
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero visit Kennedy High School

California Chief Justice Honors Public Schools for Excellence in Civic Learning
(May 1, 1025) Law Day virtual event celebration includes last year's award honorees to commemorate "Out of Many, One." This year’s honorees span the state and reflect the power of civic learning to inspire student leadership, strengthen communities, and connect classroom knowledge to real-world issues.
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)
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
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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 types of classrooms they visit, and the number of visits they're able to do each year.
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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. 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. You may download and use it for instruction purposes or select one for a Judges in the Classroom visit.