Last Wednesday, our 7th graders visited the Dirksen Courthouse — the third busiest courthouse in the country! Students were welcomed into Judge Cole’s courtroom, where they had a front-row seat to a variety of cases. After watching the court in action, they got a behind-the-scenes tour of Judge Cole’s chambers.

Next, the 7th graders had the courtroom all to themselves and met an Assistant U.S. Attorney, a U.S. Probation Officer, and a U.S. Pretrial Officer, all of whom described their jobs and answered the students' many questions. Before leaving, the students observed a naturalization ceremony, watching 51 new U.S. citizens take their oath and be sworn in.

This meaningful experience complemented their Civics unit on the Constitution and further sparked their interest in government. It also served as a great preamble to the annual 7th Grade trip to Washington, DC, happening later this spring!