https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/ en https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/california-courts-celebrate-constitution-month-statewide-civic-learning-programs California Courts Celebrate Constitution Month with Statewide Civic Learning ProgramsMartin.Novitski Tue, 09/02/2025 - 16:04 News Release Throughout Constitution Month in September, courts across the state will partner with K-12 schools and community organizations to bring judges into classrooms, host courthouse visits, and provide civic learning resources for educators and students. The initiative underscores the judiciary’s commitment to fostering public understanding of the Constitution and the role of the courts in protecting the rights it guarantees. “I am proud of our state courts partnering with schools to actively engage our youth in civic education, and I fully support those efforts. The growth of the Judges in the Classroom program demonstrates the branch’s commitment to connecting with the community and expanding access to quality civic learning throughout the school year.” - California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero Last year, 102 classrooms in 24 counties hosted judges for local Constitution Month events. Highlights for this year include: Judges in the Classroom: Judges will visit schools statewide to lead interactive lessons on constitutional rights, responsibilities, and the rule of law. Civic Learning Awards: Schools recognized for exemplary civic education will receive their honor in person from a local judicial officer. California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero will present the Award of Excellence, an honor she co-sponsors with the State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. Educational resources: The Power of Democracy Civic Learning Initiative will provide teachers with lesson plans, activity guides, and videos that bring the Constitution to life for students. First Annual Soapbox Challenge: Inspired by educators and students in the Anaheim Union High School District, the most celebrated district honored with 51 Civic Learning Awards since 2013, this competition is available for all schools and encourages students to deliver persuasive speeches on civics issues they feel strongly about. Constitution Month activities align with the judicial branch’s statewide mission to expand civic learning and strengthen public trust in the courts. Public schools may request to connect with the judicial branch by visiting the Power of Democracy Constitution Month website. https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/constitution-month-2024 Constitution Month 2024Karen.Datangel Tue, 10/08/2024 - 14:35 Feature September marked the third consecutive year the Power of Democracy Civic Learning Initiative (POD) made Constitution Day a month-long celebration in the state of California. Initially launched to keep courts connected remotely with schools during the pandemic, the tradition remains to inspire a range of activities. This September, courts received 367 requests for the school year from K-12 educators in 24 counties. This number far exceeds the number of requests for the 2023-2024 school year. "Chief Justice Guerrero asked the Power of Democracy Civic Learning Initiative to introduce outreach to courts in smaller counties, or with no prior connection to local schools," commented Associate Justice Judith McConnell who leads the POD initiative. "I'm thrilled to see courts come forward and committing to visits to schools because they recognize how important it is. And the judges and students alike are rewarded." Monterey County had its first-ever Judges in the Classroom visit, joining San Benito, Glenn, Humboldt, and Lake Counties as the newest counties to join the Judges in the Classroom program. This year's Constitution Month celebration also included visits to two 2024 Civic Learning Award recipient schools, with one Award of Excellence school receiving a visit from Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero.  On September 6, Judge Julia Alloggiamento, the Vice Lead of the Power of Democracy Civic Learning Initiative, was awarded the California Judges' Association Judicial Outreach Award for her dedication to bridging the gap between the judiciary and community. The award is presented to an outstanding judicial officer only every three years. Here is a look at some other outreach engagements that took place throughout the state: Santa Clara County The Santa Clara Superior Court had the highest number of Judges in the Classroom visits during Constitution Month with more than 60 visits to fifth grade classrooms, engaging 3,286 students across the county. September 17 marks Constitution Day, celebrating the signing of the document that forms the foundation of our democracy. This month members of the Court will visit 60 5th-grade classrooms, engaging 3,286 students in interactive lessons on the U.S. Constitution! pic.twitter.com/VpuPTZPKAO — Santa Clara County Superior Court (@SCSCourt) September 17, 2024 On September 24, the court presented the Civic Learning Award of Distinction to Ida Jew Academy and Valle Vista Elementary (IJAVVE). The award ceremony kicked off with Judge Evette Pennypacker delivering a lesson to fifth graders on the Constitution and the government. The lesson was followed by remarks from school principal Dr. Anthony Alvarado on the importance of civic education, remarks by faculty member Ms. Friend on school culture, and remarks by the student body president and vice president. The event also featured a presentation of IJAVVE’s student leadership initiatives, including their Weekly Morning Announcements, Buddy Classes, Lower-Grade Games, and the Ruby Bridges Day event. Orange County Orange County Superior Court Presiding Judge Maria Hernandez accompanied Chief Justice Guerrero and State Superintendent Tony Thurmond to present the  2024 Civic Learning Award of Excellence school visits to John F. Kennedy High School in La Palma. The event highlighted Kennedy High’s efforts to prepare students for active citizenship through voter registration drives, mock trials, soapbox speeches and debates, as well as Anaheim Union school district's role in promoting the State Seal of Civic Engagement. Watch a video from the visit to Kennedy High: Mendocino County After visiting the Mendocino County Courthouse in Ukiah, Chief Justice Guerrero and State Senator Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) met with 15 fifth grade students in Ukiah schools to talk about the U.S. Constitution and how the three branches of government interact. “Since September is Constitution Month in California, this forum provided a perfect opportunity for the Chief Justice and Senator to answer students’ questions and hear about what they are learning," said Kim Turner, Court Executive Officer for the Mendocino Superior Court, to The Ukiah Daily Journal. El Dorado County The Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District held a special oral argument session at Union Mine High School on September 24. More than 200 students from four high schools in the county attended. Attendees heard two cases and had the opportunity to ask the justices questions at the end of the session. Justices also spoke with students about their career paths. Since 2000, the Third Appellate District has held oral argument sessions in 30 high schools and two law schools in 20 counties of its district. Monterey County From September 16-26, judges, commissioners, and temporary judges from the county visited with fifth grade students in nine local elementary schools. The judicial officers provided constitutional law presentations followed by dialogues to highlight the important rights and obligations of all American citizens. San Benito County San Benito County Presiding Judge Omar Rodriguez delivered lessons in a few local elementary school classrooms. Presiding Judge Rodriguez shared more about his positive experience volunteering with Judges in the Classroom: One parent recently told me that my story of growing up in this small town and becoming a judge here has made her kids look at their community differently and believe that they too can find opportunities here.  Learn more about Power of Democracy Civic Learning Initiative (POD). https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/california-courts-kick-constitution-month-2024 California Courts Kick Off Constitution Month 2024Soltysik, Penne Fri, 09/06/2024 - 09:06 Feature In her State of the Judiciary Address in March, Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero outlined her priorities for California's judicial branch, starting with the Power of Democracy Civic Learning Initiative (POD), an effort to revitalize civic learning in California's K-12 classrooms. The judicial branch has a foundation for "maintaining and increasing public confidence in the judiciary," she explained. In 2023, the initiative's former board, a committee comprised of state and federal court judges, as well as civic learning advocates in education and law, concluded its work with a strategic plan for the initiative moving forward, packaged for the judicial branch. See timeline. The previous month, Chief Justice Guerrero appointed Administrative Presiding Justice Judith McConnell of the Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division One and Judge Julia Alloggiamento of the Superior Court of Santa Clara County to direct the judicial branch adoption of the initiative. "We want all kids sitting in the classrooms today to be actively engaged in our democracy," -- Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, 2024 State of the Judiciary Address   More Judges Visiting Schools this Year for Constitution Month Since this year's State of the Judiciary Address, many courts have taken an interest in reaching out to schools, adopting POD's signature Judges in the Classroom program, and nearly doubling the number of branch interactions with educators compared to last year's Constitution Month commemoration. Constitution Month was initiated by the Power of Democracy Steering Committee last year to accommodate the many activities planned around Constitution Day. In San Diego and Santa Clara Counties, demand was so high that attorneys from the Courts of Appeal volunteered to do visits. This year, Power of Democracy resources will be used by nearly half of the state's 58 counties during Constitution Month. The expansion is due in large part to interest from the state's smaller courts like Glenn County. "When we first heard about the opportunity, our court wasn't sure how to manage outreach since we're a small court with two judges," said Glenn County Judge Alicia Ekland. "But I was inspired to look into it. Today, we're set for the academic school year. We have visits planned out far in advance thanks to our relationship with the County Office of Education--two to commemorate Constitution Month." Statewide, judges will visit more than 100 K-12 classrooms in four weeks with lessons on the Constitution, the judicial branch, and the role of the courts. Teachers are invited to submit a request by visiting the Judges in the Classroom website. Requests are also being accepted for visits throughout the year. Last year, the judicial branch facilitated 254 in-person visits. "We know our efforts may inspire young learners to seek out opportunities to learn more about their government, to participate in civics, and be encouraged to pursue careers in law as they get older,"  said POD Vice-Lead Judge Julia Alloggiamento, whose court leads the state with more than 60 visits planned.  Courts with seasoned outreach programs reached out to schools before the summer break inviting teachers to get their requests in "before the rush." By September 1, more than 170 requests from teachers in twenty-two counties for the 2024-2025 academic year were received. About half were for Constitution Month.  “Our judges know the Constitution better than anyone,” said Justice Judith McConnell, lead of the Power of Democracy Civic Learning Initiative. “When I see judges step forward to volunteer just a bit of their time from counties we've not yet engaged with, my commitment to this important work is restored. We're seeing a lively resurgence. Court outreach programs that went dark during the pandemic are coming back. I’m thrilled to see there's interest coming from every region of our state in support of the Chief Justice's vision." For more details about the initiative, visit powerofdemocracy.org