2018 Law Day Speech Contest

The TCBA held the preliminary round of the TCBA Law Day Speech Scholarship Contest for high school students on April 12, 2018, at the main campus of the Thurston County Courthouse.  The topic involved addressing the balance between the First Amendment and so-called hate speech.

We had an excellent turnout of 18 students from five different Thurston County High Schools. The top two finishers from each of two courtrooms were selected to move on to the finals at the Law Day Luncheon at the West Olympia Rotary Club on May 1, 2018.  Congratulations to the following finalists: Kameko Lashlee-Gaul, Lindsay Lucenko, Amy Poehner, and Zoe Wiley.

The TCBA was honored to have Thurston County Superior Court Judge Mary Sue Wilson and Superior Court Judge John Skinder participate on our two panels of judges at the preliminary round.  TCBA Board Members Megan Card, Heidi Magaro, Patrick O’Connor and Terry Church rounded out the two panels.

At the Law Day Luncheon on May 1st the judges included Trevor Zandell and two members of the West Olympia Rotary Club who selected the placement of the top four finishers.  The four finalists did an amazing job presenting their speeches.  After intense deliberation by the judges, Fourth Place was awarded to Zoe Wiley, a Junior at Olympia High School.  Third Place was awarded to Amy Poehner, a Junior at Capital High School.  Second Place was awarded to Kameko Lashlee-Gaul, a Junior at Olympia High School.  The winner (drum roll please!) of the 2018 Law Day Speech Contest was Lindsay Lucenko, a Sophomore at Olympia High School.  The TCBA presented scholarship money to each Finalist ($800 for first place, $600 for second place, $400 for third place, and $200 for second place) and the Rotary provided each of the Finalists with a nice commemorative plaque.

The West Olympia Rotary Club and the TCBA have teamed up on this great Law Day event for many years.

Pictured from left to right:  TCBA Member & West Olympia Rotary Member Stephen Henderson, TCBA President Trevor Zandell, Law Day participants Lindsay Lucenko, Kameko Lashlee-Gaul, Amy Poehner, Zoe Wiley, and West Olympia Rotary President Paul Simmons.

 

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