(ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Nov. 18, 2013) On Wednesday, Nov. 20, the Maryland Court of Appeals will host the 19th Annual Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) and Maryland State Department of Education Oratorical Contest. Court of Appeals Judge Clayton Greene Jr. will preside over the event. The media are invited to attend.

The state’s highest courtroom will be crowded with families, supporters and officials as youth from different DJS facilities will deliver speeches they have prepared. These finalists have won oratorical competitions held in Maryland’s DJS facilities. For this year’s contest, the three- to five-minute essays are about “The Equipment I Need to Succeed,” based on the poem, “Equipment,” by Edgar Albert Guest.

Part of the poem states: “You can triumph and come to skill, You can be great if you only will. You’re well equipped for the fight you choose, You have arms and legs and a brain to use. … You are the handicap you must face, You are the one who must choose your place, You must say where you want to go, How much you will study the truth to know.”

“Since 1998, the Maryland Court of Appeals has opened the doors of our courtroom to students in the juvenile justice system who have gotten to know the court system in unfortunate and unenviable ways,” Judge Greene said. “This is a wonderful chance for these young people to interact with the courts in a positive way and have their voices heard at the highest level.”

The media are invited to attend. Please contact the Office of Communications and Public Affairs, 410-260-1488, for more information. See the notice from the DJS below regarding privacy.

A Notice from the Department of Juvenile Services:
PRIVACY & CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY:

Maryland law and policies require that the Department of Juvenile Services maintain the privacy and confidentiality of those youth referred to the Department, including those committed to their care and subsequently placed at private facilities. This requirement cannot be waived by the Department without an explicit order from the courts or a written, signed consent of a youth and the youth’s parents.

Without waivers or consents, the media are requested to observe the following restrictions with regard to any youth:

Youths may be interviewed but may not be identified by either:

1. Identifiable descriptions of the youth, his/her name, address, or offense; or
   
2. Photographing or filming which might reveal the identity of the youth.

For clarification of these requirements, please contact the DJS Public Information Officer at: 410-230-3348.

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