IN THE COMMUNITY
Another Successful Summer S. M. I. L. E.
Summer continues to be a time for learning for high school students in Gwinnett County. The State Court of Gwinnett County recently completed its second annual S. M. I. L. E. Program on July 20, 2017, graduating approximately twenty five students. Participating high schools included South Gwinnett, Central Gwinnett, North Gwinnett, and Norcross High School.
The mentoring program allows students who are interested in law to participate in learning sessions held at the court house on Friday afternoons. Students learn about the justice system, the trial process, and the Constitution through encounters with lawyers and judges. Solicitor Rosanna Szabo provided lunch and a learning opportunity about domestic violence. State Senator P. K. Martin spent one afternoon giving students a primer on the legislative process and answered questions about how bills are introduced and how a citizen runs for political office. Attorney Rob Greenwald, a local defense attorney with decades of experience, gave students an inside view of the criminal justice system. A panel of local judges discussed their route from college to
the practice of the law and to the bench. Snellville police officer Sgt. Rain Nieddu discussed canine training and police encounters, and Claire Lisco of the Partnership Against Domestic Violence reviewed dating and violence. And Erik Provitt, a newly minted member of the Georgia Bar, discussed his decision to go to law school after a successful career in banking. Students toured the
courthouse and were given a tour of the Gwinnett Detention Center, even getting to meet those involved in the“ jail dog” program for rescued dogs.
Four students from the 2016 inaugural program returned for the summer of 2017, and these alumni were treated to a special educational experience. Each student received a copy of The Empty Nursery by Jaclyn“ Jackie” White and was asked to read the book at the beginning of the summer. This book chronicles the criminal investigation of the case of Haley Hardwick, a toddler who was murdered in 1992 in Gwinnett County. A luncheon was held at which the students met with author Jackie White, a former police officer and Juvenile Court administrator; District Attorney Danny Porter, who prosecuted the case; and Superior Court Judge Ronnie Batchelor, who served as defense counsel for the man accused of her murder. Students were exposed to a review of a tragic criminal case, with varying perspectives given by the speakers.
Judges Pam South and Joe Iannazzone of Gwinnett County State Court hosted the program again this year, with extensive help from South Gwinnett High School teacher Rebecca Streetman, who serves as a Program Specialist for Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security; and Lead Assistant Solicitor Dana Pagan of the Gwinnett Solicitor’ s Office, who has served as a former Assistant Attorney General and teacher. Plans for the 2018 program will begin soon. ▪
22 August / September 2017