Maryland Judges Spark a Love for Reading at Lake Arbor Elementary

Wearing their robes, six Maryland judges from the District, Circuit, Appellate, Supreme, and Federal courts visited Lake Arbor Elementary School as part of the Reading and Robes program.

The morning started with a Q&A session where each judge had the opportunity to share their roles and responsibilities within the judicial system, providing students with an engaging overview of the legal process and the importance of each court level.

Justice Michele D. Hotten of the Supreme Court of Maryland, shared that her red robe symbolizes the prestige of the highest court versus the traditional black worn by most judges.

The judges then visited third-grade classrooms, where they read aloud from a selection of culturally diverse books with themes of justice, fairness and the law.

Notable reads included U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s children’s book, Turning Pages: My Life Story, and The Highest Tribute: Thurgood Marshall’s Life, Leadership, and Legacy.

Maryland Circuit Court Judge the Honorable Tiffany H. Anderson spoke to students about how Thurgood Marshall paved the way for her career by breaking barriers in the legal profession and inspiring her to pursue a career in law with his legacy of championing justice and equality.

As a surprise, students also received backpacks filled with supplies.

An initiative of the National Judicial College, in Maryland Reading & Robes is made possible through a grant from the Maryland Bar Foundation and the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Education Fund. Other partners include the Maryland State Bar Association, the Harry A. Cole Judicial Council, the Montgomery County Bar Foundation, the ABA National Conference of Specialized Court Judges, and the Maryland Judiciary Administrative Office of the Courts.