By Tyler Maheu
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
WINDSOR, VT – An area high school student is taking his talents to California this summer to learn the rule of law.
Ernest Hodgdon, 17, belongs to the Windsor High School Class of 2024. He is taking the summer between his junior and senior years to attend the Intensive Law and Trial Program at Stanford Law School in Stanford, CA. He will be on campus for 10 days, from June 28 to July 7.
He believes he was nominated for this trip due to his several academic accomplishments, good grades, and extracurricular activities at school. The junior is involved in several programs, including Dream M2, Rotary Interact, Yearbook and Prom committees, and has been voted next year’s Senior Class Vice President. He also credits his older sister as being one of his biggest supporters.
According to the program’s website, the Intensive Law and Trial Program will allow Hodgdon to immerse himself in the theory and practice of law in order to develop a roadmap to becoming a lawyer. He will be exposed to aspects of law, legal rhetoric, and ethics from legal professionals, including Stanford Law School professors. In addition to this, he will develop essential skills, like preparing cases and making arguments in a courtroom.
“I will basically learn what it’s like to be a lawyer and go through the process,” he said. “I will get the lowdown on what it’s like to be a lawyer.”
Hodgdon will also be taking part in a simulation endorsed by the American Mock Trial Association, where he will experience a court case from the viewpoint of an attorney. This is said to include creating effective arguments, cross-examining witnesses, examining evidence, and learning how to manage a courtroom.
“What excited me most about the program is getting out of my small state to meet new people and make new connections,” he said.
Hodgdon emphasized his excitement to go out to Stanford and meet with its professors in addition to exploring a different part of the country.
“Being in Vermont, we all kind of know each other,” he said. “It will be cool to get out of the state and see a part of America I’ve never been to.”
He’s the first member of his school to be nominated for this program; it’s the culmination of a lifelong dream.
“I’ve always admired lawyers,” Hodgdon said. “When I was a kid, I always thought they were really cool. Law has always interested me, so I’ve always wanted a career in law.”
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