State Bar Announces 2007 Law Day Poster & Essay Contest Winners; More Than 200 Entries Received

* Winners attend schools in Birmingham, Evergreen, Florence, Hartselle, Montgomery also one home-schooled student from Morris

Montgomery, Ala., April 27, 2007 - As the nation celebrates Law Week, Alabama students shared their thoughts on this year's dual themes of "Assuring our Democracy through the Education of our Youth" and "Democracy at Work in the Juvenile Court System," through creative expressions of art and the imagery of the written word.

With 200+ entries, judges of the Alabama State Bar"s Law Day 2007 annual competition came away with a vivid impression of what our legal system means to Alabama"s youth. Visitors to the bar’s Web site can view all the winning entries at www.alabar.org/lawday.

There were a total of 156 posters and 65 essays entered by students across the state in this year's Law Day contests.

Montgomery lawyers Thomas B. Klinner (Crumpton & Klinner), and Gregg Brantley Everett (Kaufman & Rothfeder) serve as co-chairs of the state bar's Law Day committee.

Judges for the poster contest are: Rob Hatchell, WSFA-TV Ch. 12; Judge Sharon Yates, former presiding judge of the state Court of Civil Appeals; and Kimberly Barnhart. Judges for the essay contest are: Lt. Col. Susan Turley, Judge Advocate General's Corps, Maxwell Air Force Base; and Montgomery attorneys J. Flynn Mozingo (Melton, Espy & Williams); James Frank Vickrey, Jr., and Samuel Partridge.

Winners will be recognized Wednesday, May 2 at a special ceremony to be held at 11 a.m. at the Alabama Supreme Court. Following the presentation of awards, students and their guests will be treated to a special luncheon at the Alabama State Bar, followed by a tour of the Supreme Court.

The poster and essay contests are divided into two categories - grades K-6 for posters; grades 7-12 for essays. Winners in the essay contest receive U.S. Savings Bonds in the amounts of $200, $150 and $100 respectively; winners in the poster contest receive bonds in the amounts of $125, $100 and $75.

All winners receive engraved gold medals and award certificates. Schools of all winners receive certificates and teachers of the winners receive a $25 contribution per award for use in their classrooms.

The Alabama State Bar is dedicated to promoting the professional responsibility, competence and satisfaction of its members; improving the administration of justice, and: increasing public understanding and respect for the law.

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List of Winners

ESSAYS	GRADES 7-9	GRADES 10-12
1st Place	Emily Fleisig Hilltop Montessori School (Birmingham) Teacher: Sherry Cook	Drew Tatum Wilson High School (Florence) Teacher: Kenda Rusevlyan
2nd Place	Jessie Wallace Hartselle Jr High School (Hartselle) Teacher: Elisa Harris	Teddy Johnston Heritage Academy (home-schooled) Teacher: Janet Johnston
3rd Place	Jordan Holt Wilson High School (Florence) Teacher: Kenda Rusevlyan	Chelsea Cernosek Wilson High School (Florence) Teacher: Kenda Rusevlyan
POSTERS	GRADES K-3	GRADES 4-6
1st Place	Dakota Coleman Lyeffion School (Evergreen) Teacher: Susan Coleman	Marvin Royal Bear Exploration Center (Montgomery) Teacher: Marlon Burns
2nd Place	Lilli Gibson Advent Epsicopal School (Birmingham) Teacher: Lee Stayer	Zack Vines Bear Exploration Center (Montgomery) Teacher: Kris White
3rd Place	Sam Newton Advent Epsicopal School (Birmingham) Teacher: Lee Stayer	Conner Singleton Bear Exploration Center (Montgomery) Teacher: Marlon Burns
	Winning Schools
	1. Hilltop Montessori 2. Hartselle Jr. High 3. Wilson High School 4. Lyeffion School 5. Advent Episcopal 6. Heritage Academy 7. Bear Exploration Center