OK 73152 Toll Free Number: 800-522-8065

FAX: (405) 416-7088

LRE Page 6

PRSRTSTD

U.S. POSTAGE PAID OKLAHOMA CITY, OK

PERMIT NO. 740