Dear High School Teacher:

            Every year the South Dakota State Supreme Court holds three court sessions at different locations across the state.  This year the Court will meet in Spearfish at Black Hills State University from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon on:

                        Monday 1 Oct. 2007

                        Tuesday 2 Oct. 2007

                        Wednesday 3 Oct. 2007

On behalf of the Supreme Court, we would like to invite your school to attend this event.  Your school will receive an “official” invitation from the Court closer to the October sessions.  This invitation will include descriptions of the three specially selected cases to be heard each day.  Schools typically choose to attend one of the 3-hour long morning sessions. 

Northern State University would like to invite your senior high school students to participate in a special 1-credit course offered in conjunction with this opportunity.  This course is CJUS 192: Supreme Court Experience.  The course is designed to deepen your student’s understanding of and appreciation for the American judicial system.  Students will attend one entire morning session (three cases) and then write case reviews tailored to your high school class.  This Supreme Court class is especially well suited to students interested in a legal career and taking classes in:

• American Government
• American History
• Sociology and the Social Sciences
• Speech and Debate

Your students will also qualify for a reduced tuition of $66 $40! for this one-credit opportunity.  The course will be graded pass/fail and college credit will be awarded on a NSU transcript.  Students are responsible for submitting all materials to the NSU faculty by Friday 19 October as outlined in the syllabus at www.northern.edu/cas/supremecourt.

Our faculty will work with you to integrate this course into your class curriculum.  Additional course materials including a syllabus, sample case descriptions, example student papers, and discussion questions are available on line.

Students in the Supreme Court Experience will also be given reserved seating and have an opportunity to meet the Justices.  Enclosed is a sample application form.  Application forms are also available on-line.

All completed applications and payments are due to Northern by Friday 31 August  15 September  2007.  Class space is limited and students will be accepted on a first come, first served basis.   Parents should make checks payable to “Northern State University.”  Please send all materials to:

            CJUS 192

c/o Ann Vidoloff, J.D.

Dept. of Sociology and Political Science

Northern State University

Aberdeen, SD 57401

Please contact Prof. Ann Vidoloff  (ph. 605-626-7793) at ann.vidoloff@northern.edu  or Allan Vogel (ph. 1-800-678-5330) at allan.vogel@northern.edu  if you have any questions. 

 
Sincerely,

Dave Grettler
Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences
Northern State University
American Government