As part of Respect for Law Week, the Merrill Optimist Club held their annual Law Expo at Prairie River Middle School (PRMS) on Thursday, May 1, 2025, from 1 to 3 p.m. The event, formerly known as the Law Fair and held every other year, is now held annually and brings together representatives from all areas of law—from law makers to law enforcement—including judges, fire fighters/inspectors, legal stenographers, public defenders, police officers, Wisconsin State Patrol officers, lawyers, game wardens, and many others from local, state, and federal legal systems.
These individuals interact with the eighth graders to focus on the Optimist Club purpose: “To promote an active interest in good government; to inspire respect for the law...” Such interaction enables and encourages the students to ask questions and to learn more about careers in law-related fields.
This year’s keynote speaker was Wisconsin’s Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, who has served since March 2023, who explained the different functions of government and her office in particular.
Special guest Ann Walsh Bradley, formerly a Marathon County judge and now Supreme Court Justice, and newly-named Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court after being elected to the role by her peers, also came to PRMS for the event and spoke personally with many students. It was her first day as Chief Justice.
Approximately 150 students in the eighth grade from PRMS and other Merrill schools were in attendance.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here