Issue 1

Spring 2018

Partnering With Teachers to Bring Citizenship to Life

SPONSORS: SUPREME COURT OF OHIO • THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF OHIO • OHIO STATE BAR ASSOCIATION • ACLU OF OHIO FOUNDATION

A Bold Experience Recommit to Your Role

By Ben Sandlin as Citizen in 2018
By John B. King, Jr.
The boy holds a pen in one hand. The pen means
more to him than anyone in the room could know. The following article was originally printed
in the Baltimore Sun on Dec. 30, 2017
It is partially a prop, partially a crutch to release
his nerves. In his other hand the boy holds a paper The end of one year and the start of another
with a speech to deliver written on it, “glance at it is an opportunity for renewal. Among
if you need to, but you won’t need to.” the aspects of American life most in need
of renewal is our commitment to civic
Seven years ago, that boy was me. I competed in OCLRE’s mock education and engagement. It is essential
trial at Reading High School, a public school about 15 minutes for building the political will to grapple
north of Cincinnati. The school district is small; about 100 students effectively with the complex challenges
in each graduating class and mock trial is well-known. we face — from getting the relationships
between police and communities right
OCLRE set me on a collision course for a life in law. After graduating to combating the opioid epidemic to
from Reading High School in 2012, I continued my mock trial navigating the consequences of climate
career at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. My teammates and change. Yet worrisome signs of inadequate
I would go on to finish in the top 10 nationally-ranked teams for civic education for our students abound.
three consecutive years, culminating in a second-place finish in 2016.
Currently, I am a “2L” at the University of Cincinnati College of The National Assessment of Educational
Law. I also proudly serve in many mock trial capacities: coach to the Progress, or the “Nation’s Report Card,”
Miami University Mock Trial program, reviewer of Reading HS recently showed that in 12th grade, only
mock trial team content as needed, and the Tournament Director one in five students demonstrated a
for The Mockhawk, a high school mock trial tournament hosted working knowledge of the Constitution,
by the James Lewis Family Miami University Mock Trial Program. the presidency, Congress, the courts and
Friends call me a “mock trial junkie.” I agree. //cont. P5 how laws are made. A 2016 survey of
American adults also found that about
one out of every three respondents could
not name a single branch of the United
States government. //cont. P2
In This Issue
We the People Alumni Spolight..........................3

Ohio Mock Trial Site Coordinator Spotlight.......4

Congratulations!...................................................5

Stay Calm, It’s Only Jury Duty.............................6

We Need You!.......................................................7

www.oclre.org
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 Recommit (cont. from P1)
Getting civic education right requires
attending to three critical things:
students’ foundational knowledge,
their skills and their inclination for
civic action.
Students need to know the legislative
process and the key themes and
events of both American and global
history. They need to be familiar
with primary sources that have
shaped our nation — including
the Declaration of Independence,
Constitution, Gettysburg Address,
Lincoln’s second inaugural address
and the Supreme Court decision in
Brown v. Board of Education. And
they need to understand why these
texts remain relevant today.
Beyond knowledge, students need
civic skills. They need to develop
the ability to read analytically —
dissecting an author’s arguments
and analyzing evidence for claims
— whether they are reading Thomas
Jefferson or a contemporary article
about health care reform. They need
to be able to make sense of statistics,
write persuasive letters to the editor
or a member of Congress, effectively
make the case for their ideas and
learn to speak in public.
Students also need opportunities
to do democracy — otherwise
called “action civics” — by getting
involved in real issues and learning
through community service.
Years ago, I taught a high school
course called “The City Project.”
Students completed an internship
within a community organization
and a research project based on a
community need. They conducted
surveys, interviews or focus groups
and then studied history, sociology
and economics to make sense of
2 what they learned through their
research. From building affordable
housing to helping immigrants learn
English, students developed a deeper
understanding of community issues
and took meaningful action to help
their neighbors. They also developed
a commitment to service, one I hope
is life long.
Civic education also happens at
home. My wife and I try to use
every day opportunities to help our
two daughters — now 11 and 14 —
develop into engaged, active citizens.
We loved reading “The Lions of Little
Rock,” a beautiful young adult novel
set in 1958 during intense conflict
around school desegregation. The
book created an opportunity to
discuss with our children the history
of the civil rights movement and
the meaning of equality under the
law. Similarly, watching the movie
“Lincoln” created an opportunity to
discuss the contradictions inherent in
the nation’s founding, the Civil War,
the Reconstruction amendments
and America’s perpetual struggle to
expand equal rights. Other powerful
tools for our family’s civic learning
include visits to the National
Museum of African-American
History and Culture; participation
in last year’s Women’s March and
the annual Martin Luther King Jr.
holiday, which we dedicate to a day
of service.
But for our family the most
powerful lesson in civic engagement
is the example set by my uncle,
Col. Haldane King. My uncle was
a Tuskegee Airman, one of the first
African-American pilots in the
U.S. military in World War II. He
suffered innumerable indignities
because of his race, which could have
diminished his faith in the promise
America, but those experiences
only deepened his resolve. When he
returned home, he also experienced
discrimination and wasn’t able to
find work in the field in which he
was trained. But he didn’t retreat
into resentment. He became a
firefighter — choosing again to risk
his life for his fellow citizens. He
returned to military service in the
U.S. Air Force, rose to a position
at the Pentagon, and later took on
a series of public-service-oriented
roles, always believing that America
could become, in the words of the
Preamble to the Constitution, “a
more perfect union.” My Uncle Hal’s
final resting place is at Arlington
National Cemetery, but his values
— including his unwavering
commitment to civic engagement —
live on in my family.
I strongly believe that none of the
public policy problems we face
in our nation — from the federal
government’s rollbacks of civil rights
enforcement to the need to increase
access to quality preschool — can
be solved without an informed
and engaged citizenry. So, in 2018,
consider how you can recommit to
your vital role as citizen — whether
that is attending community meetings,
serving in a homeless shelter, helping
register people to vote, volunteering
at a school, or running for local
office. You’ll become more enriched
and, in the process, you’ll be making
our communities and our country
stronger for years to come.
John B. King Jr. is former U.S.
Secretary of Education in the Obama
Administration and president and
CEO of The Education Trust. His
quarterly guest column will run
every other Sunday through mid
January. His email is John.King@
edtrust.org; Twitter: @JohnBKing.
 We the People Alumni Spolight
By Sarah Badawi

When I walked into Mr. Al Bell taught government at

Al Bell’s AP (Advanced Findlay High School for most
Placement) U.S. History of his 36 years as a classroom
class at Findlay High School teacher. He remains an ardent
in 1991, I had never taken a supporter of the We the People
U.S. history or government (WTP) program and has
course. I’m not sure I even participated in 26 of the 31 state
knew that “civics” was championships. We might even
a subject. I had attended think of him as a “founding
American schools while father” of the program, as his
growing up overseas, but name appears in the very first
my social studies classes had WTP textbook as a reviewer.
always focused on world
history and geography. I His knowledge of and
couldn’t have asked for a dedication to democracy is
better introduction to a far reaching; he worked in
subject that, years later, I would teach at both the middle and high school conjunction with U.S. State
levels. Later, it led me to help other educators teach. Department and the Center
for Civic Education to help
Under the tireless coaching and mentorship that Mr. Bell provided, the develop democracies in
We the People program challenged me to understand government as countries like Pakistan, Sri
something wrought by people over millennia that requires citizens to be Lanka and Nepal.
knowledgeable and vigilant if it is to be truly democratic and inclusive.
Al is best known, however,
I learned that, whatever we think about either the origins or the current for his impact on students, as
incarnation of U.S. political institutions, or however we choose to engage seen through the eyes of Sarah
with them or even rail against them, we have to know: where they came Badawi. He has inspired and
from, why they were established, by and for whom they were created, and educated countless individuals
how they function. to get involved and make a
difference. Today many of
And it is precisely this knowledge that made me so eager—in the current, his former students can be
polarized climate in this country—to pursue my current position at the found working in county
Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF). Asked by my interviewers court systems, the Ohio
about my interest in and experience with civic education, as well as my Attorney General’s office,
understanding about the impact that different educational experiences can U.S. Justice Department, and
have on students, I cited my high school days. the Constitutional Rights
Foundation. We tip our hats to
For that, I owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Bell and the We the People program. you, Al Bell!

SAVE THE DATE:

Law and Citizenship Conference • September 17, 2018
Details to follow soon!
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 Ohio Mock Trial Site Coordinator Spotlight
Across the state each year, from September to March, thousands of students are preparing for Ohio Mock Trial, a
program of the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education (OCLRE). Behind the scenes, 24 district and 13 regional sites
are preparing for the onslaught that is competition day.

But who are these unsung heroes and heroines who manage to execute and facilitate such a massive, state-wide undertaking?

OCLRE actively partners with more than 30 district and regional coordinators across Ohio. They represent organizations,
court jurisdictions and even private businesses who are committed to continuing the legacy of Ohio Mock Trial.

Each site coordinator works to secure courtroom space, recruit judges and competition volunteers, organize paperwork,
train volunteer judges and report results to OCLRE staff within 72 hours of the competition.

Meet a few pillars of the Mock Trial program!

Jessica Paine Magistrate Faye Cox Chris Albrektson

Cuyahoga County Randall Jedlink Union County Assistant Executive Director
Site Coordinator Washington County Site Coordinator Lawyer Referral Service
Northeast Ohio Site Coordinator Central Ohio Dayton Bar Association
Southeast Ohio Southwest Ohio

I’ve worked with the Mock
Trial as a volunteer since my
first year with the Cleveland
Metropolitan Bar Association
(CMBA) right out of law school
in 2005. In the following years,
I assisted my predecessor, Mary
Groth. It’s thanks to her that
I learned to keep meticulous
records and live by my to-do
lists, the only thing that kept
my head above water during
mock trial season!
I enjoy seeing the students
perform at their best, and
I often say that I work
with the best people in the
community – volunteers. While
many students and advisors
appreciate the scope of the
challenge of organizing such a
massive event each year, I’m
not sure they fully understand
how much happens behind the
scenes thanks to a few amazing
people. We couldn’t host events
of such size without the help of
my incredible colleagues at the
CMBA, along with volunteers
who serve on the judicial
panels as well as those at the
courthouses who welcome us
into their space.
4
I have been involved with
Mock Trial for six or seven
years. First as a judge, and the
last three years as a district
and regional competition
coordinator.
The most rewarding part
of Mock Trial is to see how
excited the participants are on
competition day. It is nice to
see kids working so hard and
so interested in something like
this. The most memorable
instance occurred when
one school had a freshman/
sophomore team and a junior/
senior team. Both teams
were closely named after
Harry Potter characters, and
when the then-coordinator
announced the winners of the
competition, he confused the
two teams and announced
it incorrectly. The younger
team was elated and the
older team in shock. Of
course, this was quickly
fixed, but once I became
coordinator, it served as a
vivid reminder of just how
impactful the program is to
kids and to triple check the
score sheets!
Mock Trial encourages strategic
thinking, sportsmanship and
theatrics, all of which were
interests to me as a youth. I love
seeing the creative positions
that the students take when
presenting the case and how
they deal with adversity.
I think that students and
advisors know that it is a bit
of a logistical puzzle to put
together the competitions,
and it takes time away from
the attorney and judges busy
calendars. I don’t think though,
that anyone realizes how much
the judges enjoy being part of
the competition. I get judges
coming up to me regularly
asking if they can judge again
the next year.
The most rewarding part of
being a coordinator is watching
the students come in and
participate in the competitions;
they are so prepared and
excited. Several years ago, when
team points were announced
at the awards ceremony, a
group of kids left in tears. They
had done extremely well but
lost by a point or two; it was
heartbreaking to watch those
kids leave. At that moment,
it hit me just how much work
and dedication these kids put
into this competition. The next
year I asked our bar president
to mention to the students
that in every court case there
is a winning and a losing side,
and just because you lose a case
doesn’t mean you didn’t try.
That has become a staple in
the talks every year during the
award ceremony.
Bold Experience (cont. from P1)

Every student who participates in
OCLRE’s programs becomes bold
enough to embark on an educational
experience unlike any other in middle
or high school. The OCLRE also
emboldens young people to relish the
fortune that follows their high school
experience.
At the end of a mock trial round,
judges give comments and critiques
to the advocates and witnesses.
Commonly, at least one judge inquires
about the students’ aspirations: “Who
here wants to go to law school?” The
students are no longer shy about their
goals but instead are bold. Hands
shoot up quickly. Students are excited,
and they are fortunate the OCLRE
offers this experience.
OCLRE programs favor more than
those students who will go on to be
lawyers; any student can benefit. In
any career, there are central tenets
to success: team-work, cooperation,
understanding a common goal,
communication, confidence, verve
and passion for success. Using the
OCLRE’s programs as a springboard
to these tenets, I have personally seen
students transform into accomplished
financiers, entrepeneurs, doctors,
police officers, and more. Indeed,
the skills the OCLRE teaches are
convertible to any career’s currency.
As I transition from mock trial to real
trial, I, like OCLRE, focus my time on
students. When I return to Reading, I
walk with my previous coach, Andy
Janig, to the same room where he
told me I would have a future in law.
When I welcome schools from across
Ohio to Oxford for The Mockhawk,
I see myself in each seat around the
room. When I hear of each of my
teammates’ success stories, I swell
with a sense of joy because I have
been part of their lives.
“Audentes Fortuna Iuvat.”
“Fortune favors the bold.”
Latin proverb

Congratulations to our 2018 Ohio Mock Trial State Champion,

Sylvania Southview High School, and runner up, Springfield High School!
GREAT JOB to all teams that participated this year!

Thank You, Donors!

The Ohio Center for Law-Related Education is grateful to the following individuals and organizations
for their kind and generous support of our mission to partner with teachers to bring citizenship to life.
Donations listed are from fiscal year 2017. Often, donors recognize teachers or students who have made
a tremendous impact.

Sponsors $1000 or more $100 - $199 $25 - $99

Supreme Court of Ohio Anonymous Christine Ardley Laura Jurcevich
Attorney General of Ohio & Douglas Buchanan Georgia Lang
Ohio State Bar Association $500 - $999 Steven Dauterman
American Civil Liberties Richard A. Dove Thomas Friedman In-Kind Contributions
Union of Ohio Foundation Lisa Eschleman Tim Kalgreen Columbus State Community
Marion Smithberger John Leavitt, in honor of College
Charitable Funders Damon & Kate Strickland Lisa & Steve Eschleman John Carroll University
Ohio State Bar Foundation Steve Reger, in honor of Ohio Attorney General
$300 - $499 Ohio Channel
AmazonSmile Foundation Danny Strunk
Daniel Hilson Ohio State Bar Association
Center for Civic Education Daniel Strunk, in honor of
John Quinn Supreme Court of Ohio
James Madison Legacy Project Steve Reger
Hubert A. & $200 - $299 Chuck Reynolds
Gladys C. Estabrook Ohio State Bar Association Staff Dave Prem
Charitable Trust
Kroger
Staples Foundation For more information on how your gift will support OCLRE programs, go to the
TechSoup OCLRE website, Involvement tab and then the Donate tab.

5

Stay Calm, It’s Only Jury Duty
By Lisa Ray, Program Assistant
You walk out to your mailbox and find
an envelope with a large red banner
saying “SUMMONS” on it. Only
two words really describe your very
first thought. “OH NO!” Closely
followed by “How do I get out of
this?” Of course, I am describing a
summons requiring your appearance
for jury duty. Your calendar, and that
of your family and business, must be
rearranged to fit this new two-week,
in-person demand.
I fulfilled my civic duty this past
October and was pleasantly surprised
by the experience. Franklin County
Municipal Court (FCMC) Jury
Commissioner Tom Shields and
Deputy Commissioner Lori Shannon,
have made the process informative,
convenient (within the allowable
conditions) and yes, pleasant.
Shield’s passion for his work coupled
with his consistent positive public
relations effort, led to a revamped
juror experience. The toughest part
of any commissioner’s job is getting
people to show up for service. Simply
stated, Shields understands the
basic premise that if jurors
are unhappy, then a bad
reputation will continually
precede the jury process.
“I want jurors to leave
as advocates,” Shields
said. He must be doing
something right; the
national failure to
appear rate is 15%
while FCMC’s is 1.9%.
Throughout the number
of days spent with my
new-found, “we’re-in-this-
together” team of friends,
Shields educated us with statistics
and facts that supported the
6
importance of our role as jurors.
Further enforcing the importance,
judges and elected officials spoke
to our jury pool, and we toured
the Supreme Court, Statehouse,
and the county jail. “I see it as the
court system hosting people while
on duty”, Shields explained. Over
the years, there have been people-
pleasing improvements such as free
parking and a reporting time as late
as 10:30 a.m. Other conveniences
in the assembly room include WiFi,
refrigerator, computers with internet,
free coffee/tea and a vast movie
library to choose from while awaiting
possible selection.
As a proud OCLRE staff member,
this experience has reinforced my
lifelong, civic-minded learning. If the
opportunity to serve as a juror comes
your way, embrace it! You will learn,
grow, and meet new people, all the
while doing something great for
democracy!
Be Our Guest!
Attend a culminating event to see
what all the excitement is about.
Just call the coordinator for details.
Middle School
Mock Trial Showcase
April 6, 19, 20
Tim Kalgreen
(614) 485-3515 or tkalgreen@oclre.org
Moot Court Competition
May 4
Ryan Suskey
(614) 485-3506 or rsuskey@oclre.org
Middle School We the
People State Showcase
May 17
Tim Kalgreen
(614) 485-3515 or tkalgreen@oclre.org
Customized
Professional
Development
Groups of five or more teachers with
at least one OCLRE member can
book a custom PD free at the location
of your choosing. PD can be based on
any one of OCLRE’s seven student
centered programs, or on topics in
civic education such as:
• Discussing Controversy in
the Classroom
• Incorporating Primary
Source Documents
• Inquiry Based Teaching
Contact rsuskey@oclre.org with
questions, or to schedule a PD!
 OCLRE NEEDS YOU!
As a 501 (c)(3) organization, your gift to OCLRE is tax deductible. The generosity of OCLRE supporters allows us
to continue our regular programming and supports quality professional development for hundreds of teachers. With
continued support, we can defray costs for school with limited resources and provide teachers with necessary materials to
implement programs in the classroom. We ask for your commitment not just as a consumer of services, but also as a partner
in the OCLRE mission.

DONATING TO OCLRE IS EASY!

Simply fill out the form below and mail with payment to: OCLRE, 1700 Lake Shore Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43204
OR go to http://www.oclre.org/donate

At OCLRE, our mission is “to improve society by developing citizens

empowered with an understanding of our democratic system.” Our core values
are quality service to educators, excellence in programming and motivating our
future leaders.

Donor Information (please print or type):

Name

Billing Address

City / State / Zip

Phone 1 / Phone 2

Email

I wish to give anonymously

Pledge Information:

I wish to support OCLRE with a gift of: $500 $250 $100 $75 $50 Other $

I plan to make this contribution in the form of: Cash Check

Gift will be matched by (company/family/foundation)

Matching Form Enclosed Matching Form will be forwarded

Acknowledgement Information:

This donation is: In Honor of In Support of In Memory of

If possible, please provide a name and address so we may notify the honoree:

Please make checks, corporate matches, or other gifts payable to OCLRE. 7

 1700 Lake Shore Drive
Columbus, Ohio 43204
(p) 614.485.3510 • (f) 614.486.6221
www.oclre.org

Schedule of Events

MARCH 2018
8-10 High School Mock Trial State Competition

APRIL 2018
6, 19, 20 Middle School Mock Trial State Showcase

MAY 2018
4 High School Moot Court Competition
11 Middle School We The People
State Showcase
16 Youth For Justice/Project Citizen
Virtual Summit

JUNE 2018
1 James Madison Legacy Project
Spring Professional Development

SEPTEMBER 2018
17 Law & Citizenship Conference

Check www.oclre.org for additional program dates.