BY JUDGE CECILY C. HAZELRIGG
Shortly after I was first elected to the Court of Appeals, I was appointed to serve on what was then called the Public Trust and Confidence Committee (now Public Engagement and Education Committee, or PEEC). I was immediately drawn to one of its subcommittees, Judges in the Classroom (JitC) where, as the name implies, judges visit classrooms and talk to students about the law and the courts.
This subcommittee was a natural fit for my background and experience; before becoming a judge, I had worked as an adjunct instructor at Western Washington University for many years and was a frequent classroom volunteer when my children attended public schools. Well before any of that, though, I was a precocious child of a father who was deeply committed to civic participation and always gave very sophisticated and detailed answers to my questions, even when I was very young. There is no doubt that those conversations fueled my lifelong passion for civic engagement and education (and contributed to my eventual decision to run for the Court of Appeals).
After more than seven years of service with JitC, I have presented to hundreds of students ranging from third grade to community college, and developed a partnership with a local elementary teacher to speak to third through fifth graders each year around Constitution Day in September. As I neared the end of my tenure with PEEC last year, I had the privilege to work with the team that created and launched the WSBA’s companion program, Lawyers in the Classroom (LitC).
The primary driving factor for my continued work with JitC is that I just really enjoy talking with children. We can learn so much when we listen to the things that excite them, share what interests us, hear where their curiosity lies, explore the world alongside them, and simply create space to support their growth as valued members of our community. I start each JitC visit by asking the students to tell me what they know about the presentation topic, where they learned it, what they think about it, and encourage them to ask me questions as they arise. I let them direct our session to a large degree (within parameters established by their teachers, of course).
While I might be the one formally presenting on the uniqueness of the Washington Constitution, explaining how our state judiciary works, or sharing about my path to the bench, I always walk away from a JitC presentation feeling like I learned more than I taught. Time spent with students is revitalizing and provides for powerfully bright spots of hope and goodness amidst the high-volume work of the judiciary that usually centers on the resolution of serious conflicts. I often ponder the students’ questions or comments days after the classroom visit and seek to improve future presentations based on what I learn each time. In short, JitC is a program that sends goodness in many directions.
As a first-generation attorney who grew up in a small island community, I did not meet a judge until I was in law school. It is important for young learners and dreamers to see people with similar backgrounds and common interests doing jobs they might want to pursue when they are older. It is telling that I never envisioned myself as a lawyer, much less a judge, until somewhat later in life, despite the empowering conversations with my father when I was young.
We all benefit as a society when we invest the time to educate our youth about the rule of law and expressly invite them to imagine themselves in roles they might not otherwise consider, particularly if they come from backgrounds where certain paths may seem closed off to them due to barriers of language, socioeconomic status, or other factors. It can be easy in a busy legal career to lose sight of how much wisdom each of us carries just based on our life experience and what a gift that can be for the generations that come after us; every member of our state judiciary and bar can make a tremendous impact on a child’s educational and career trajectory by sharing their time and knowledge through JitC or LitC. So, consider yourself invited to join me in this deeply important and rewarding work. I’ll see you in the classroom.
Learn more about the Judges in the Classroom program at www.courts.wa.gov/education/?fa=education.jitc.
About the author
Judge Cecily C. Hazelrigg joined the Court of Appeals in January of 2019. She currently represents the Court of Appeals on the Board for Judicial Administration’s Public Engagement and Education Committee and the statewide Racial Justice Consortium. She is a regular presenter and organizer with the Judges in the Classroom and Legislative Scholars programs offered through the Public Engagement and Education Committee. Judge Hazelrigg received her ATA from Skagit Valley College in Paralegal Studies, B.A. from Western Washington University in American Cultural Studies, and J.D. from Gonzaga University School of Law. She resides in Skagit County with her family.