Law Day celebration planned for Tuesday
A public Law Day celebration will be held at Washington County Courthouse at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The event is free and open to the public and will include a presentation of Law Day Contest Awards and the Liberty Bell Award.
Mock trial and debate students from Trinity High School will present a brief, dramatic program on this year’s theme, “Magna Carta: Symbol of Freedom Under Law.” The program will be followed by a dessert reception. Registration is not required but requested by contacting the Washington County Bar Association at wcba@washcobar.org or 724-225-6710.
All winning Law Day Contest entries and a selection of other notable entries will be on display during the day at the courthouse.
The Liberty Bell Award will be presented to Barbara Gibbs, Washington County clerk of courts, and Phyllis Ranko Matheny, Washington County prothonotary, both of whom will be retiring at the end of this year. The Liberty Bell Award is presented to nonlawyers for outstanding service in promoting a better understanding of our form of government, encouraging respect for law and the courts, stimulating individual responsibilities, contributing to the effective functioning of government and developing an appreciation of the rule of law.
Approximately 400 bookmarks, 20 essays and three dozen creative arts entries were received from nine school districts and several parochial and private schools for the Law Day contests.
The Law Day Essay Contest for grades 6-12 winner is Natalie Cappelli, a junior at Trinity High School. Her essay will appear in the op-ed pages of the Observer-Reporter May 1, the day established as Law Day by Congress in 1958. Second-place winner was Delaney Elling, grade 11, Trinity; and third place, Natalie Cummings, grade 10, Canon-McMillan.
The Law Day Creative Arts Contest for grades 6-12 winners are first place, Daniela Pusateri, grade 12, Canon-McMillan; second place, Anna Poach and Stephanie Seaman, grade 8, JFK; and Caroline McElheny, grade 7, JFK.
The Law Day Bookmark for grades 2-5 the top four place winners are all fifth-graders at Trinity South. First place, Claudia Cappelli; second place, Marissa Dobich; third place, Faith Steele; and fourth place, Rylee Salisbury. Fifth-place winner is Christine Smith, grade 5, JFK.
Winning entries will be featured in a Newspapers in Education Law Day insert to be published in the Observer-Reporter Tuesday. For more information about Law Day, contact the Washington County Bar Association at 724-225-6710.