Write a commentStudents from CiTi's STRIVE High School had the unique opportunity to visit the Federal Courthouse in Syracuse as part of an educational field trip coordinated by ELA teacher Charles Clifford.
The trip provided students with an in-depth look at the workings of the federal legal system and firsthand interactions with professionals from various roles within the courthouse.
During the visit, students engaged with a magistrate judge who works on federal and civil cases, a Federal Prosecutor who works in the civil section of the federal court and a federal defense attorney who works in the criminal section of the federal court. These three individuals all spoke about how they came to be in their current positions, what types of responsibilities they have to work with and some recent cases they have been involved in.
A federal probation officer spoke with the group about how he became a federal parole officer and maybe the most important part of his job was to listen to people and use his patience to work through problems they might face out in the field; he related his work to that of a counselor or therapist, being able to listen to problems that others are facing.
The trip tied directly to STRIVE High School's curriculum, connecting Social Studies and English studies to real-world applications. Students prepared thoughtful questions for the presenters beforehand and, upon returning to school, wrote summaries reflecting on their experiences, lessons learned and interesting insights.
In addition to the educational discussions, the Federal Court provided lunch for the group and allowed students to build their own swag bags, including items such as lanyards, backpacks, notebooks, water bottles and keychain fidgets.
"This was a fantastic opportunity for our students to see how their classroom learning connects to real-world careers and responsibilities and the inner workings of the justice system," said Jon Warchol, CiTi Assistant Principal of STRIVE.
