Students honored by court at ceremony

Proudly displaying their plaques during the June 8 juror service sticker contest ceremony were winners (left to right) Parker Schornak (3rd grade Oxford Elementary), Tess Nowacki (7th grade Oxford Middle School), and Vanessa Nolan (11th grade Waterford Kettering High School).  Happy to honor the winners were Oakland County Circuit Court Judges (left to right) Lorie Savin, Jeffery Matis, Mary Ellen Brennan, Julie McDonald, Lisa Gorcyca, Cheryl Matthews, and Michael Warren.


On June 8 in the jury assmebly room at the Oakland County Courthouse in Pontiac, Oakland County Circuit Court Chief Judge Jeffery Matis and Deputy Court Administrator Pamela Monville welcomed and led a ceremony to honor the finalists and winners of the court’s Semi Quincentennial “Liberty and Justice for All” juror service sticker contest. The court developed the contest to highlight the importance of juror service in America’s democracy as America celebrates its 250th birthday.

On April 10, the court received 190 jury sticker entries from students across Oakland County. Twelve designs were selected by court staff and advanced to the final round of selection by four of the court’s Family Division judges – Judge Lisa Gorcyca, Judge Julie McDonald, Judge Lorie Savin, and Judge Tricia Dare. The finalists were students from the Berkley, Clarkston, Holly, Novi, Oxford, and Waterford School Districts, as well as Notre Dame Prep.

Savin acknowledged elementary student finalists, Kaylin Homrich (4th grade Bailey Lake Elementary ), Rowan Merkle (4th grade Clarkston Elementary), Chloe Munro (4th grade Clarkston Elementary), and Ella VanOoyen (3rd grade Rose Pioneer Elementary). 

McDonald acknowledged middle student finalists, Addelyn Chapman (8th grade Berkley Anderson), Kriti Gangumalla (6th grade Novi Meadows), Avni Kaarthick (7th grade Notre Dame Prep), and Olivia Kramer (8th grade Berkley Anderson).

Gorcyca acknowledged high school finalist, Arinjay Dawn (9th Grade Novi High). Finalists received framed certificates.

Contest winners Parker Schornak (3rd grade Oxford Elementary), Tess Nowacki (7th grade Oxford Middle School), and Vanessa Nolan (11th grade Waterford Kettering High School) were acknowledged with commemorative plaques.

All honorees were congratulated by members of the circuit court bench with handshakes or high-fives from Judges Jeffery Matis, Michael Warren, Cheryl Matthews, Lisa Gorcyca, Mary Ellen Brennan, Julie McDonald, and Lorie Savin.

The honorees and their families enjoyed photo opportunities with the judges and remained for cake, cookies, and beverages following the ceremony. The successful jury sticker contest provided community engagement of the county’s youth and families in recognizing the importance of jury service in the county’s democracy.

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