March 29, 2018 (OKLAHOMA CITY) – Two students from Waller Middle School won first place in the recent statewide Law Day art and writing contests sponsored by the Oklahoma Bar Association.
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Jaziel E. Villapando won first place in sixth-grade art and Elsa Stewart won first place for seventh-grade art. Both students were recognized during a ceremony at the Oklahoma Judicial Center where they received their awards from Oklahoma Supreme Court Chief Justice Douglas Combs.
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Also from Waller Middle School, Loren Simpson placed second in the sixth-grade art contest and Kadie Evans placed second in the seventh-grade art contest. Two other students – Emma Holland and Taylor Stotts – also earned honorable mentions for their art pieces.
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More than 900 students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12th entered this year’s Law Day Contest, themed “Separation of Powers: Framework for Freedom.”
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“This year’s theme provided an opportunity to examine the balance of power between our three branches of government,” said OBA President Kimberly Hays. “Maintaining the framework conceived by our founding fathers is essential to ensuring our freedoms, and this year the students demonstrated their understanding through their entries.”
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Law Day, a nationwide event designated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958, is celebrated annually with events on or around May 1 to raise public awareness of American law. The idea for Law Day was conceived by the late Hicks Epton, a Wewoka attorney and Oklahoma Bar Association past president.
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As part of the Law Day celebration, Oklahoma lawyers will be available to give free legal advice on Thursday, May 3, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The toll-free, statewide number is 800-456-8525. Residents may also email questions to askalawyer@okbar.org. More information about Law Day is available at www.okbar.org/lawday.
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Also, to celebrate Law Day, the annual Ask A Lawyer TV show will air at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 3, on Oklahoma’s public television station OETA. This year, the show will cover estate planning, mental health court and expungements.
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The 18,000-member Oklahoma Bar Association, headquartered in Oklahoma City, was created by the Oklahoma Supreme Court to advance the administration of justice and to foster and maintain learning, integrity, competence, public service and high standards of conduct among Oklahoma's legal community.
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Chief Justice Douglas Combs presents Enid student Elsa Stewart with her first-place award.
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