The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, today announces the selection of three essays from fifth and sixth grade classes in the nine-county District for recognition in the “What the rule of law means to me” essay contest. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals announced this essay contest in mid-January 2022 attracting essays from throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and the United States Virgin Islands. Twenty-two fifth and sixth grade classes throughout Eastern Pennsylvania submitted class essays. The Court’s review committee evaluated the essays. The Committee selected the attached fifth grade essay from William Penn Charter School as the winner. The Court also selected the attached essays from a sixth grade class at The Baldwin School and a fifth grade class at Merion Elementary School as the additional finalists. The students offered thoughts in a concise essay as to how the Rule of Law and judicial independence affects them.
The Court will recognize the teachers, students and parents in these classes at a special recognition ceremony before the full Court on Tuesday, May 10, 2022 at 10:00 A.M. in the Ceremonial Courtroom of the U.S Courthouse at 601 Market Street in Philadelphia. The Court thanks the twenty-two classes who submitted essays in the first year of the program and looks forward to continuing its outreach to students and adults on the importance of the rule of law and judicial independence.
Read the winning essays here:
Further questions should be directed to Kate Barkman, Clerk of the Court, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Kate_Barkman@paed.uscourts.gov or 215.597.9221
