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Students Speak with
Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor
Ohio Supreme Court...
Court Receives First Field Trip Tour of the Season
When high school junior Michelle Yang stepped into the Ohio Judicial
Center for the first time, she was in awe.
She and nearly two dozen upperclassmen from Hathaway Brown School, an
all-girls school in Shaker Heights, visited the home of the Supreme
Court of Ohio and listened in on oral arguments.
After touring the Visitor Education Center, the students met one-on-one
with Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor.
Chief Justice O’Connor told the girls that she originally wanted to
become a doctor, and then a teacher, before deciding on her path that
eventually led her to become the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Chief Justice.
Yang said she was surprised at how “real” the Chief seemed and said she
is really motivating.
“It’s just amazing to see how the Supreme Court Justice is a woman and
how she got to where she was and how she really influences all of us at
an all girls school to be powerful, women leaders,” Yang said. “She’s
just a woman leader we can all aspire to be.”
Sarah James said she plans to study law once she graduates and said
after speaking with Chief Justice O’Connor she knows she’s meant for
bigger and better things.
“I don’t think I’d want to use my law degree just to be an attorney or
whatnot. I would want to become a judge, so to see a strong female
figure in a role I aspire to fill someday was really inspirational,”
James said.
Joe Vogel, James and Yang’s teacher, said it was important to bring his
students to the Ohio Judicial Center to learn about the role of the
court and how it affects their everyday lives.
He was excited for them to meet the Chief Justice as well.
“For them to be able to see in her, that they can one day have this
sort of position as well, and what the Chief has done throughout her
professional career in order to get here,” Vogel said. “I think it’s
not only valuable but also very influential as well for high school
students as they are thinking about a career path.”
While Vogel has never brought his students to the Ohio Judicial Center
during his 8 years at Hathaway Brown, he said he now plans to bring
students every year after such a worthwhile visit.
See the video here
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