


California Chief Justice Honors Public Schools for Excellence in Civic Learning
As the new school year approaches, Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero is planning her visits to schools honored with the Civic Learning Award of Excellence, which she co-sponsors with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.
If your school was awarded at the Distinction, Merit, or Honorable Mention levels and you would like to schedule your award presentation by a judge in your community, use this form. We'll be scheduling visits around September's Constitution Month!
Judges from the Ventura County Superior Court meet the Chief Justice in the library at Madera Elementary School in 2024.
For their Award of Excellence 2024, Anaheim Union High School District produced this video of Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero and State Superintendent Tony Thurmond visiting John F. Kennedy High School in Orange County.
These awards, including the banners, are made possible with support from the California Lawyers Foundation.
All honorees receive artwork to produce banners, posters, and social media posts. Schools of Excellence are awarded in person by the Chief Justice. The State Superintendent attends when his schedule permits and invites Schools of Excellence and Distinction to the California School Recognition Program Awards Ceremonies in the spring.
Judicial officers present awards of Distinction, Merit, and Honorable Mention during Constitution Month.
A Day to Remember
Award of Excellence
Elementary School: Ida Jew Academy and Valle Vista Elementary
Santa Clara County | Mt. Pleasant Elementary School District
Middle School: Sparks Middle School
Los Angeles County | Hacienda la Puente Unified School District
High School: Norte Vista High School
Riverside County | Alvord Unified School District
Emeritus: NP3 Middle and High School, and Madera Elementary School (recipients of the 2024 Award of Excellence)
Award of Distinction
Elementary School: Garfield Elementary School
Fresno County | Clovis Unified School District
Middle School: August Boeger Middle School* (Community School)
Santa Clara County | Mount Pleasant Elementary School District
Anaheim High School Orange County | Anaheim Union High School District
Award of Merit
Elementary School: Emperor Elementary School
Los Angeles County | Temple City Unified School District
Middle School: Antioch Charter Academy II
Contra Costa County | Antioch Unified School District
High School: Norwalk High School
Los Angeles County | Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District
Emeritus: South Junior High School (Recipient of the Award of Merit in 2024)
2025: California Chief Justice Honors Public Schools for Excellence in Civic Learning
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How much does this cost?This program is free for California public schools K-12.
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What about charter schools?Yes, our judges visit charter schools, continuation schools, afterschool programs (on a public school campus), credit recovery schools, and juvenile court schools. However, it is up to each court to determine the number of visits they're able to do each year. We recommend submitted your request as soon as you know a date and time!
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Are there exceptions?You may contact the court directly for special circumstances or events that are outside a public school. Many courts do accept these requests, depending on their resources.
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I submitted a request, now what?When you submit a request, the court in your county is notified. Court processes for coordinating their outreach efforts vary. Don't hesitate to send us an email at judicialoutreach@jud.ca.gov if your request hasn't been responded to, we have resources in other courts, and options for remote visits. If you are unable to host, let the court know. Once a match is identified, you will receive an email or text message (depending on your preference). Please respond at your earliest convenience. It is important you confirm the date and time quickly, otherwise the resource may be assigned to another request. Some courts give one week for teachers to respond before moving on to another match. If requesting parties do not respond within a week, the request may be archived as inactive.
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Who do I contact if I have a question or suggestion?Email POD staff at judicialoutreach@jud.ca.gov or call us at 415-865-4546. Thank you!
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I have three classes. Can I request a judge for an assembly?Of course! Our judges support a variety of scenarios, but it depends on the court. Remember, most visits are limited to one-hour. If you have an event or program extending beyond an hour, the court may be able to accommodate your request. Go ahead and submit details in the request form.
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Do you have a list of lessons I can look at and/or use?Lessons are available on the Lessons Library page. All requesting parties should talk to their assigned judge once the match is confirmed. This gives the teacher and the judge time to prepare the lesson based on the needs of the classroom.
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May I Request More than One Visit?Yes! But you will need to submit a form for each visit request. Ideally, you may submit requests for the full school-year.