UI Law Students Prep Orofino Team for Mock Congressional Hearing in D.C.
Friday, February 17 2006
Feb. 17, 2006 MOSCOW, Idaho – Preparing for a congressional hearing is an awesome task, all the more so when you’re still in high school. University of Idaho College of Law students Ritchie Eppink, Matt Sonnichsen and Nance Ceccarelli, recent graduate Matt House and faculty member Pat Costello have been coaching Orofino High School teacher Cindy Wilson’s advanced placement students in preparation for the “We the People” Mock Congressional Hearing Competition on the U.S. Constitution in Boise. In January, the Orofino team won the state competition. In April, they will fly to Washington, D.C., to compete nationally. It’s the fourth state-level win in Orofino’s six years of competition, and the fifth year UI College of Law students have been involved in the process. UI students work with the high school seniors, sit as judges, critique student presentations, look over student essays, spend time in a question-and-answer session and serve as mentors. House, who earned his juris doctorate in 2005, began volunteering for the program as a second-year law student. He flew in from his private practice in Portland to lend a hand this year. The pro bono coaching is helping garner not only state titles, but some unpredicted quid pro quo results. “Once the students get into this area of study, many of them end up studying law or some aspect of political science,” said Wilson. “OHS students look up to the law students as mentors and feel inspired after spending the day at the UI College of Law,” she adds. “I’m so appreciative of the law students and the support form Pat Costello and Dean Burnett. This year we’re really hoping to bring something home to Idaho.” The Orofino team includes: Rebecca Jones, Lisa Huffman, Joe Bledsoe, Jesse Wityczak, Jessie McLeod, Michelle Hosley, Michael Anderson, Crystal Berg, Brian Perkins, Erica Gau, Johnny Samsky, Brian Hansen, Amanda Giese and Mauro Calabria. The mock hearings are sponsored by the Center for Civic Education in Washington, D.C. Contacts: Pat Costello, College of Law (208) 885-7077, costello@uidaho.edu; Cindy Wilson, Orofino High School, (208) 885-476-5557, wilsonc@sd171.k12.id.us; Donna Emert, UI Communications, (208) 640-1609, demert@uidaho.edu - 30 - DE - 2/17/06 - LAW
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The University of Idaho helps students to succeed and become leaders. Its land-grant mission furthers innovative scholarly and creative research to grow Idaho's economy and serve a statewide community. From its main campus in Moscow, Idaho, to 70 research and academic locations statewide, U-Idaho emphasizes real-world application as part of its student experience. U-Idaho combines the strength of a large university with the intimacy of small learning communities. It is home to the Vandals. For information, visit www.uidaho.edu.