DC Court of Appeals Chief Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby was pleased to host 80 students from Howard University Middle School yesterday in the Historic Courthouse, to teach them about the DC Courts and the role of the judiciary and of state courts in our democracy. The chief judge spoke to the students about how she was once in their shoes and gave them a brief overview of her education and career path that led to her being named chief judge. She spoke to the students about the different career opportunities at the courts in addition to the traditional roles of being a lawyer or a judge. She introduced members of the court staff who were at the event and they spoke about where they went to school, what they majored in, and where they went for law school or graduate school. All this was aimed to demonstrate to the students that there are a variety of paths to take and education opens many opportunities for young people.

After introductions, the students watched a short video about the role of state courts, how they help ensure people's rights, and the different types of courts there are in the US. Then the students, who had formed eight teams, with team names chosen by the students, like “Innocent Until Proven Guilty,” and “Plead the Fifth,” began to play a game of 'DC Courts Jeopardy' with questions about =the DC Courts and the role that the courts plays in our local government. All the teams were asked a series of questions and each team had to write down their answer on sheet of paper. The teams battled fiercely and displayed a solid knowledge of civic education and the judicial system. Three teams were tied for first place and chose a representative to participate in the bonus round. In the end, Team Jaguar won, and each team member of Team Jaguar took home a gift card. At the end of the session, all the students received a certificate, some candy, and the promise of a pizza party back at school provided by the women of the Washington, D.C. Chapter of the LINKS, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of African Americans.

The visit by the Howard University Middle School children is a part of Chief Judge’s Civic Education and Community Engagement Initiative, which seeks to better educate and connect with citizens of the District of Columbia on the important role of the D.C. Courts, which represents the third co-equal branch of the District’s government.