2024 Law Day Essay and Art Contest Prompt
Voices of Democracy
Our country’s electoral process provides an avenue for all of us to participate in political decisions and policies that affect our lives. We ensure that we have a government “by the people” when we pay attention to events in our communities and our country, vote and engage with those who represent us, and have honest and respectful conversations about the issues we face. What issues are important to you and how can you contribute to civil dialogue on those issues? Are there ways that you might advance your concerns through the electoral process or by contacting your elected representatives? What can you do to help strengthen our system of democracy?
Please send entries to: Sabina Zeenat at szeenat@mnbars.org
Or mailing address:
Ramsey County Bar Association
W-2550 First National Bank Building
332 Minnesota St.,
Saint Paul, MN 55101
What Is Law Day?
Law Day is held on May 1st every year to celebrate the role of law in our society and to cultivate a deeper understanding of the legal profession.
RCBA celebrates Law Day by hosting an essay and art competition for students in grades 5-12 based on the yearly
Law Day theme decided by the American Bar Association. This competition is currently open to students in Ramsey County schools.
Why Participate?
Law Day is a fun way to teach students the importance of law and to stimulate their interest in the judicial system. Winners of the contest receive prizes.
Guidelines for the Essay and Art Contest
Students may submit an essay, an original piece of art, or a video that incorporates the theme for that year. Students submitting art or video may work as a group.
Essays must be 500 words or less. We prefer to receive the essays via email but will accept hard copies if necessary. Art projects may be submitted electronically or in their original form, depending on the medium used. All essays and art projects must be the student’s own work. Videos must be 3 minutes or less.
RCBA will reach out to English and Social Studies teachers in Ramsey County via email in January 2024. The deadline for submissions is April 1, 2024.
A volunteer group of attorneys and judges will review the essays and decide the winners. There are three winners (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place) and an Honorable Mention. The winners are awarded money or a gift card of at least $35.
Winners are presented with certificates and prize money or gift cards at an award ceremony hosted by a Ramsey County District Court Judge typically in his/her chambers in May.
Our sincere thanks to the volunteer attorneys and Judge Jessica Palmer-Denig for their support and time in this program.
Rubric for Law Day Contest
Submissions will be evaluated based on how well they address the Law Day theme, and their creativity and originality. Essays should be well organized and should not contain punctuation or spelling errors.
Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 Law Day Contest!
Law Day 2023: Second Place Artwork
May 31, 2023
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Law Day 2023: First Place Artwork
May 31, 2023
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Law Day 2023: Third Place Artwork
May 31, 2023
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Law Day 2023: Honorable Mention Artwork
May 31, 2023
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Law Day 2023: Honorable Mention Essay
May 31, 2023
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Law Day 2023: Third Place Essay
May 31, 2023
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Law Day 2023: Second Place Essay
May 31, 2023
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Law Day 2023: First Place Essay
May 31, 2023
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The RCBA Youth Civics Initiative (YCI) celebrated the winners of the 2023 RCBA Law Day Essay and Art Contest on May 18, 2023. Chief Judge Leonardo Castro presided over the awards ceremony and hosted the event in his courtroom at the Ramsey County Courthouse. The Essay and Art Contest is one of the YCI’s flagship programs, in which students in grades 5-12 in Ramsey County schools write an essay or create artwork based on the annual Law Day theme provided by the American Bar Association. Many students submitted thoughtful essays and creative artwork. A committee reviewing the entries chose four winners for the essay entries and four for the artwork submissions. Each winner received a certificate and a gift card. For a fun experience, the winners and their families sat in the jury box in Judge Castro’s courtroom during the awards ceremony. Several students also took a seat at the Judge's bench and had their picture taken. Chief Judge Castro spoke on the significance of this year’s Law Day theme and the importance of civility in our day-to-day lives. The awards ceremony was well attended by the winners and their families, the two co-chairs of the YCI (Maya Missaghi and Judge Jessica Palmer Denig), members of the YCI, RCBA Board members, and Cheryl Dalby, CEO of the MN State Bar, Hennepin County Bar, and the Ramsey County Bar Associations. Our sincere thanks to all the teachers and their students for their interest and participation and our heartiest congratulations to all the winners.
If you would like to learn more about the Youth Civics Initiative, or to become involved in its efforts to promote youth civics education, please contact Sabina Zeenat, at szeenat@mnbars.org.