April Edition of the Legal Pad (2023) by The Law Legal Pad

THE LEGAL PAD

IN THIS EDITION:

- April Calendar Dates

- Egg Hunt

- Student Highlight

- Extracurricular Highlight

- Legal Legends

- Interview with Mr. Benzvi

- Mental Health Page

- Community Service/EIF

- PTSA Page AND MORE! Want to access the digital version? English: Spanish: DON'T MISS OUT

Illustration by: Hope Habia

CALENDAR

Important April Dates

April 5th

April 7th

April 10th

April 11th

April 15th

April 18th

April 19th

April 20th

April 21st

April 25th

April 27th

April 28th

April 27th April 30thSunday

Created by: Mikayla Spivey

INTERACTIVE SECTION

For this month’s edition, we’re hosting a mini egg hunt!

Starting April 1st, we will be placing printed eggs all over the law area. On the back of every egg, there will be a riddle or a number.

Find the most eggs, solve the riddles, and win a gift card! There are a limited amount of eggs available so get to it! There will be two winners. The top two people who collect the most eggs by April 7th, win a $25 gift card! Collect those eggs!

Here are the rules:

Upload the number of eggs you found, along with the answer to each riddle or the egg number on the google form. You can ﬁnd the link to the form on the @thelawlegalpad instagram page!

https://forms.gle/DRmV65WiaZcKUCJP7

There are a total of 100 eggs hidden throughout the Law areas, search thoroughly! No eggs will be hidden in teacher’s classrooms. Have fun!

Created by: Joyce Medina and Amarys Rodriguez

RAISING THE BAR - STUDENT HIGHLIGHT

The Legal Pad would be remiss to close this school year without recognizing our freshman class one last time, so we interviewed one of many promising ﬁrst-years for our second to last edition this semester. Aditya Peri is an exceptional freshman hailing from Baltimore, Maryland. His unique story and journey to the Law Magnet made him a pleasure to interview.

Interviewer: Hope Habia

Q: If you had to describe yourself in one to three words, what would they be?

A: “Probably caring, competitive, and…smart.”

Aditya considers himself caring because he’s always looking out for others. Putting his peers before himself, he strives to make sure they are comfortable because when they are, it makes him happy for them. He dubs himself “competitive” because of his passion for sports and aversion to losing.

“I love football. The Baltimore Ravens are my favorite team, and I was going to play in high school before I moved here.”

He says that the Law Magnet v. SBM basketball game was a prime example of his competitive nature, as he “rooted for Law the whole way through.” Finally, while he wouldn’t call himself nerdy, Aditya knows his stuﬀ. Often memorizing the subject matter for his classes, he regularly scores impressively on tests and assignments.

Q: You said you moved here. Can you tell me a bit more about that?

A: “I was born and raised in Maryland, then I moved here for this school because I want to be a lawyer. My cousins actually recommended this school.”

Q: What was it like growing up in Maryland? Do you have a favorite memory?

A: “The seafood over there was great, I loved the crab. It was also a one hour drive from D.C., so we went there every other weekend if we felt like it. I don’t have a [single] favorite memory, but any memories hanging out with my friends are deﬁnitely my favorite.”

Q: So far, do you feel like the Law Magnet has been worth the move?

A: “Oh yeah, I think it has been incredibly worth it. I’ve made tons of new friends and the curriculum here is just something I’m not used to; it’s diﬀerent and very interesting. That’s why it was really hard for me to choose between Pre-Law and Criminal Justice. The teachers here are nice and the things they teach are really cool as well.”

RAISING THE BAR - STUDENT HIGHLIGHT

Q: What is your “why”?

A: “My parents. They’re always looking out for me and they always want me to do my best. So, for them, I’m always doing my best. That way, they’re happy.”

Q: What made you want to pursue law?

A: “I just thought it was cool. The ability to argue against somebody else, and bring up your own points. My mom always said I was great at arguing with people, so I’m like, ‘Hey, you know what? Maybe law is a really good career for me.’"

Q: And so, because of this interest in arguing and law you chose to join the Mock Trial team? How has your experience been?

A: “Yeah, [I joined] because a mock trial is an accurate representation of what happens in a real life court. My experience has been great, it’s been really fun. The juniors, sophomores, and everybody else have actually been great teachers, and they made us ﬁt in quite well. I also went to the state competition, which was a great experience. We didn’t place, but we still did really well. At least for prosecution rounds, we were top-tier. I know as a witness (it’s really fun to be a witness) I did really well.”

Q: Reﬂecting on state, what was your takeaway?

A: “Prepare. We have to prepare better. We were preparing before state, but we just weren’t ready for what state actually brought to us. At least now, we have a perspective, so we’re gonna do really well next year.”

Q: What are your future aspirations? First in the context of Mock Trial, and then in general.

A: “For Mock Trial, it would be to win nationals for sure. In general, my future goal is to be a great lawyer, and if that doesn’t work out, one of my biggest dreams is to be in the NFL. But after coming here, that has kind of diminished, so it’s just to be a lawyer. Honestly, I just want to get through [high school] with a pretty high GPA; that way colleges will look at me. I’m looking at Stanford, Yale, and maybe even Georgetown because that will bring me back closer to my original home.”

Q: Lastly, what is your favorite thing about the Law Magnet?

A: “The teachers… You know what? Everybody at this school is my favorite. People here are funny, they help you out a lot, and they’re nice - that’s what I look for in people as well. Go Law!”

Aditya Peri is undoubtedly one of the most unique students I’ve had the privilege of speaking with, and I can’t wait to see what he and the rest of the class of ‘26 accomplish.

Are you a part of any activities in or outside of school? Do you know someone you want to nominate for a highlight? Could it be a sport, a hobby, extracurricular, or maybe a small business? Interested in being interviewed next? Fill out this google form!

RAISING THE BAR - STUDENT HIGHLIGHT

This edition of the Legal Pad, we went out to seek a sophomore that has gone above and beyond: Manuel (Manny) Martinez - a student known for lighting up any room he’s in. He is part of our debate team and has been debating for 5 years and counting!

Interviewer: Sara Granados

Q: Tell me about yourself.

A: “I’m Manny. I’m a sophomore at the Law Magnet. My homeschool is Conrad HS and I came from Sam Tasby Middle School”

Q: What do you do in your free time?

A: “In my free time I play the violin, guitar, and trumpet. I like to listen to music and ﬁnd new albums to listen to too. I also like to cook - which is something I’m still trying to learn how to do properly without burning myself or the house.”

Q: What are some of your favorite things about the Law Magnet?

A: “What I love about the Law Magnet is the teachers. I absolutely love them! It seems like all of the teachers go above and beyond to make sure that their students understand the material. Also, the teachers seem like they genuinely want to help you if you are struggling in academics or in your personal life.”

Q: If you could spend an afternoon with one of the Law Magnet teachers who would it be and why?

A: “I would love to spend an afternoon with Ms. Opitz. She has such a vibe and is an amazing teacher.”

Q: What are some helpful tips you picked up during your sophomore year that you want to apply transitioning into junior year?

A: “Not really a tip, but I’ve unlearned a lot of bad habits like procrastination and doing the bare minimum that hindered my ability to succeed. It was really hard to do but it’s best to unlearn these habits sooner rather than later.”

RAISING THE BAR - STUDENT HIGHLIGHT

Q: Are you in policy debate or world school debate?

A: “I do world schools which are diﬀerent from policy. World schools are more like parliamentary speeches. You have more freedom with your arguments than policy and it’s not as evidenced based as policy.”

Q: What do you love most about debate?

A: “What I love most about debate is the ‘family’ we have. The team is very welcoming and supportive of each other and we form sort of like a family supporting each other. I don’t think any other club has that kind of interaction among its members.”

Q: How would you describe the debate class to someone who is interested in being enrolled?

A: “Again, I would say it is very welcoming to everyone, including new members. The class is also a good place to get help from. The students in the class are more than willing to help you with anything you need help with, even non-debate related issues.”

Manny has such a bright and friendly soul that is sure to make anyone's day with just a quick smile. It’s exactly what our Law Magnet Debate Team loves to embody. Thank you Manny for sharing your story!

Last month, juniors Ari Arceo and Valen Gracia made history at the UIL State CrossExamination Debate Tournament. After dominating all four preliminary rounds, the duo fought through the octa-finals, swept the quarter-finals, and narrowly lost on a split decision in the semi-finals. This is the most impressive finish any Law Magnet Cross-Examination team has seen on the UIL circuit. What’s more, Ari and Valen were vastly under-resourced compared to their competitors. Coming from a relatively small school, the only resources they had were their coaches, their local urban debate league, and the internet. All things considered, team AG had the most impressive showing of any team at the tournament.

Written by: Hope Habia

Q: How did you prepare for the tournament?

Ari: “I prepared by doing a lot of prep work and speeches. I wanted to make sure that when me and Valen got to Austin, nothing would be able to surprise us, and that we would be in the best position possible to compete. I think I made three-ish caseﬁles every day the week up to State.”

Q: Were you ever concerned about the competition?

Valen: “Going into the tournament we were confident in our chances of breaking into the elimination rounds, but other schools like La Vernia, Caddo Mills, and Wemberley were definitely a concern of ours. Those schools have lots of resources, evidence, and skill. So, despite our confidence, these schools served as a great reminder to stay humble before out-rounds.”

Q: Did you expect to make Law Magnet history?

Ari: “To be quite honest, I didn't. I knew that we hadn't won anything at this tournament in a while, but that wasn't something I was that concerned about. All me and Valen were focused on was winning every ballot we possibly could.”

Valen: “If I’m being completely honest, I had no idea that we made Law Magnet history until after the tournament was over. I had people sending me these crazy stats and it came as a surprise to us. We really went into it just hoping to place and make sure that people knew the Law Magnet in the UIL Debate circuit. It was nice to be able to make history at the same time. Hopefully, we can do it again next year.”

Q: What do you love most about debate?

Ari: “The thing I love about debate is that it rewards this unique brand of intellectual creativity. Policy debate lies at this intersection of public speaking, research, and eﬀort that you can't really ﬁnd anywhere else.”

Q: Is there anyone you would like to recognize?

Valen: “The whole debate team. Throughout the tournament, there was deﬁnitely a lot of stress around making sure we were prepped and winning each round, and throughout the day we had people from the team texting us and hyping us up between each round, really just making sure that we were motivated. It meant a lot to us knowing that some people at home were so interested and committed to keeping us going (Hope is a really good hype man). I would also like to recognize Ari. To be honest, I consider Ari a genius. He knows so much about this year's debate topic just oﬀ the top of his head. It truly is amazing. Any question I had on the topic Ari knew the answer. I really couldn't have imagined going to state with anyone but him. Lastly, it would honestly be a crime if I didn’t recognize Ms.Gregg. There is no way me and Ari would have made it to state without Ms.Gregg’s commitment to the team. She communicated with UIL, made sure forms were submitted, and cut evidence cards for us. None of it would have been done without her. It’s just as much her win as it is ours.”

Ari: “I'd like to recognize my parents, Mrs. Gregg, Mr. G, and everyone who was a part of the debate or mock trial team. Without any of these people, I wouldn't have been able to have the will to do what I did. I would also like to thank Valen for everything. No matter how crazy or emotional I get in rounds, he has always been my rock, and one of the best teammates I could have ever asked for.”

Q: Is there anything else you would like to say?

Valen: “Just thank you to everyone for all the congratulations over the past couple of days. The whole debate team made posters when we got back to school the ﬁrst day after the tournament and it was really nice. So a big thank you to all of them.”

As two students who have served as role models to their peers since the moment they stepped foot onto campus, we could not be prouder of Ari and Valen. Be sure to keep an eye on these two, as they’ll surely continue to shake things up in the future. Ari, Valen, you have been an incredible asset to the Law Magnet, and we can’t wait to see what you do next!

Valen GarciaAri Arceo on the right

RAISING THE BAR - EXTRACURRICULAR HIGHLIGHT

On March 2nd, our Mock Trial team traveled all the way to Austin, Texas to compete at the State Capitol in the annual Youth and Government State Conference! After sending 5 teams and 5 judges to the state competition, our very own Barefoot Mockers not only continued their winning streak of placing top 3 at state, but also for the ﬁrst time, in Law Magnet Mock Trial history, placed 1st at the state conference!

Written by: Amarys Rodriguez

Teams:

1st - Elizabeth Bell, Alana Arteaga, Emily Ramirez, Moon Liu, Alejandro Garcia, Brandon Plascencia, Abygail Vargas

3rd - Sukhmani Nijjar, Chloe Hawkins, Anaya Martinez, Amarys Rodriguez, Ashley Lujan

8th - Noah Russell, Japheth Russell, Fouzan Yousuf, Morgan Vanarsdall, Homero Lozano, Alex Tran

Judges:

1st - Gloria Espinosa

3rd - Reed Smith

The Legal Pad asked a few of the Mockers what it was like to place and compete at the state competition.

How does it feel knowing your team is advancing to Nationals?

“I feel very proud of my team for advancing to nationals, especially since we prepared very hard for this achievement. My team and I overcame challenges with each other, but we were able to push through.” -Alana Arteaga

Was there a moment where you felt there was growth among your team? Or do you feel your team has grown from where you all were at the beginning of the season?

“The team I have had the joy of serving has grown tremendously since the beginning of the year. At ﬁrst, the team and I had some trouble gelling but during our four months of preparation we really grew together. With the state competition, the team did great and really exceeded all expectations. I’m so proud of all my teammates: Alex Tran, Homero Lozano, Morgan Vanarsdall, Fouzan Yousuf, and my brother, Japheth Russell.” -Noah Russell

With the two top 3 teams advancing to Nationals, the Barefoot Mockers are once again traveling to Minnesota later this year to defend their national title. Now that state is in the rearview mirror, the Mockers are working on polishing their skills, and anticipate to take home another national win in St. Paul this summer! Their season is far from over.

On March 9th, the Law Magnet and the School of Business & Management once again went head to head on the court, though this time in a game of basketball! Students from both schools ﬂooded the gymnasium, watching in anticipation as their fellow teachers and students gave it their all in this friendly competition.

The game started oﬀ with students vs students. Kole Williams, Lily Brown, Mackey Pegram, Tye Page, Jonathan Marenco, Diana Ramos, Wilson Kesler, Zohaila Avalos, Emily Zapata, and Ammanuel Tefara were the 10 players that composed the Law Magnet Team.

The game started strong as Kole Williams scored the ﬁrst shot with a slam dunk, and Lily Brown followed soon after with multiple 2 pointers, and an eventual 3 pointer. As the game proceeded Ammanuel Tefera scored an impressive shot past the 3 point line putting Law in the lead 7-2.

Now if you thought the first half was impressive, the second half was even better! After starting off the second half with a stunning 3 pointer from Lily Brown once again, senior Wilson Kesler scored his first shot of the game with a flawless 3 pointer putting Law in the lead. Though that’s not to say there wasn’t some struggle, as SBM got a few shots in throughout the game. Our players still persevered with Jonathan Marenco stealing the ball a couple times, and Kole Williams scoring so many dunks that even their coach, Valentina Leon, said she lost count! Our players carried on strong, and eventually won the intense game, 15-8, with junior Mackey Pegram scoring the final shot!

The teachers and staff from Business and Law then went head to head, with Law faculty and staff Ms. Opitz, Mr. Jennings, Mr. T, Ms. Gregg, Ms. Jones, Mrs. Sikes, Mr. Burns, and Mr. Jones, composing the team. Although the game did not start off as smoothly as we would have liked, as SBM was leading with one point, Mr. Jennings picked up the game by scoring the first shot for Law! With that rocky start, to some it seemed a bit doubtful that Law could win this one…

LAW VS SBM BASKETBALL GAME

However, the teachers and staﬀ still gave it their all, despite odds not looking so good for them. There were many back and forths, many shot attempts, and even a few defensive fouls, as the score was eventually 1-4 with SBM leading. Yet that didn’t stop our players, as Mr. Jennings scored two 3 pointers in the second half, putting law in the lead, up by 1. Mr. T, Mr. Jennings, Mr. Burns, and Mr. Jones continue to shoot, eventually putting them at a tie with SBM, 5-5. By this point things started heating up on the court with a back and forth as Law and Business took turns in the lead. In the end, Law was up by 1 with a score of 9-8, with just a few seconds left on the clock - ultimately putting them at a guaranteed win! And as if that wasn’t enough, Mr. Jones, our very own principal, scored the ﬁnal shot as the time ran out, making Law the winner of the teacher vs. teacher game!

To put the cherry on top, we went ahead and won the third game, where the teams were made up of both students and teachers!

MVP’s Lily Brown and Mr. Jennings helped carry these teams to victory and all in all helped put the W in Law Magnet!

Written by: Amarys Rodriguez

We reached out to one of our alumni, who has achieved his career goals and got the best out of the Law Magnet. Here's what he had to say!

Written by: Leslie Orozco

EEVAN GILBERT '16

Programming Director for the Dallas Urban Debate Alliance

“The one piece of advice I would give to a Law Magnet student is to get involved in what matters to you. The hard part is ﬁguring out what issues you really care about, but getting involved in what shapes your environment is a great way to ﬁnd that out. Be the reason why whatever you're involved in is the best it can be. I think for many of you, this is already the case, but it's really important to realize what it is you love about that labor. If you can discern what motivates you to do what you love and all the other impulses in high school, hold onto that and never let go, because whatever that motivating factor is, it will follow you into your career, and your life. This starts by getting involved in what’s in front of you. So it's important that while you’re at the Law Magnet you stay involved but make sure to continue, especially after you graduate."

Legal LegendsTeachers

For this edition we wanted to interview Mr. Benzvi! Be sure to check out the video below to see the full interview.

Interviewer: Valentina Leon

Q: How are you today?

A: Today I am happy.

Q: What do you teach here at the Law Magnet?

A: I teach Pre-Law and Political Sciences II

Q: What's your favorite part of teaching it?

A: I would say that my favorite part about teaching is the interactions with my students. I also teach at UNT Law and at UNT Dallas, and it is very interesting to see how students react when learning new things. I have also been able to teach in other parts of the world and students are always students, sometimes even the faces repeat themselves.

Q: Where are you from?

A: I was born in the city of Porto in Portugal. My father is Israeli and my mother is a Baghdadi Jew born in Mumbai. That alone is alot to draw from but on top of that, because of my parent’s job, I was able to live all around the world in places like Nigeria, Egypt, Morocco, Argentina, England, India, and many more.

Q: What interested you to teach law?

A: I am an attorney, I studied law and I can practice in Portugal and within the US, in Puerto Rico and Florida. To practice law in Texas, I need to pass the bar here, so until I do that I will keep teaching it, which for me is the next best thing. Apart from teaching here, I also teach as an adjunct professor at UNT Law and UNT Dallas. I love to pass down knowledge and also learn from my students. It is incredible how much I have learned from the students that have crossed my path.

Q: I heard that you're a doctor, to what degree is it?

A: I am a Juris Doctor, which is the title you receive when you graduate Law School. I also have a PhD in History.

Q: Are you colorblind?

A: Ha ha ha, yes I am. I can only distinguish shades of blue. Everything else looks gray.

Q: What's your favorite grade you’ve taught?

A: I do not have a favorite grade, I do have a favorite kind of student. This is the student that thinks outside the box and is always current on international aﬀairs.

Q: I heard that your dad was a spy for the United Nations, can you comment on that?

A: No comment.

Q: Who’s your favorite singer?

A: Shakira, even though she’s too mainstream now.

Want to see the full video? Check out our Instagram or click the link!

Link: https://youtu.be/N7xE0u6EgG0

Comparison: The Thief of Joy

Not comparing ourselves to others is certainly easier said than done, especially in a time where class ranks, SAT scores, college acceptances, etc, are coming out.

At the Law Magnet, we have the opportunity to interact and connect with many overachieving students, acknowledging and appreciating their successes. But if we’re not careful, this passive watching of others and their successes begin to ﬂow into our brain, developing negative feelings.

If we ﬁnd ourselves comparing each other quite often, it will lead to feelings of unhappiness and low self esteem. We become frustrated with ourselves for "not being good enough", or feeling inadequate.

However, it's important to note, people who look for others' faults to make themselves feel better is just as unhealthy as tearing yourself apart for what you don't have.

We are our biggest supporters. Self advocacy can coexist with supporting others. Spread positivity by cheering yourself on, but your friends as well for their milestones.

Want to read more about this and ways to deal with these emotions? Scan the QR code or press the link below!

"Comparison kills creativity. There is room for you. Nobody can do it with your voice, with your experience, and with your insight."

Karen Walrond

Written by: Joyce Medina

LEGAL BRIEF

It’s the beginning of a new year, and the start of the second semester. By now, you should have at least 18 hrs of community service completed. If you are behind or want to move forward, here are some community opportunities to start oﬀ the year.

Written By: Gloria Espinoza

REMINDER:

Law Magnet students can only receive up to 6 hours through donations, while the rest have to be hands on. The Law Magnet requires students to do at least 36 hours every school year. All hours should be uploaded to X2VOL to receive the credited hours.

X2VOL: https://www.x2vol.com/index.html

Townview Peace Pantry Food Drive

10 items: 6 hours 15 items: 10 hours

Townview’s food pantry is accepting donations of food and toiletries in exchange for volunteer hours. All donations must be given to Ms. Rojas. She can be found in room 206 (the courtroom). ALL schools are welcome to participate! Contact Ms. Rojas for the list of items needed!

Spread The Love (Earn Hours for Writing!)

Are you interested in writing letters for children with special needs? Or are you someone who enjoys writing articles, stories, personal experiences, or even awareness about special needs? Then this community service project is perfect for you! Join the Spread The Love to uplift children with special needs and raise awareness!

Link: https://stlteamnotes.wixsite.com/spreadthelove

Smile Train Virtual Volunteer Day!

Want to help show special needs families that you are there for them. That their family pictures belong in the most beautiful frames we can give them. On Friday, April 23, people together from across the country will decorate picture frames and send them to cleft-affected families in the US. Once you’ve painted your frames, just mail them to the smile train office at the address below and they'll send them out to cleftaffected families across the country, who will be so grateful for your gift.

ATTN: Community 633 Third Ave, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10017

Want to read a book about the importance of diverse friendships to a classroom of elementary students for community hours? Volunteer at the united way reading day to inspire thousands of North Texas children with a love for reading, while earning the required volunteer hours. The minimum age requirement is 18, this is your chance seniors. Take it!

Link: https://tinyurl.com/4tkzf6at

Community Service Excel Sheet

Are you having a hard time ﬁnding hands-on community service opportunities? The Law Magnet has the perfect resource for you. A google sheet that is monthly updated with new opportunities available for students!

Link: https://tinyurl.com/mr3kvkra

LEGAL BRIEF - PTSA

Welcome back! We hope everyone had a great spring break. It is hard to believe that we are counting down the weeks until the 2022-2023 school year will be over.

Thank you to everyone who was able to make it to the PTSA meeting last month. We had the opportunity to get to know our new principal, Mr. Jones.

ELECTION TIME IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER

Are you interested in being a member of the PTSA board for the 2023-24 school year? Elections will be held at the May membership meeting. You can view the available positions, job descriptions, and submit your application until April 30th. We hope you will join our team of incredible volunteers.

April Highlights:

To help us better serve our Law Community, we are asking you to take a couple of minutes to take a quick survey about communication. We would love to hear from you. Survey QR below.

English: Spanish:

Teacher Appreciation Week is the first week of May! We would love to show our staff how much we appreciate their commitment to our students. Our goal is to be able to give everyone a few goodies, along with a gift card from their favorite store. Please look out for more information on the gift card drop off later this month.

Thank you for your continued support. We could not do it with you.

- PTSA Board