CIVICS CONTEST WINNERS RECOGNIZED AT NINTH CIRCUIT JUDICIAL CONFERENCE

 

The opening session of the 2014 Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference proved to be a night to remember for three of the winners of a high school essay contest sponsored by the Courts and Community Committee and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

 

Giovanna Mitchell of Santa Cruz took first place in the contest, which focused on the civil rights movement of the 1960s.  Makena Ehnisz and Daniel Orlov, both of Carmel, finished second and third, respectively, followed in fourth place by Megan Holett of Carmel Highlands. All of the winners received cash prizes and an invitation to the circuit conference, which was held July 14-17, 2014, in Monterey.

 

Giovanna, Makena and Megan attended the opening session, where they were acknowledged from the stage by U.S. District Judge Robert A. Jones of Seattle, chair of the conference planning committee, and showered with applause from an audience of hundreds of lawyers and judges.

 

Later in the evening, they were among the many fans to have their pictures taken with famed actor and director Clint Eastwood, who had been invited to the conference by Ninth Circuit Chief Judge Alex Kozinski, a noted film buff. Megan also was among the lucky few to win a poster featuring a scene from one of Eastwood’s movies, "Gran Torino," which was screened during the evening.

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