Earlier in March, the Berkshire Local Schools’ auditorium was transformed into an appellate courtroom, where oral arguments in a real appellate case were delivered and presided over by the Eleventh District Court of Appeals...
Courtroom in the Classroom
Earlier in March, the Berkshire Local Schools’ auditorium was transformed into an appellate courtroom, where oral arguments in a real appellate case were delivered and presided over by the Eleventh District Court of Appeals. This one-of-a-kind learning experience was made possible through the Courtroom in the Classroom program, which brings actual appellate court proceedings to high schools in the five-county jurisdiction of the Eleventh Court of Appeals of Ohio, serving Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Portage and Trumbull counties.
As part of the nationwide celebration of the U.S.A.’s 250th anniversary, one high school from each county of jurisdiction was selected to host an appellate case. Berkshire was chosen to represent Geauga County. Special thanks to Judge Matt Lynch, Presiding, Judge Robert J. Patton and Judge Scott Lynch from the Eleventh Court of Appeals for making the event possible.
Approximately 250 Berkshire students attended the court proceedings, including students in Eric Higgs’ U.S. Government classes, who have been studying the court system and legal process over the past month. The Courtroom in the Classroom program gave students a firsthand look at the American judicial system and the constitutional rights that support it.
Students Share Good News
The Berkshire Middle School Honor Society and the Berkshire Makerspace teamed up on a recent project-based learning initiative called “Sharing Good News.” Honor Society students wanted to share positive news with the school community. Led by teachers Tiber and Kostiha, students developed a plan that involved setting up a live microphone in the hallway and inviting fellow students to step up voluntarily in a no-pressure zone and share something good.
Makerspace assistants Vanessa and Savannah aided the process by producing a short video explaining the project. Honor Society students used the video to prepare classmates with a pre-lesson about “Sharing Good News” in their strategies classrooms. The project ran for three days and drew strong participation. The Makerspace then compiled the collected clips into a YouTube video. Students used Makerspace resources, equipment and programs throughout the build.
