Langley High Celebrates Case Day

Case Day, a tradition at Langley High School, teaches many lessons: How the Supreme Court works. How to do intense  research. How to play nicely with others. How to lead. How to follow. How to plan.

Students displayed all those skills and more as Langley spent the day hearing arguments in a case that will actually be argued before the real U.S. Supreme Court tomorrow.

"Case Day offers an in-depth contemporary portrait of how the Supreme Court affects American life by focusing on a single case drawn from the current year's docket.

The preparations start in December. Students argue the case. The nine justices are lawyers from McLean and around the area plus students.

"My parents are law professors. They didn't encourage me. . . but I've always been intrigued with the law and seeing how it affect citizens,"said Will Palmer one of the student attorneys who argued the case.

Taylor Bohlen, another senior student lawyer said, "My brother did it when he was a senior and that got me interested."

They spent 200-300 hours reading precedents, policy papers, briefs, and practicing two to three times a week after school.

"We feel it's important because it hones students' research and analytical skills and provides a window into a branch of government not as open as other branches," said Allison Cohen, the faculty advisor and organizer.

Behind the scenes four coordinators organized 12 committees that did everything from make sure there was a TV set in every classroom to watch the all-day event to decorating the school for the day to organizing lunch for the guests.

Case Day, now in its 19th year, is a requirement for all senior AP government classes. It was started by retired AP government teacher Jim Callette, Cohen said.

"It's a tradition, a real showcase of the dedication of the students to put in this much work not for a grade," said Enrico Della Corna, one of the four coordinators. The others: Alex Brumas, Lauren Stewart and Lucia Terpak. All seniors.

What did Enrico learn: How to organize people to get a lot of tasks done and the function of the Supreme Court.

At the end of the day, about 200 students sat in the Langley library to hear the court's decision while others listened in classrooms.

"I'm so proud of them. They were absolutely fabulous," Cohen said of the students when the program ended. They gave her a large colorful bouquet of flowers.