LAW DAY YOSEMITE 2022
TOWARD A MORE PERFECT UNION:
The Constitution in Times of Change
The Tenth Annual Law Day Yosemite was held on Friday, May 6, 2022, at Sentinel Bridge in Yosemite Valley.
President Eisenhower set May 1 as Law Day to celebrate the rule of law and equal rights. Courts and bar associations across the country now participate in the observance, which generally occurs over several weeks in April and May.
The 2022 Law Day Yosemite included a contest for grammar school students. The theme, Toward a More Perfect Union: The Constitution in Times of Change, focused on exploring the relationship between the US Government and Indian tribal governments which have sovereignty in the United States. Students could focus on a specific tribe or address tribal governments as a whole. They were to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the current arrangement(s), and address if they saw a need for any change to move toward a more perfect union? Why or why not? Students could choose from a variety of mediums to submit their work. They could sing a song, write an essay, paint a picture, create a website, produce a documentary, perform a dance, the choice was theirs.
An American Indian blessing and a special presentation was given by Dr. Julia Parker and the Parker Family of the Yosemite Miwok Awanchee/Mono Lake Pauite-Kashaya Pomo/Coast Miwok. Watch their presentation of an American Indian Song.
Students from Coarsegold Elementary, El Portal Elementary, Florin Elementary, Greeley Hill Elementary, Lake Don Pedro Elementary, Mariposa Elementary, Oak Creek Elementary, Rivergold Elementary, and Yosemite National Park Valley School participated in the contest. Their submissions were judged on understanding of the subject, originality of thought, argumentation and organization.
The contest winners for Law Day Yosemite 2022 are:
Honorable Mentions:
Delaney Franklin from Oak Creek Intermediate - Essay titled “In Search for a More Perfect Union.”
Daisy Camacho, Alexa Gallegos, and Corvette Tate from Coarsegold Elementary - Website designers “Toward a More Perfect Union.”
3rd Place Winner - Alison Shockley from Oak Creek Intermediate - Essay titled “A More Perfect Union.”
2nd Place Winner - Elyssa Sanchez from Coarsegold Elementary
Elyssa made a drum and painted her tribe's past, present and future on it.
First Place Winner - Camryn Newell from Coarsegold Elementary
Essay titled “A More Perfect Union.”
Law Day Yosemite 2022 was led by Master of Ceremonies, the Honorable Judge Helena Barch-Kuchta. The Clovis West High School Jazz band performed. Our keynote speaker this year was Danna R. Jackson the senior counselor at the U.S. Department of the Interior. And, although he was unable to attend in-person, Dean Kevin Washburn from the University of Iowa College of Law, sent remarks which Judge Barch-Kuchta delivered on his behalf. The event program can be found HERE.
Law Day Yosemite is sponsored by the San Joaquin Valley Chapter of the Federal Bar Association with the generous support of the National Park Service. For more information, please contact Carol Moses, carol@yosemitelawyer.com or call (559) 449-9069.