On November 20, the Maryland Court of Appeals will host the 19th Annual Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) and Maryland State Department of Education Oratorical Contest. The event will be presided over by Court of Appeals Judge Clayton Greene Jr., with media representatives invited to attend.
The courtroom is expected to be filled with families, supporters, and officials as youth from various DJS facilities deliver their speeches. These participants are finalists who have previously won oratorical competitions within Maryland's DJS facilities. This year's contest requires three- to five-minute essays centered on "The Equipment I Need to Succeed," inspired by Edgar Albert Guest's poem "Equipment."
An excerpt from the poem reads: “You can triumph and come to skill, You can be great if you only will. You’re well equipped for the fight you choose, You have arms and legs and a brain to use. … You are the handicap you must face, You are the one who must choose your place, You must say where you want to go, How much you will study the truth to know.”
Judge Greene remarked, “Since 1998, the Maryland Court of Appeals has opened the doors of our courtroom to students in the juvenile justice system who have gotten to know the court system in unfortunate and unenviable ways,” adding that this event offers young people an opportunity for positive interaction with courts.
The media is encouraged to attend and can obtain more information by contacting the Office of Communications and Public Affairs at 410-260-1488. A privacy notice from DJS emphasizes confidentiality requirements regarding youth involved in their programs.
Details for attending include:
WHAT: 19th Annual Department of Juvenile Services and Maryland State Department of Education Oratorical Contest
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 20, 10 a.m.-noon
WHERE: Maryland Court of Appeals, 361 Rowe Blvd., Annapolis
WHO: Hosted by Judge Clayton Greene Jr., featuring students from Maryland’s DJS facilities
For further details on privacy policies concerning youths referred to DJS care or committed placements at private facilities without explicit consent or court orders prohibiting identification during interviews, contact DJS Public Information Officer at 410-230-3348.