Lea este artículo en español aquí.
Finalists for the San Benito County Superior Court Law Day essay writing competition gathered in Court Room 1 on May 1, along with Judge Omar Rodriguez and Court Executive Officer Tim Newman.
Newman told the gathering that Law Day was established in 1958 by President Dwight Eisenhower. In 1961 Congress passed a joint resolution designating May 1 as Law Day, which focuses on the rule of law and civic awareness.
The essay competition was open to local high school and Gavilan College students.
According to a news release from the Superior Court, this year’s theme was “‘The Rule of Law and the American Dream,” encompassing the idea that no person is above the law—the principle which ensures the rights of the people to live their lives as freely as possible and to pursue their dreams.
The winner, 16-year-old Lizeth Gomez, is a sophomore at Gilroy Early College Academy on the Gilroy Gavilan Campus.
Gomez, whose essay focused on her experience as the daughter of immigrants from Puerto Rico, read her essay to the gathering. She said it was inspired by the Super Bowl halftime show featuring Bad Bunny, who also hails from Puerto Rico.
“I really felt seen,” she told BenitoLink of the halftime performance. “It made me sit down and start writing.”
She said she placed second last year and was hoping to do better this year, but could not find inspiration until she watched the show.
Her father, Anastacio Gomez, told BenitoLink, “My dream is for Lizeth to go forward with a higher education.”
She plans to attend law school but has not yet decided on which area of the law she will focus.
Newman told BenitoLink that Law Day activities provide a positive experience with the court, adding that many people enter the building only under unfavorable circumstances.
Rodriguez said the annual event is a “very personal” experience for him, as a member of an immigrant family, adding that this year’s entries were “all very high quality.”
We need your help. Support local, nonprofit news! BenitoLink is a nonprofit news website that reports on San Benito County. Our team is committed to this community and providing essential, accurate information to our fellow residents. Producing local news is expensive, and community support keeps the news flowing. Please consider supporting BenitoLink, San Benito County’s public service nonprofit news.