REGION — In celebration of Law Week, the San Diego County Bar Association is giving students around the county a chance to honor the rule of law and send a message about society through works of art.
Law Week is a week of celebratory events leading up to Law Day on May 1. Originally proclaimed in 1958 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the day is set aside to celebrate the legal process that was built to protect liberties, strive to uphold justice, and contribute to American freedoms.
The San Diego County Bar Association hosts events every year leading up to Law Day, including the student Law Week Poster and Video Contest. This year’s theme is “Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility, and Collaboration,” emphasizing the importance of collaboration to overcome differences, resolve disputes, and preserve democracy and republic.
The contest gives kindergarten through 12th-grade students in San Diego and Imperial counties a chance to create a piece of art related to the given topic, competing for prize money and the opportunity for their work to be on display.
Each student has until April 28 to submit either a poster, video or one of reach. The posters must consist of original artwork on 22-inch by 22-inch paper. Any grade student can participate in the poster contest.
Videos must be between thirty seconds to two minutes in length, featuring all original work and no copyrighted material. For videos, students must be in grades 6 through 12 to participate.
Superior Court judges and attorneys judge the contest each year. With over a couple of hundred entries, they are looking for something that catches their eyes.
“What we look for is just creativity, how they perceive the theme, which one has a great message or just in general is very artistic,” said Michelle Chavez, director of public services at the county Bar Association.
Winners are chosen in first, second, third, and honorable mention tiers. Those who get selected get to attend a luncheon to honor them.
“We get some beautiful things in, and we have actual superior court judges and attorneys vote on first, second, and third,” Chavez said. “Those winners are given cash prizes and featured in our magazine and celebrated at our Law Week luncheon, where the first-place winner gets recognized.”
“Along with being recognized at the luncheon, this year, the winning posters will go in the juvenile court in one of our judges’ courtrooms, and the winning first-place student gets to get their class a pizza party.”
The luncheon, formally known as the Annual Awards Ceremony and Celebration of Community Service, on May 18 is not only to celebrate the students who make it in the top three contests. But it is to celebrate the contributions and commitment of distinguished individuals and organizations serving the San Diego legal community and the public.
Some categories being honored include the outstanding attorney awarded to Deputy District Attorney James Koerber, the outstanding jurist award awarded to Honorable Kenneth So, the community service award awarded to Senior Appellate Attorney Mytili Bala, and many more.
The award ceremony is being hosted at the Gaslamp Westin San Diego from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. to honor the many who have served the community.
