Educational Adventures

Today was an educational day for the Micah Corps! The morning was spent at the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), where Drew Price spoke and answered questions about what the NAAEE does. This organization, as the name would suggest, is focused on education about the environment, particularly to young age groups (like elementary school students). They also like to educate people who educate others, for example Head Start and preschool program coordinators, church leaders, and school teachers.

Cecelia Espenoza (who just so happens to be Cassie Reid’s aunt!) spoke to us in the afternoon about her job as Senior Associate General Counsel in the Office of General Counsel for the Executive Office from Immigration Review (EOIR), a part of the U.S. Department of Justice.  She told us how her faith has impacted her work in the field of immigration, saying that Jesus told us to welcome the immigrant, and if we don’t do that, we aren’t living up to his mission. Cecelia also told us some of the ins and outs of immigration law, including what types of immigration hearings and reviews there are, and a little about how immigration law has evolved over the years.

Our final stop for the day was at the Supreme Court. We toured the building, then went upstairs to the courtroom for an information session. We learned how the Supreme Court receives cases, and how the Court functions, as well as some history of the Supreme Court Building. Did you know that it was not until President Taft’s term (he became a supreme court justice after serving as president) that the Supreme Court had its own building? Having a Supreme Court building created three truly equal branches of government. 

The Micah Corps at the Supreme Court building, looking out at the Capitol