Law & Justice Academy on Hawaiʻi Island modeled after inaugural program held on Maui in 2022

While many teenagers spent their fall break relaxing, 20 high school students from Keaʻau, Waiākea, Kamehameha Schools-Hawaiʻi, Hilo, and Ke Kula ʻo Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu Iki chose to immerse themselves in learning about civics and the legal system. These students were selected to participate in the first Hilo Law & Justice Academy at Hale Kaulike (Hilo courthouse), an intensive three-day program that culminated in a mock trial exercise.

“We wanted to provide access to a unique opportunity for students from East Hawai’i to learn about our legal system and to see the pathway to civic engagement and a potential career in law,” said Professor Troy Andrade of the William S. Richardson School of Law and a member of the Commission to Promote and Advance Civic Education.

The selected students, who are interested in justice, the law, leadership, advocacy and/or careers in the legal field, developed skills in discussion, debate, analysis, and advocacy. “Something that I liked about the program was being able to talk with various judges and attorneys to learn about their jobs,” said Aubree K-Aloha, a 10th grader at Kamehameha Schools-Hawaiʻi.

The inaugural program organized by PACE was held on Maui in 2022,  in partnership with local stakeholders. Based on the success of the Maui program, PACE worked alongside the judges and staff of the Third Circuit Court, the William S. Richardson School of Law, the Hawaiʻi County Bar Association, the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo’s Pre-Law Certificate Program and Political Science Department and the university’s Kīpuka Native Hawaiian Student Center, and the American Judicature Society to coordinate the Hilo program.

The Academy included an overview of state and federal government, a presentation on Hawaiʻi’s court system from state trial and appellate judges, sessions by attorneys on presenting witnesses and arguments in court, exercises for students to learn courtroom advocacy, a session by UH Hilo and Richardson Law School students about educational pathways, an opportunity to meet and hear from court staff integral to the operations of the Third Circuit Court, a tour of culturally significant sites in Hilo and to meet citizens active in the community, and a mock trial before Third Circuit judges.  

“Every volunteer judge and attorney who had the opportunity to work with the students was impressed by their curiosity, intelligence, thoughtfulness, and potential. It was inspiring to see how much the students learned and grew over the course of just three days. We all look forward to learning what each of them accomplish in the future,” said Steven Uejio, a volunteer and Academy organizer.

PACE plans to continue to explore opportunities to expand the program to other areas of the state. Maulihiwa Weissman, a 10th grader at Ke Kula ʻo Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu Iki Lab Public Charter School, had this advice for interested students, “Get out of your comfort zone and join [the Academy]. Who knows? Maybe you will be a lawyer or judge when you are older.”

“I was very impressed by the growth I witnessed over the three days of the Academy,” said volunteer attorney Sherilyn Tavares, County of Hawaiʻi Deputy Corporation Counsel. “They were eager to get feedback on the work they had done as they prepared for their presentations, and rather than shy away from presenting, I witnessed their excitement grow immensely. It was funny how on day two, all they wanted to know was ‘what side am I going to be on,’ although they learned that it didn’t really matter in the end, because they were learning to consider the issues from all sides.

“I overheard the students sharing about how they were thinking about their arguments all night, and that for some, it kept them up because they did not want to leave any important details out. I told them that aspect of the legal profession doesn’t end in the real world,” she added.

Along with Andrade and Uejio, Third Circuit Judge Darien Ching Nagata and Federal Magistrate Judge Wes Porter were lead organizers of the Law & Justice Academy. Key contributors from the state Judiciary were Hawaiʻi Supreme Court Justice and PACE Chair Lisa M. Ginoza, Intermediate Court of Appeals Judge Sonja P. McCullen, Judge Henry T. Nakamoto, Judge Peter K. Kubota, Judge Jeffrey W. Ng, and Judge Kimberly B.M.Tsuchiya.

Staff members who shared information on careers in the Judiciary were Bailiff Timothy Weber; Clerk Darla Requelman; IT Support Technician Michal “Miki” Popadic; Juvenile Probation Officers Kathy Nacis and Mariaina Fujisawa; and Program Services Social Worker Shelley Carter. In addition, Sheriff Deputy Michelle Watson from the Department of Law Enforcement also presented.