LRE Contact: Sandra Brydon Smith, Executive Director
Phone: 814-459-3111 email: [email protected]

Law Day - May, 2009
Please contact Sandra Brydon Smith for any questions about Law Day in Erie County.

Other Law-Related Education Efforts
Erie County Bar Association�s Kid Konnection
Contacts: Jay W. Alberstadt, President Elect and Sandra Brydon Smith, Executive Director

Kid Konnection is the mentoring component of the association�s signature community project, Attorney�s & Kids Together (AKT). The Erie School District and shelter representatives reported to AKT that students living in homeless situations are in great need of role models to help build trusting relationships, provide positive life experiences and promote self-esteem. In response, AKT began Kid Konnection, which pairs students, ages 5-12, with local lawyers. During a four-month period, a series of educational events are held that provide peripheral benefits such as reinforcing appropriate public behavior, promoting social interactions between each student and a caring adult and building life-skills. Activities include an �icebreaker� orientation, creating art objects at a local pottery shop and activities related to a general theme such as science, animals, sports and nature. Each mentor and his or her mentee design and make T-shirts that are often worn during the culminating event, a day-long field trip. The program recently expanded to allow a lawyer�s family members to mentor a homeless student and his or her family. To date 89 kids have �graduated� from Kid Konnection.
(posted: February 2009)