Kids Court Academy

This year will be the third year of the Kids Court Academy! The Kids Court Academy (KCA) will be a series of online workshops and experiences for middle and high school students to learn about civil rights and engage in deep discussions with their peers from around the state. 

More information about the Kids Court Academy can be found here.

Kids Speak and Kids Court

Kids Speak

Prior to the pandemic, the CT Kids Court Essay Competition would kick off in May with Kids Speak, an event held at the University of Connecticut school of law. Kids Speak provided an opportunity for students to participate in group exercises, improvisations, debates, and to hear from a panel of experts on diversity issues, educational equity, anti-bullying, and school climate. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, Kids Speak will not take place in 2023.  The Kids Court Competition will proceed without a kickoff.

Kids Court

Kids Court will provide an opportunity for students to write a short essay on one of six civil rights topics.  Students are not required to participate in Kids Speak in order to compete in the Kids Court Essay Competition. Students with the top essays from Middle School and the top essays from High School will be selected as finalists to present their papers remotely before a panel of judges on June 6, 2023. 

This year's topics are:

• #RightToVoteWho'sRight
  Who should have the right to vote and why?
  
  
• #MentalHealth
  I'm okay, are you okay?
  
  
• #SocialJusticeReimagined2023
  What are the current social justice issues and how can we resolve them together?
  
  
• #CleanSlateBill2023
  Should a criminal record prohibit you from finding work, housing, schooling, etc.?

• #HousingCrisis
  Affordable housing -- zip codes, zoning, immigration status, race, color, national origin, income, etc., affect housing access - what are the solutions?
  
  
• #DoUntoOthers
  We have a bullying crisis in schools - what can we do about it?

The scoring rubric for the essays can be found here.

More information about the Kids Court Competition and how to submit an entry can be found here.

CHRO congratulates the winners of the 2022 CT Kids Court Competition

Middle School

1. Kriti Jaladurgam, Irving A. Robbins Middle School, Farmington CT
2. Suma Ganta, Irving A. Robbins Middle School, Farmington CT
3. Aditi Bhor, Irving A. Robbins Middle School, Farmington CT
4. Zeeva Haviland, Irving A. Robbins Middle School, Farmington CT
5. Olivia Dixon, Norton Elementary School, Cheshire CT

High School

1. Neha Jampala, Deerfield Academy, Deerfield MA
2. Sreenidi Bala, Farmington High School, Farmington CT
3. Nicholas Gius, Southington High School, Southington CT
4. Jah’Nyah Maddox-Williams, New London High School, New London CT

The program for the competition on June 2, 2022 can be found here.

More information about this year's Kids Speak and Kids Court can be found here.

Other Links

• Kids Speak and Kids Court History