Mashayla Hays and Joshua Puckett

Central students take top spots in National Moot Court Competition

Joshua Puckett, a senior in the Legal/Governmental Services Program at Central High School MCA, won the National Championship at the Marshall-Brennan Moot Court Competition, which was held last month in Philadelphia.

Joshua’s teammate and classmate, Mashayla Hays, was the runner-up in the competition. This marks the first time in the tournament’s history that one school had two of the four finalists.

“Joshua and Mashayla were tremendous. The judges couldn’t have been more impressed with their knowledge of the cases and the law, or with their poise in answering questions,” says Professor Sam Marcosson of the Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville (UofL). “The coaches from other schools were just as complimentary,” Marcosson says. He and two lawschool students coached the Central team.

All four of the seniors on the team made it to the tournament’s semifinal round. Besides Joshua and Mashayla, the other semifinalists representing Central were Hau Duc Le and Chania Coleman.

The Moot Court Competition brings together students from various Marshall-Brennan programs sponsored by law schools around the country, giving high school students the opportunity to put into practice the lessons they have learned about constitutional rights throughout the year. The students also argue an actual case involving students’ rights under the First Amendment. The competition involves appellate court-type arguments, as opposed to a trial court environment.

Middle school is Governor’s Cup state champion

Meyzeek Middle took the top spot in the middle school championship at the 2011 Governor’s Cup State Finals in Lexington. In the Quick Recall part of the competition, Meyzeek came in first and Noe Middle placed second.

The two JCPS teams had practiced against each other to prepare for the state tournament. “During the practices, we decided that we should not scrimmage school-against-school,” says Suzanne Kugler, sixth-grade science teacher and Quick Recall coach at Noe. “Instead, we created teams from both schools. We practiced, laughed, cheered, ate pizza, and became collaborators who mutually sharpened the other.

“At the state tournament, we cheered for each other, our teams sat together, and I even had a Meyzeek parent willing and able to answer an inquiry for Noe’s team during our final four game. After the championship match, both of our teams cheered for each other, and all were smiling over a game well played. In retrospect, I see that this collaboration is the best lesson we could have given our students, and it has touched me deeply. They have learned that it is better to reach out to others, to not only be good sports but to extend a hand of friendship, and [they’ve learned] that, when you do that, it makes us all better.”

Another JCPS school, Crosby Middle, was a quarterfinalist in the Quick Recall competition. In the high school division, duPont Manual won third place in Quick Recall and tied for third in overall points. Complete competition results are available at the Kentucky Association for Academic Competition Web site at www.kaac.com.

Teacher earns state’s top civic education award

Merritt Robinson, a teacher at duPont Manual High, earned the Kentucky Outstanding Civic Education Leadership Award. It’s sponsored by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA), the Office of the Secretary of State, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), and the McConnell Center at UofL.

The award recognizes a teacher, school administrator, legislator, or leader of a community organization who has promoted or provided civic education to help students become informed and responsible citizens.

Robinson led her students in raising $17,000 for local and global service-learning projects (including funds to purchase goats for families in Darfur) and spent 18,000 hours helping 70 different community organizations. Robinson and her students also conducted the Service Learning Celebration Fair, which included 182 different projects.

Kentucky Secretary of State Elaine Walker presented the award to Robinson and 13 regional finalists in Rupp Arena at the KHSAA Sweet 16 Basketball Tournament.

“Ms. Robinson, like all educators honored today, has gone above and beyond the call of duty and is an inspiration to each of us as we strive to increase civic participation in the next generation,” Walker said. “Each educator honored is an excellent example of how we can positively shape the lives of young people each and every day. Their work increasing civic education is important in helping shape the next generation of leaders.”