Assn. of Legal Administrators teams with high school for 2003 car

Daily Record (Rochester, NY), Dec 4, 2003 by Staff

For this year's ALA Community Challenge, the Rochester Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators supported the fundraising efforts of students at the Academy of Law and Government. The Academy, appropriately housed in the Rochester City School District's John Marshall High School, is a unique educational program designed for students who aspire to careers in the law, law enforcement and public service.

The special law-focused program promotes civic-minded responsibility and character education, and through a four-year curriculum, prepares students academically for further study in these disciplines. Jack Hurley, an attorney by education and teacher at John Marshall is the coordinator of the Academy of Law.

Students are introduced to the professional standards of these careers through apprenticeships and internships, competitive mock trials, and publication of essays in the Thurgood Marshall Law Review. The program encourages community service through a middle school tutoring program, teen court and the school safety patrol.

This year, the students held a car wash at a nearby Wal-Mart to raise funds for their program. The ALA Chapter provided money to purchase supplies (buckets, sponges, soap and signs) and assisted with event planning and publicity. An ALA member at Eastman Kodak Co. arranged for the donation of several waterproof, single-use cameras to record the event. On event day, the students quickly developed a system of sprayers, soapers and wipers, as they worked through the lineup of cars. Parents, the program's administrator, and three ALA members joined students in the activities. Customers included numerous Wal-Mart shoppers, family members, several teachers and the school principal.

The students raised $590 from car wash activities and donations from ALA member firms. These funds will be used to defray the cost of college interview trips for John Marshall students and to support the Law Academy's tutoring program. The students have formed a review committee to develop criteria for awarding grants.

Supporting this true grassroots fundraiser was a way for ALA members to meet the students personally and to strengthen a long- standing relationship with the Law Academy. In addition to this Community Challenge event, the local ALA chapter provides an annual scholarship for a Law Academy student to attend a leadership conference in Washington, D.C. The chapter president also sits on the advisory board for the program.

The students applied for and received a matching grant from Wal- Mart - bringing their total results to more than $1,000 for this one initiative. The ALA thanked Wal-Mart for making their facilities available for the event. They also thanked Eastman Kodak Co. for providing cameras to capture many Kodak moments.