WASHINGTON STATE ASSOCIATION OF YOUTH COURTS

The Youth Court Road Show By Margaret E. Fisher Suddenly all these young people were wearing the same Youth Court Road Show t-shirt, highlighting the theme of this year’s statewide Youth Court Association Conference on November 12, 2016. Student president Kira Bloomenthal opened the conference and set the tone for an interactive session. With the gracious funding from the Washington Judges Foundation, the annual conference was attended by 75 adults and young people.  On the Road with Cheney Firefighter Tim Steiner highlighted what happens to people in car crashes. He recruited a youth from the audience to demonstrate the neck brace, various breathing tubes, splints, and transport. Washington State Association of Youth Courts Vice President elected Courtney Bell, Vice-President Terri Cooper and Kira Bloomenthal explored the Road to Legislation. The overall purpose was to launch legislative action to change existing RCWs governing youth courts, to expand coverage of what cases ...

Lt. Timothy R. Steiner presented  the "Think First" program at the 2016 Annual WSAYC Conference at Seattle University School of Law.  This is what Tim had to say about being involved with youth court. "Thank you for inviting me to present.  I had so much fun with the students.  They have such great enthusiasm.  Events like these are always a great battery charger and make you want to get back to doing impactful things"  GREAT JOB TIM!

Welcome to Courtney! Courtney is a Spokane, WA native, graduating from Mead High School in 2009. She attended the University of Washington where she majored in English Literature and in 2012 led the UW coalition of students supporting Rob McKenna for Governor. At UW she also participated in the Dream Project where she witnessed how relationships and mentoring can change the lives of young people. After graduation Courtney was a staff member on a Washington State Senate campaign, and then in 2014 managed a campaign for State Representative. She then enrolled at Gonzaga University School of Law, where she is involved in the William O. Douglas Committee, which is a First Amendment club, the Women's Law Caucus, and the Student Bar Association. She was a legal intern at Wolff, Hislop & Crockett in Spokane Valley for a year and a half where she focused primarily on civil litigation work. Courtney was hired by the Prosecutor for the City of Cheney for a year-long externship i...

Congratulations to Kira Bloomenthal from Bellevue Youth Court! The article on Bellevue Youth Court is in this month's NW Lawyer magazine - see page 44, http://nwlawyer.wsba.org/nwlawyer/november_2016?pg=72#pg72 Kira has served as WSAYC Youth Vice-President and this year has moved up into the Youth President position.

BO JORDAN - Adult President RACHEL LAU - Youth Vice-President

Fireman Tim      Our own Judge Michelle Gehisen from Bothell Youth Court receiving an award from past Superintendent of Public Instruction Judith Billings.