By Debra Tavaras
“May it please the court.” For the past 13 years, I’ve heard middle and high school students utter these words in a simulated moot court competition in Atlanta, GA. The competition is part of the Young Litigators Project, which provides an opportunity for youth to learn about the role of the Supreme Court, as well as their rights and responsibilities as citizens. The project educates youth on the rule of law and helps them to understand how laws directly impact their lives.
The Young Litigators Project began when I was hired by the Fulton County District Attorney’s office to develop and implement a teen court for a middle school that had a high truancy and suspension rate. Working with the school’s students, I noticed that they knew how the lower court worked, however they had limited knowledge of the Supreme Court and how its decisions can affect the entire country. I wanted to change this, and came up with the idea of developing a moot court competition among middle schools.
Debra Tavaras has over 30 years of experience with education and non-profits. She has served with several board of directors and was selected as the 2023 COABE State Advocate for Adult Education. She is also the founder of Soulstice Inc., a youth leadership organization that use a pro-social approach to involve youth in their school and community.
