One year after Tennessee law, future lawyers explore texting while driving at Law Camp
Janel Shoun |
Texting while driving became illegal in Tennessee in July 2009, but the Tennessee students who attended Law Camp 2010 say that a year later plenty of teens are still sending text messages while on the road.
A total of 18 teens attended Lipscomb University’s Law Camp, July 5-9, and got an up-close-and-personal experience with the legal issues surrounding texting while driving through drafting their own legislation, researching and arguing their own vehicular homicide case and visiting court rooms and law offices throughout Nashville.
“There are few issues more relevant to teenagers today than the dangers of texting while driving, and for youth interested in studying the law, this issue provides an excellent opportunity to study a complex legal issue in its infancy.” said Dr. Charla Long, executive director of the Institute for Law, Justice & Society and coordinator of Law Camp. “Students will leave Law Camp with a greater understanding of how the law shapes their lives every day and hopefully with enthusiasm to continue studying the law.”
Law Camp is a residential program for 9th through 12th grade students hosted by the Institute for Law, Justice, & Society. Participants spend a week with other highly-motivated peers seeking careers in the legal arena. The camp provides networking opportunities with attorneys, lobbyists, elected officials, law enforcement officers and corporate executives as well as opportunities to explore various legal fields.
This year’s camp focused on the theme of texting while driving. Campers created their own texting-while-driving legislation and discussed it with representatives of Congressman Jim Cooper’s (D-TN) office, state Rep. Beth Harwell (R-56), Tennessee Attorney General Robert E. Cooper Jr. and the Tennessee’s Office of Legal Services.
They also observed night court as well as the litigation of vehicular homicide cases. They heard from an accident reconstructionist and toured the criminal justice center.
Finally on the last day of camp, they argued their case involving a teen who was charged with vehicular homicide after he was distracted by texting while driving and his car slammed into another car killing a woman and her child. The campers worked on arguments and negotiation tactics all week and even deposed the “defendant.”
Click here to see more about what Law Campers said about texting while driving in The Tennessean.
To learn more about Law Camp, contact Dr. Charla Long at 615.966.2500 or check out the Law Camp site.
Nissan executive visits budding engineers at BisonBot Robotics Camp in June 2010
| Stephanie Valdez Streaty speaks with President L. Randolph Lowry at BisonBot Robotics Camp. |
The Raymond B. Jones College of Engineering has received a $23,720 grant from Nissan to help fund its annual BisonBot Robotics Camp.
"Nissan is a major player in the manufacturing industry in Middle Tennessee. We are honored that they have chosen to partner with us in this innovative program. Nissan's support is an investment in the future," said President L. Randolph Lowry.
The grant will provide 12 scholarships each for the fundamentals and advanced camps and offset the cost of camp materials.
“This is a great opportunity for us to parter with Nissan, who is a leader in the field of engineering. It enhances the program that we offer. It also allows us to offer scholarships to make this robotics camp accessible to more students,” said Greg Nordstrom, associate professor of engineering and camp director.
Education is a key area of focus at Nissan.
"This program aligns so closely with our corporate perspective that education is very important and it focuses on math and science which is of particular interest to us," said Stephanie Valdez Streaty, senior manager, philanthropy and diversity at Nissan.
"Lipscomb is in our backyard and we want to give back to the community. This is one way we can do that. We're especially glad to be associated with Lipscomb because it sees the need to train future engineers. With this program they help build excitement in young people to pursue careers in engineering."
The Nissan BisonBot Robotics Camp features classroom learning, individual instruction, construction of projects and competition events to engage students in building robots.
| Visitors from Nissan received their own BisonBot Camp T-shirt. | The fundamental campers' robotic arms moved in five directions. |
| The Nissan grant was used to provide scholarships for students who could not afford to attend camp otherwise. | Today's robotics campers will be tomorrow's robotics engineers! |
Fine Arts Summer Academy invites public to gala performance on Saturday, July 24
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You’re invited to the |
Summer vacation might not bring to mind violins and pianos in practice rooms and hours of choral rehearsals, but perhaps it should! For the past two weeks, the Annie Moses Band has hosted their Fine Arts Summer Academy on the Lipscomb Campus.
Around 70 faculty, coaches, and mentors from across the country have worked with 150 students from 23 states and Canada. In addition, more than 50 younger students and their families were on campus last week for the Mini Music Fest.
Dr. Sally Reid, chair of the Department of Music, welcomes the summer activity: "We are delighted that these wonderful students and their families -- so passionate about music -- are on our campus. The intensity of musical work and the quality of musical performance among the young people is inspiring. And, seeing all these violins carried everywhere across campus is just terrific!"
Department of Music faculty Dr. Gary Wilson, Dr. Jerome Reed, and Donna King have taught in the camp and have been a first-hand part of this musical excitement.
Students are involved daily in classes, private lessons, coaching sessions, and rehearsals. Faculty and student performances throughout the two-week period allow participants to challenge themselves, encourage peer students, and witness the highest levels of musicianship from master performers and teachers.
The Annie Moses Band's stated goals are "to ignite a passion for excellence . . . and to inspire obedience to the scriptural mandate to ‘Make His Praise Glorious’ and to ‘Play Skillfully.’”
To encourage students in accomplishing these high goals, the Fine Arts Summer Academy culminates in a gala performance written and designed especially for those attending the camp. The Annie Moses Band and Lipscomb University invite you to attend this "Broadway-style extravaganza" which is free, open to the public, and sure to showcase the work of some excellent young musicians.