ERIC ED394874: The New York City Mentor Handbook. Tenth Anniversary Edition.

47 Pages·1991·1.9 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
SO 025 940
ED 394 874
Breck, Judy, Ed.
AUTHOR
The New York City Mentor Handbook. Tenth Anniversary
TITLE
Edition.
Federal Bar Council, New York, NY.; New York Alliance
INSTITUTION
for the Public schools, New York, NY.; New York City
Board of Education, N.Y.
PUB DATE
91
NOTE
47p.
New York City Mentor Program, c/o Martin Luther King,
AVAILABLE FROM
Jr. High School, 122 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY
10023.
Non-Classroom Use (055)
PUB TYPE
Guides
MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
*Citizen Participation; Citizenship Education;
DESCRIPTORS
*Civics; *Law Related Education; *Lawyers; *Mentors;
Secondary Education; Social Studies
ABSTRACT
This handbook presents a description of the New York
City Mentor program. It is designed to provide guidelines for the
participating schools and law firms as well as an explanation of the
program for potential participants. The program pairs law firms, solo
practitioners, and corporate legal departments with public high
schools. Lawyers visit classes, assist in court trips, and have
students visit their law firm, enabling students to see first-hand
the inner-workings of a firm. Lawyers serve as role models and expose
students to all law-related professions. The handbook provides a
summary of the basic four-event Mentor program as well as of the
activities and achievements of the lawyers, students, teachers,
judges, and school officials involved the New York City and other
Mentor programs around the country.
(LH)
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Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
*
*
from the original document.
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2
BEST COPY AVAILAB
The New York City
ntor
Handbook
Tenth Anniversary Edition
1991
:;
The New York City
MENTOR Handbook
Judy Breck
Editor
MENTOR thanks
CORPORATE PRINTING COMPANY, INC.
for printing this Handbook,
and Is grateful to Larry Posner and
Ventura Software Inc., A Xerox Company, for
producing thls Handbook on a Xerox Docutech
Publishing System.
The New York City MENTOR Program is sponsored b y The New York Alliance for
the Public Schools and the Federal Bar Council, in coopera,:in with the Board of
Education of the City of New York. This Handbook is published by the New York
City MENTOR Program, Debra Lesser, Coordinator, c,./o Martin Luther King, Jr. High
School, 122 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, New York 10023.
Permission for use of the MENTOR trademark or extensive use of oopyrighted
material can be obtained from the National MENTOR Director: Jo Rosner, Esq., cio
Washington State Bar Association, 2001 Sixth Avenue, Suite 500, Seattle, Wash-
ington 98121-2599.
Contents
An Invitation
1
New York City Report
3
The Basic MENTOR Program
10
The MENTOR Moot Court
16
New York City Roll Call
20
National Report
29
34
The Pilot Project (How To Begin)
National Roll Call
41
,
"W!
"sa:dner+T4T,Zr,'
,
;
,t7t)t
+44S,
THE PRESENTATION OF THE MENTOR BOWL (left to nght) Thomas W. Evans, MENTOR
Founder and Chair; the winning oralists Tracy McCormick and Leotis Sanders; their teacher
Sonia Lerner; their lawyer coach William J. Natbony; and the co-presenter of the Bowl, William
Lucas, Director of Liaison Services of the United States Department of Justice. (See pp. 16-19)
An Invitiation
is now entering its tenth year. Based on independent evaluations, it has yielded significant benefits
MENTOR
for further
for participating students and lawyers. Each day requests are received from all over the country
information about the program. We therefore extend this invitation:
To the Schools
To Lawyers
Law involves important areas of speaking, writ-
While our principal pro bono activity must re-
ing, and substantive knowledge. Students who
main the representation of indigent clients, we
intend ultimately to enter the profession find that
nevertheless have a significant duty to the public
to explain our profession, the way the courts
they can now place their aspirations in a practical
setting. In MENTOR, they also learn about voca-
function and the opportunities and responsibili-
tions related to the law. But according to inde-
ties afforded by the law. MENTOR is an ideal
pendent evaluations, the greatest benefits come to
way to do this. We reach young minds, eager to
those students who had not intended to enter the
receive information, guided by teachers skilled
law, or even go to college. After participating in
in law-related education. The added dimension
the program, they have a greater interest in their
which we bring to the process is practical expe-
studies, a greater respect for their teachers, and a
rience. The heightened student interest makes
greater understanding of their rights and respon-
possible results which could not otherwise be so
readily attained. And yet the program requires
sibilities.
very little time from lawyers, who simply ex-
plain what they do and permit students to watch
Please join us,
while they work. Lawyers and other law firm
employees find immense satisfaction in the pro-
gram.
Thomas W. Evans, Founder
1
E;
New York City
Report
54airen
/
t
'
I
I
A
st.'"rao
Ats,
I
--arab
Ten Y rs Together in ME OR
The metropolitan meetings
tion of lawyers in public school
This York City Tenth Anniver-
have been hosted since their in-
sary Edition of The MENTOR education.
ception by Mead Data Central,
Handbook is a short summary
Inc. - LECLS/NEXIS. A key
of the activities and achieve-
ROLL CALL
theme of MENTOR is "the im-
ments of hundreds of lawyers,
and that
portance of lunch"
students, teachers, judges and
Many of the lawyers and edu-
includes the metropolitan
school officials. Law-related
cators who have created and
lunches. MENTOR is grateful
education is continuing to pro-
led this program in New York
to Mead Data Central for mak-
duce positive results for
City are shown above, assem-
ing possible these crucial gath-
schools and students. A grow-
bled for a MENTOR metropoli-
erings and the synergy of ideas
ing factor in the field of law-re-
tan meeting. The key presenta-
and enthusiam generated.
lated education, MENTOR is a
tion at these luncheons, held
project that works.
twice a year, is the roll call
"OUR KIDS"
when the lawyers and teachers
MINTOR works because it is
"OUR FIRM"
from each MENTOR pairing re-
doable for btisy lawyers and
port together, describing to the
overwhelmed schools. It works
meeting their activities with
The language of the roll call re-
because it achieves its basic
students. The essence of MEN-
ports at the metropolitan lunch-
educational goals. And it
TOR is the events at the school,
eons reveals a vital new part-
works toward solving the
the firm and the courts con-
nership ingredient for MEN-
toughest problems in educa-
ducted by a particular law firm
TOR schools. Firm-school spirit
tion today: the minimizing of
for a class at the school. The fall
is high. Lawyers commonly
the potential of some students
and spring metropolitan meet-
speak of "our kids" and the stu-
and the loss of others through
ing roll call reports enrich the
dents of "our law firm". This
"dropping out". In its first dec-
program citywide because new
highly positive relationship be-
ade, MENTOR has become an
ideas are reported and general
tween professionals in the pri-
outstanding precedent for the
enthusiasm is shared.
vate sector and public schools
practical and useful participa-
4
s'S.!
agati&T&-
TOR accomplishes its goals in
since 1982, remain enthusiastic
is a noteworthy precedent. It
acquainting students with the
participants.
has been replicated by lawyers
courts, the profession and the
throughout the nation. (See
law. But the most important re-
A law firm is typically paired
"National Report" in this Hand-
sult may well be the immediate
with a class (most often social
book.)
effect which the program has
studies, constitutional law, or a
on the students' attitudes to-
MENTOR elective) of 25 to 40
MENTOR began with the pair-
ward school. This was particu-
students. A lawyer may appear
ing of five major law firms
larly pronounced in schools
in a classroom to explain the le-
with a public high school in
with the fewest college-bound
gal aspect of some familiar
each of New York's five bor-
students. As the first evalu-
event or to describe a case he
oughs. In the basic MENTOR
ation noted: "These students
has litigated. The lunch at the
program, each law firm/high
gave responses such as 'I re-
firm may be addressed by a for-
school pairing agrees to con-
spect my teachers more' and 'I
mer prosecutor who can lead
duct four activities together
watch everything more care-
the discussion about what the
over a semester or school year:
fully now; I respect school
students observed in a crinf4nal
the lawyers visit the MENTOR
rules.". The second evaluation
trial that morning. Or the
class at the school, the class vis-
also showed that the program's
firm's personnel director might
its the law firm, the lawyets
goals had been met, and reaf-
explain, after the students had
take the students to court and
firmed that the students be-
spent the morning touring the
an elective event (e.g. the city-
lieved that they had become
firm, how a job interview is
wide MENTOR moot court, or
more law-abiding.
conducted, or a paralegal
a mock bond hearing at the
might tell what he or she does.
firm) is developed by the law-
The MENTOR handbook pre-
Speeches are kept to a mini-
yers for the students. The con-
sents a description of the MEN-
mum; questions, answers and
clusion of each event is a sand-
TOR program. It is designed to
informal conversation are en-
wich lunch at the law firm's of-
provide guidelines for the par-
couraged.
fices. Today, 41 New York City
ticipating schools and law
law firms are paired with 41
firms as well as an expl?nation
MENTOR has been evaluated
public senior and junior high
of the program for potential
twice by the New York City
schools. The five original pair-
participants.
Board of Education. The evalu-
ings, having worked together
ations confirmed that MEN-
5
I.
EVALUATION
INMAL GOALS AND
and members of related legal
vocations function in the day-
EVALUATION
to-day operation of the modern
The Evaluation Unit of the
law firm. This program focuses
New York City Board of Educa-
Law influences every aspect of
on providing first-hand experi-
tion conducted a detailed inves-
our lives. As a member of a
ences for students.
tigation of the spring of 1983
family, as a worker, as an entre-
five-pair pilot, at the request of
preneur, as a taxpayer, each of
The goals of the MENTOR
those who had designed the
us is affected by the law. There-
program are:
program. The evaluation report
fore, law-related education is
contained the following obser-
of primary concern if students
to guide students to recog-
vation:
are to become participating citi-
nize the impact of the law
zens in today's society.
on their daily lives;
"Students' perceptions of
'things they learned in MEN-
Knowledge of the American le-
to make students more
TOR' correspond quite dosely
gal and political system is
aware of the impact of the
to many of the program's goals
taught throughout the Social
law on their daily lives;
A as stated in the MENTOR
Studies curriculum. However,
Handbook. The program has
through observing how the
to increase students'
been successful in meeting
courts and government institu-
knowledge and apprecia-
these goals. Finally, the effect
tions operate. c',idents can gain
tion of the legal system of
on some students' behavior
standing and
a concrete un
the United States;
that they attributed to MEN-
appreciation of these systems.
TOR suggests that the program
The MENTOR Program estab-
to provide information on
may be fulfilling an additional
lishes a unique partnership be-
possible careers in and re-
goal of teaching students to rec-
tween law firms and the New
lated to the legal profes-
ognize the impact of the law on
York City schools, providing
sion.
their daily lives."
students with a more realistic
view of the legal profession.
While all five pairs accom-
Young people have an opportu-
plished the program's objec-
nity to observe how lawyers
tives, the school where the few-
est students were college-
bound (less than 40%), showed
the most pronounced effect on
the way students behaved in
schooL These students gave re-
sponses such as "I respect my
teachers more" and "I watch
everything more carefully now;
I respect school rules."
In the spring semester of 1984,
twenty-two law firms and New
York City public schools were
paired, directly involving 600
students in an expanded MEN-
TOR. Actually, only eighteen of
the participants were "law
firms" in the technical sense of
The New York City Board of Education woria closet,/ with the MENTOR program. Shown at left with
the word. The four others
bwyers and teachers at a metropolitan meeting ks Uoyd Brornberg (front left) who directs Social
were: the New York City Cor-
Studies for the New York City public schools. An architect and yiateran of bw-related education,
poration Counsel's office; the
Bromberg assisted bwyers at the hception of MENTOR to wttie a classroom currIctium for the
Program.
6