“LEGAL LIVES” STUDENTS RETURN FROM THE NATION’S CAPITAL

WONDERFUL TRIP TO WASHINGTON, DC AWARDED TO

A SPECIAL GROUP OF STUDENTS

The Fulton County District Attorney’s “Legal Lives” students are back. They returned on yesterday from a wonderful four-day trip to Washington, D.C. sponsored by the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office. Each year, three students from participating schools are awarded the grand prize of an all expense paid trip to the nation’s capital based on their overall participation in the program. These special students are provided an opportunity to experience the wonder, beauty and history of our nation’s capital. The trip itinerary includes visits to the Smithsonian Institute Museum, the National Air and Space Museum, the African-American Heritage Museum, the home of Frederick Douglass, the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials and the Museum of Natural History. The trip also includes meetings with members of the Georgia congressional delegation. This year students met with Congressman John Lewis. His staff also provided the students a personal tour of the U.S. Capitol.

The “Legal Lives” program is in its 15th year. The program was developed by the Fulton County District Attorney’s office after a visit by District Attorney Paul L. Howard, Jr., to the King’s County District Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, New York. Howard was introduced to a new and innovative educational program called “Project Legal Lives” an educational course that introduces elementary school students to the criminal justice system. It had been created to address an increase in drug and bias crimes by youth in Brooklyn. Youngsters learned how the justice system worked and were taught the principles and values on which the legal system is based.

Howard, who was then Solicitor General of Fulton County State Court, was so impressed by the program that he initiated a “Legal Lives” program in Atlanta in 1993. The Fulton County program began with one school, Dean Rusk Elementary. Currently, eight schools participate in the program—Mary McLeod Bethune, Frederick Wilson Benteen, Daniel H. Stanton, William M. Finch, Joseph Humphries, M. Agnes Jones, Peyton Forest and Venetian Hills. With additional funding for “Legal Lives”, more schools will be invited to take part. Here’s how the program works:

· Each January, a group of fifth-graders from participating schools are enrolled in “Legal Lives” by their teachers and principals.

· Assistant District Attorneys volunteer to teach the 10-week course using the official “Legal Lives” handbook.

· At the end of the course, the schools compete against each other in a mock trial contest that takes place in real courtrooms at the Fulton County Courthouse.

· During the competition, students enact the roles of judge, lawyers, witnesses and law enforcement in a play entitled, State of Georgia v. Sturgess.

· Trophies are awarded to those students and schools that are scored as having given the best overall performances.

Assistant District Attorney Kenya Johnson and Director of Community Affairs JaNay Wilborn served as the Project Coordinators. Assistant District Attorneys Ralph Bailey, Waverly Settles and Jill Meekins, Legal Assistant Debbie Lowe along with Atlanta Public School’s staffers Raye Dupree (Stanton), Chris Gomillion (Bethune), Lisa Brison (Finch), Kirby Solomon (Benteen) and Tamike Witcher (Bethune) served as outstanding chaperones on the trip.

Contact: JaNay Wilborn, 404-730-7009, janay.wilborn@fultoncountyga.gov