Participants hear from people in the executive branch , various state agencies and special interest groups regarding the chosen issue. After speaking with policy makers and learning more about the policy making process, the students take on the role of policy makers and make their own recommendations as to what the state's policy should be. High school students in grades 9-12 who have an interest in government policy making. The Model Judiciary Program attempts to provide high school students with an opportunity to learn about the Commonwealth of Virginia's judicial system through experience and practice. Students portray attorneys, jurors, and witnesses in a trial simulation.
Objectives Learn about the judicial process of Virginia through experience and practice.
Experience the citizenship roles of attorneys, jurors, witnesses, and interested parties. Understand some of the difficulties faced when trying to achieve justice with due process of law to include enforcement, interpretation, jury duty, witness obligation, and citizen involvement within the system. Participants Any public or private high school or middle school group or class may participate. Process Contact the closest regional coordinator or the Virginia YMCA early in the school year for details about participation. The first such club was organized in Chapman, Kansas in 1889.