News Post

MONTGOMERY – The Alabama State Bar on Thursday held its annual Law Day ceremony and awards presentation announcing the winners of the 2014 competition.

This year, more than 500 entries were received from students across Alabama in three categories: posters, essays and social media.  Submissions focused on the 2014 Law Day theme of “Why Every Vote Counts,” which was chosen to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

“For more than half a century, Law Day has provided young people throughout the nation with the opportunity to learn more about the rule of law.  This year, they are discovering the importance of the rule of law as a fundamental human right which enables citizens to cast a vote in free and fair elections,” said Alabama State Bar President Anthony A. Joseph of Birmingham (Maynard Cooper & Gale PC).

The winners participated in a ceremony at the Alabama Supreme Court Courtroom with guest speaker Chief Judge W. Keith Watkins, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama.  Judge Watkins presented each winner with an engraved medal and a certificate.  Each winning student received a monetary award for first, second and third place:

• $200, $150 and $100 in the essay and social media category;
• $175, $150 and $100 in the poster category.

The winners’ teachers also received $50 for each winning entry from their classroom, and winners’ schools will be awarded certificates.

The winners of the 2014 Law Day competition include:

POSTERS K-3
1st – Shania Brunson, Union Springs Elementary, Union Springs
2nd – Brodee Hyche, Vance Elementary, Vance
3rd – Alex Aldenderfer, Mixon Elementary, Ozark

POSTERS 4-6
1st – Carter Pridmore, Fort Payne Middle School, Fort Payne
2nd – Lauren Bonikowski, Bear Exploration Center, Montgomery
3rd – Jenifer Andrews, Williams Intermediate, Pell City

ESSAYS 7-9
1st – Lana Marie Johnson, Cherokee High School, Cherokee
2nd – Darby Kennedy, Cherokee High School, Cherokee
3rd – Ja’Len Davis, Phenix City Intermediate, Phenix City

ESSAYS 10-12
1st – John Butler, Central High School, Phenix City
2nd – Win Chandler, Albertville High School, Albertville
3rd – Dylan Harris, Cherokee High School, Cherokee

SOCIAL MEDIA (TWITTER)
1st – Nick Jackson, Central High School, Phenix City
2nd – Ethan Calhoun, Central High School, Phenix City
3rd – Cordell Thomas, Brewbaker Tech Magnet, Montgomery

SOCIAL MEDIA (FACEBOOK)
1st – Diamond Alexander, Brewbaker Tech Magnet, Montgomery
2nd – Tatiana Thomas, Brewbaker Tech Magnet, Montgomery
3rd – Malisa Ray, Brewbaker Tech Magnet, Montgomery

Phenix City and Montgomery schools captured half of the total awards. Phenix City students placed first and third in the essay category and placed first and second in the Twitter entries; Montgomery students earned second place in the poster contest, third place for Twitter entries and swept the Facebook category.

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Alabama State Bar Public Information Officer Brad Carr can be reached at 334-782-2781 or brad.carr@alabar.org.