At a ceremony commemorating Law Day, 2011 held on Friday, April 29, 2011 during a luncheon at the Pocono Inne Town , Stroudsburg, PA., Lori J. Cerato, Esquire, Treasurer of the Monroe County Bar Association announced the winners of the 2011 Law Day Essay Contest. The Essay Contest is open to all high school students in Monroe County, who submit essays discussing the theme of Law Day..

MONROE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION LAW DAY 2012 WRITING CONTEST Monroe County high school students are invited to submit an original writing (i.e. essay, short story, news article, poem, a review, etc.) for the Monroe County Bar Association Law Day Ceremony, which will be held on Friday, April 27, 2012. The deadline for submission is Friday, April 13, 2012 at 4:30 p.m. to the Monroe County Bar Association, c/o Denise Burdge, Executive Director, 913 Main Street, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania 18360 or by email dburdge@monroebar.org. The original writing should be typewritten, double spaced, 12 point font, one inch margins, and no longer than three (3) pages in length. The writings will be judged by a panel of members of the Monroe County Bar Association and will be judged on creativity, clarity, originality, composition of prose, and how effectively the writing conveys the ideals of America, with adherence to the theme. Cash awards will be offered for the top three original writings ($200, $100 and $50). Additionally, the winning students will be invited to attend the Monroe County Bar Association’s Annual Law Day Luncheon, which will be held at The Penn Stroud on Friday, April 27, 2012 at noon. The first place winner will be invited to read his or her writing at the luncheon. “I HAVE A DREAM” Martin Luther King, Jr., Nobel Peace Prize winner, civil rights activist, and prominent leader, is regarded as one of the most iconic figures in American history. Dr. King peacefully advocated for the basic constitutional ideals of freedom, liberty and equality using the power of words and expression. One of the shining examples of Dr. King’s ability to inspire change through nonviolent expression is his “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered to over a quarter of a million people on the national mall in Washington, D.C. In that speech, Dr. King famously proclaimed In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. has continually served as an inspiration for those using the power of words to peacefully encourage action. Building on Dr. King’s legacy, create a writing that explains why peaceful, nonviolent speech and expression are vital to maintaining the ideals of freedom, liberty, and equality.

2011 Law Day Essay Contest Winner - Kyle Jorstad
Click Here to read Kyle's Award Winning Law Day Essay

First Place Winner of the 2011 Law Day Essay Contest was Kyle Jorstad of East Stroudsburg South. Kyle received a monetary award of $200. Pictured with Kyle Jorstad is his proud Mom.

Law Day U.S. A. was instituted in 1957 by Charles S. Rhyne, then President of the American Bar Association. President Dwight D. Eisenhower established Law Day by presidential proclamation in 1958. On this occasion he said, "It is fitting that the American people should remember with pride and vigilantly guard the great heritage of liberty, justice and equality under law. .It is our moral and civic obligation as free men and as Americans to preserve and strengthen that great heritage.

The Monroe County Bar Association celebrates Law Day with a combination of many activities involving attorneys and members of the community.

Local area fifth grade students are invited to attend a fairy tale mock trial at the Monroe County Courthouse. Each year local attorneys present a "fairy tale" trial to over 500 youngsters. Many disreputable characters have been tried on Law Day over the past years including the Big Bad Wolf, Pokemon and Darth Vader.

A formal Law Day Ceremony follows the Fairy Tale Mock Trial at a local eatery with the local judiciary and attorneys in attendance. During the ceremony, an award for the best essay written by a Monroe County high school student on the Law Day theme is presented. The top three winners of the contest receive a monetary award. In addition, the first place contestant reads his or her essay at the Law Day Ceremony held at the the Monroe County Courthouse.

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Edwin Krawitz,Esq., Chairman of the Law Day Race Committee .