Nebraska State Bar Foundation

With 2012 being a presidential election year, the Nebraska Secretary of State, John A. Gale, is partnering with the Bar Foundation and the Nebraska Supreme Court to sponsor the 13th annual Law Day Essay Contest. The question is as follows:

In many United States elections, less than one in four registered voters actually vote. Also, not all citizens who are eligible to vote actually register to exercise this import right. In Nebraska, even in the 2008 and 2004 general elections, which included voting for president, the number of citizens actually voting was no better than 3 of every 4 registered voters:

QUESTION: In this 2012 presidential election year and in all other elections, what do you think should be done to increase the number of registered voters and voter turnout?

Addie Curley and her School Counselor Kathy DeBoer are recognized at the Law Day Luncheon by Chief Justice Mike Heavican, Nebraska Supreme Court

By Adelaide Curley, Marian High School 10th grader

Editorial note: Adelaide received a partial scholarship from the McGrath North Mullin & Kratz law firm to attend the National Student Leadership Conference in the summer of 2011.

The program I decided to attend was International Diplomacy in the summer of 2011. I spent 11 days at American University in Washington, D.C. learning the ins and outs of what goes into being a successful diplomat and leader. We had many guest speakers, including Ambassador Ade Adefuya from Nigeria, Anne Bradley from the International Justice Mission, and Mr. Colman McCarthy from the Center for Peace Education. Each speaker was incredibly interesting to listen to, bringing with them a mix of instruction and humor.

The Lincoln East team and teacher Kevin Rippe celebrate with Justice John M. Gerrard, Nebraska Supreme Court, and Bar Foundation President Kile Johnson.

On January 9, the 20-member team from Lincoln East High School won the 2012 We The People: the Citizen and the Constitution State Championship which was held on the Nebraska Wesleyan University campus in Lincoln. This team will represent Nebraska in the national competition in Washington, D.C., April 28 – May 1. The team is coached by teacher Kevin Rippe.

Taking second place in the competition was the Lincoln Southeast High School-Gold team, which will represent Nebraska if the opportunity to send a second team to the national competition is granted.
Teacher Dave Nebel is the coach for the Lincoln Southeast-Gold team as well as the Lincoln Southeast-Black team that received honorable mention.

Holly Green and teacher Brian Gibson are congratulated by Chief Justice Mike Heavican, Nebraska Supreme Court, at the 2011 Law Day Luncheon

By Holly Green, Grand Island Northwest High School 11th Grader

My name is Holly Green and during the last Law Day Essay Scholarship, I won the scholarship provided by McGrath North Mullin & Kratz. With the scholarship I decided to attend the National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) in San Francisco, California. During the time there I attended seminars on Mastering Leadership and stayed on campus at Berkeley University.

I was the first to arrive on campus and shortly after, other students started arriving and we quickly became friends, even with it being five months later, I talk to most of them every other night we became so close. The opening night, the staff opened the doors to seats and a dance floor. All of us stood around, not knowing what to do. Finally they coaxed us all in and the meeting began with a few activities involving following the leader. Mr. Walsh, our main teacher, mentioned how we stood like a bunch of sheep cowering before a lion's den, and then he mentioned he'd have us all dancing into the room by the end of the week. Some of us were skeptical; others thought he was plum crazy; but he did it. By the end of the week, they would open the doors to the dance floor and all of us would be running in for our next turn to dance.

Justice Clarence Thomas, United State Supreme Court, addresses Constitution Day assembly at Lincoln High School

It isn't everyday that high school students welcome a sitting Justice of the United States Supreme Court to their campus. But, on September 16, students at Lincoln High School and Omaha's Northwest Magnet Schools greeted Justice Clarence Thomas who spent more than an hour addressing the students and answering their questions.

At Lincoln High, Baccalaureate students and other students in upper level Social Studies classes filled the Ted Sorensen Theater where Justice Kenneth Stephan, Nebraska Supreme Court, introduced Thomas. Dr. Mike Wortman, Lincoln High Principal, made the arrangements for the Constitution Day assembly.