2019 Summit – IT’S A WRAP!!!!!
The theme of the 2019 Summit was Making Waves – and yes we did! One hundred and forty students and sixty volunteers/chaperones/coordinators attended the 2019 Summit held in Raleigh, NC on April 12th – 14th .
Just a brief overview of what we did …..
On Friday night the participants checked in and attended a workshop to help increase their awareness of diversity. Thanks Alia Langdon and Harnett County for conducting the workshop. Students got very creative with their scavenger hunt and then it was off to practice for competition!
On Saturday morning, thirteen counties competed. Congrats to ALL the students for their efforts and hard work. A special thank you to the volunteer Presiding Judges and Scoring Judges that gave up their Saturday morning to help out. The Courtroom Monitors kept the process running smoothly and even a ceiling deciding to fall in did not stop us! Hearings went on as scheduled and it was off for pictures and lunch and a well deserved break for the students (and an opportunity for coordinators to breathe)!
During lunch, a guest speaker from Wake Tech Community College, Mr. Jeffrey Robinson, did a workshop on Understanding the Drug Crisis and Reality Based Training. Mr. Robinson not only spoke to the students, he invited them up and made them a part of the presentation. In true Teen Court fashion – he had no problems getting volunteers – we don’t just talk – we do!!!!
Saturday afternoon was free time for a much needed fun break. Some groups napped, others went to fun parks, malls, art museums, etc. Even Teen Court students need some down time and fun time to regroup.
Saturday night – a Teen Court tradition – the dance! And dance they did!!!! These kids are as impressive on the dance floor as they are in the courtroom!!
Sunday morning, breakfast and a guest speaker, Mr. Chris Suggs. Thanks to Renee Stewart for making that connection. After the speaker, it was the time students had all been waiting for – presentation of awards!! Congrats to all the winners! JOB WELL DONE!!! A very special thank you to Harnett County 4H for providing the awards for the ceremony!
Team Awards
1st Place Overall – Gaston County
2nd Place Overall – Wake County
3rd Place Overall – Pitt County
Spirit Award – Bladen County
Courtroom A Individual Awards
Best Defense Attorney – Jeffrey Warren – Pitt County
Best Prosecuting Attorney – Aniya Outlaw – Bertie County
Best Defendant – Tiffany Hargrove – Person County
Best Bailiff – Kenny Flemming – Columbus County
Best Clerk – Hope Wesner – Moore County
Best Trial Attorneys
Aaron Creech – Columbus County
Jeffrey Warren – Pitt County
Hannah McLaughlin – Gaston County
Brianna Fanning – Wake County
Jeremy Goldsby – Duplin County
Aniya Outlaw – Bertie County
Courtroom B Individual Awards
Best Defense Attorney – Cameron Dysinger – Craven County
Best Prosecuting Attorney – Rhinda Sudhini – Wake County
Best Defendant – Anna Newby – Craven County
Best Bailiff – Zach McGinnis – Gaston County
Best Clerk – Kyla Wilkins – Duplin County
Best Trial Attorneys
Courtney Paylor – Person County
Hannah Cates – Caswell County
Rhinda Sudhini – Wake County
Adrianna Hernandez – Greene County
Eliza Bradley – Gaston County
Anna Ragsdale – Moore County
Best Courtroom Reporter – Alexis Lund – Columbus County
Best Courtroom Sketch Artist – Danielle Helton – Harnett County
Glenda Ansley Scholarship Winner – Aniyah Lane – Pitt County
Of course, in wrapping up 2019 Summit – a huge thank you to the 2019 Summit Committee. This event is not possible without many hours of preparation, hard work, worry, stress and a few sleepless nights. Great job 2019 Committee!!!
Ronnie Dunevant – Committee Chair
Greg Kelly
Alia Langdon
Charissa Puryear
Joel Fulton
Renee Stewart
Lauren Pace
And last, but certainly not least – to all the Program Coordinators. In addition to your regular daily duties as coordinators, you get bogged down with paperwork, new policies and procedures, deadlines, emergencies with kids that have to be dealt with, court dates, fires that have to be put out, Judges and courtroom staff wanting information ASAP! The struggle is real. What you do is necessary. What you do is important. What you do DOES make a difference in the lives of the students you work with! So go out and MAKE WAVES!!!! But always remember, if you feel like you are drowning – call on another Coordinator to help be your life raft!!!!!
See you at 2020 Summit!!!!!!!!
