FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 4, 2015
Contact: Heather F. Williamson
Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office
20 East Market Street
Leesburg, VA 20176-2809
(703) 777-0242
LOUDOUN HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS TAKE TOP HONORS IN VIRGINIA STATE BAR ESSAY COMPETITION
LOUDOUN COMMONWEALTH’S ATTORNEY JIM PLOWMAN HELPS PRESENT AWARDS
LEESBURG, Virginia – June 3, 2015. The 2015 Law in Society essay competition presented awards to two Loudoun high school seniors this week. Remy Oliver, a senior at Dominion High School placed first, and Alissa Wang a senior at Broad Run High School placed second.
The Law in Society essay competition, now in its 22nd year, is sponsored by the Virginia State Bar and its Litigation Section and Communications Committee, in cooperation with the Virginia State Department of Education. The competition accepts entries from high school students and high school equivalent home school students from across the Commonwealth. Oliver and Wang’s essays were among 57 entries this year. The essays were judged by a panel of attorneys and staff volunteers from the Virginia State Bar.
The competition was created to increase awareness and appreciation of our legal system among high school students. Criterion for the competition is an essay in response to a given hypothetical on a predetermined topic such as freedom of speech, zero tolerance policies, and social media. Awards are presented to students whose essays best demonstrate a superior understanding of the role and value of our legal system in our everyday lives.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Plowman and David Hirsch, Esq. presented Alissa Wang with her award on June 1st at the Broad Run High School Senior Awards Ceremony. Wang’s essay titled “Graduation Politics: Activists and Angel Bradford’s Bovine Blunders,” placed second overall in this year’s competition. Wang will be attending Yale University in the fall.
Remy Oliver, was awarded first place in the Commonwealth for his essay titled “Law in Society: The Commencement Debate.” Plowman presented Oliver’s award on June 3rd during Dominion High School’s Senior Awards Ceremony. Oliver will be attending the University of Virginia in the fall.
"It was a real honor to meet these exceptional students who have worked extremely hard for this and many other achievements," said Commonwealth's Attorney Jim Plowman. "The Loudoun school system continues to impress me with such talented young men and women. I know their families must be tremendously proud."
Both winners received a monetary prize, an award plaque, and a current copy of Strunk & White's Elements of Style. Additionally, Oliver’s first place essay will be published on the Virginia State Bar website.
To read Oliver’s winning essay or to obtain additional information regarding the Law in Society Competition, please visit the Virginia State Bar website (www.vsb.org).
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