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Media Advisory:
High School Students Learn about Life Choices in Anne Arundel County District Court

(ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Nov. 1, 2013) Almost 100 county teens will appear together in court Thursday, Nov. 7. But instead of coming with their attorneys, the high school students will have their teachers by their sides as they learn firsthand about the consequences of making bad decisions. It’s all part of the Anne Arundel County District Court’s Schools in the Court program. The media is invited to attend.

“Students will sit in on court proceedings where the defendants are not much older than the students themselves,” said Judge Shaem Spencer, who leads the program. “We want them to get an understanding of how the court system works, but we especially want them to understand how making wrong choices about things such as speeding, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, drug use and other crimes can deeply and adversely impact their lives.”

Students from Arundel and Southern high schools will be taking part in the Nov. 7 program. Schools in the Court is held twice each school year. In addition to watching actual criminal cases, students will learn about the legal and financial consequences of being charged with drunk driving, and meet with a representative from Maryland’s Shock Trauma Center. The students will also get a chance to meet members of the Maryland State Police K-9 squad.

Student transportation for the event is provided by a grant from the Anne Arundel County Partnership for Children, Youth and Families.

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