Category: News

Goodwin Procter: Partner for Justice

Goodwin Procter: 2024 Partner for Justice Awardee

From left, Goodwin’s Deborah Birnbach, Marieljane Bastien, and Louis Lobel accept the 2024 Partner for Justice Award at our 2024 Gala on June 26th. Photo by Meredith Nierman.  

Discovering Justice is fortunate to have corporate, philanthropic foundations, individual donors, and school district supporters who all come together with the resources we need to do our work.

Goodwin Procter is one such partner. Goodwin’s generous and consistent financial support of Discovering Justice’s work has provided us with the capacity to grow from an idea to one of the foremost civic education groups in the Commonwealth.

For the passion, perspective, and energy Goodwin brings to our partnership, Discovering Justice was proud to present Goodwin Procter with our 2024 Partner for Justice Award at our Annual Gala 2024: Partners for Justice on June 26th.

For more than over 20 years, Goodwin’s attorneys and staff have volunteered their time and expertise to our programs, most notably as Legal Mentors in our Mock Trial and Mock Appeal teams in Boston. This spring, Goodwin attorneys mentored middle school teams from St. John’s Parochial School in Boston and North Middle School in Brockton.

And Goodwin’s leadership has been vital to Discovering Justice’s direction and growth. We’re proud to name Goodwin’s Deborah Birnbach as former Chair of Discovering Justice’s Board of Trustees, and Marieljane Bastien and Louis Lobel as current Board Members.

Marieljane Bastien, of Goodwin and Discovering Justice's Board of Trustees, applauds a student speaker at our 2023 Gala. Photo by Reba Saldanha.

Accepting Goodwin’s award last week, Birnbach and Lobel commended the work of Discovering Justice as essential to building future leaders, noting that our programs help prepare the young people not only of Boston but across the Commonwealth to explore the justice system firsthand and start to become active, engaged participants in our democracy and affirming that “Goodwin is proud to support that work.”

Louis Lobel, also of Discovering Justice’s Board of Trustees and Goodwin, introduces a student speaker at last year's Gala. Photo by Reba Saldanha.

Our partnership with Goodwin proves that when we come together and all bring what we can to the table, we can all reach further, aim higher, and help build a stronger future for our students. Thank you, Goodwin Procter!

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Meet Senator Becca Rausch: Champion for Civics Education in the Commonwealth

Senator Becca Rausch: 2024 Partner for Justice & Champion for Civic Education in the Commonwealth

When Massachusetts state legislators were on the path to cutting the Commonwealth’s investment in civics education, Senator Becca Rausch arrived at the floor of the State Senate chambers to not only stop the cuts, but also to increase support by 25%.

The vote passed 39-0, with both Democrats and Republicans unanimously lining up behind her amendment.

Through her passion for civic engagement and her persistence, Senator Rausch has emerged as a leader on Beacon Hill to bring robust civic education to every student in Massachusetts.

For her tireless and dedicated work at the State House, we are proud to honor Senator Rausch with our Discovering Justice 2024 Partner for Justice Award.

We hope you’ll join us at Discovering Justice’s Annual Gala 2024: Partners for Justice on June 26th as we celebrate Senator Rausch and the partners that make our impactful work possible.

Discovering Justice is proud to be a part of the Massachusetts Civic Learning Coalition (MCLC), a coalition of more than 50 civic education groups in Massachusetts who work with school districts and teachers to help bring civics into the classroom. MCLC was formed in 2017 and led the campaign to pass the groundbreaking Civics Education Law that prioritized civic education for Massachusetts students.

Since the passage of the law, Discovering Justice and MCLC have worked with Senator Rausch and many other Massachusetts legislators to increase the Commonwealth’s investment in civic education by 67%.

During the Senate debate last month, Senator Rausch spoke passionately from the Senate floor:

“Civic education is both profoundly important and a necessary equalizer. It empowers young people from all backgrounds and all communities to make their voices heard as they advocate for the issues and values that matter most to them. Civics teaches the power of the grassroots and delivers the experience of influencing law and policy even before our students are old enough to vote, so when the time comes for them to start casting their ballots, they know how much it matters to exercise that right and engage in our democracy.”

Senator Rausch also appreciates the role Discovering Justice plays in the education of Massachusetts citizens:

“From Mock Trials, to Courthouse Tours, to [Civic Learning] Weeks, Discovering Justice brings students of all ages into the rooms where policy is made, democracy lives, and equity advances. It is truly transformational for a student to enter these spaces; the experience inspires students in the moment and empowers them to envision themselves there in the future. Discovering Justice demystifies the world of government, opening it up to one and all.”

Thanks and congratulations to Senator Becca Rausch for her work and dedication to civic education.

First elected in an iconic 2018 victory, Massachusetts State Senator Becca Rausch (D-Needham) represents the Norfolk, Worcester and Middlesex District. She is the first woman and first Jewish person to serve several of the district’s communities in the Senate. Re-elected in 2020 and 2022, Senator Rausch is currently serving her third term and is the only mother of children under 10 years old in the Massachusetts Senate. The granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor and a published author on reproductive health and justice and body size and the law, Senator Rausch is a lifelong advocate for social justice, fairness, and equity for all.

Discovering Justice is grateful for Senator Rausch’s partnership as our champion for civics education in the Massachusetts legislature. We’re looking forward to presenting Senator Rausch’s award, as well as hearing from all our 2024 Partner for Awardees on the importance of doing work they believe in, at our Annual Gala on June 26th.

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Meet Tracy Coutts & Christy Nelson: Classroom Partners & Ardent Early Childhood Student Advocates

Meet Tracy Coutts & Christy Nelson: Classroom Partners & Ardent Early Childhood Student Advocates

Tracy Coutts (left) and Christy Nelson (right)
"Christy and Tracy are early childhood champions and advocates for the rights of young children. They are deeply thoughtful about curriculum planning with a focus on making content accessible to all students. BPS is lucky to have such engaged and reflective educators teaching our youngest learners."
Marina Boni
Program Developer of Early Childhood, Boston Public Schools

Tracy Coutts and Christy Nelson are the embodiment of partnership. As co-leads of their kindergarten classroom for 15 years at Gardner Pilot Academy, a Boston Public School, they have always worked together to support their young students. 

Says Christy, “We’re always asking ourselves, ‘What are the barriers of to learning for our students, and what can we do to bring down those barriers?’”

In Tracy and Christy, Discovering Justice has been fortunate to find partners for our Children Discovering Justice (CDJ) curriculum. CDJ is a Massachusetts standards-based K-5 civics curriculum that engages 20,000 students every year in topics such as community, rules, leadership, and equity while answering the essential question, “What is justice, and how do I use my voice to advocate for it?”

Working with Discovering Justice Chief Program Officer Laura Brenner and K-5 Curriculum Developer Victoria Suri, Tracy and Christy have been crucial partners in refining lessons, piloting new modules, and assuring the CDJ curriculum is accessible for all early-childhood and English Language Learners, who represent 70% of their kindergarten students.

You can celebrate Tracy and Christy, and all of our 2024 Partners for Justice Awardees, at Discovering Justice’s Annual Gala 2024: Partners for Justice on June 26th.

Christy and Tracy recognize that CDJ meets an underserved need for civics programming in early-childhood classrooms like theirs, with lessons designed to help the Commonwealth’s youngest learners engage with the concepts of justice and fairness and explore school and community issues. 

And their kindergartners are hungry for it! According to Gardner Pilot Academy colleague Gaby Haywood, “Through CDJ, Christy and Tracy provide their students with a strong foundation of the understanding of what is justice and injustice in the world, and their students learn to use the language from the lessons in everyday conversations.”

Gaby adds, “These rich conversations are thanks to the hard work and dedication from Christy and Tracy!”

 

Tracy and Christy’s partnership with each other and with Discovering Justice means that our CDJ curriculum helps a growing number of young students jumpstart their justice journey as they begin to explore and engage with civic education and action. As Tracy puts it, “Partnership makes us successful.”

Discovering Justice is grateful for Tracy and Christy’s partnership over the years. We’re looking forward to hearing from Tracy and Christy on the importance of making civic education accessible to our youngest learners at our Annual Gala on June 26th.

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Thank You, Ann!

We’re updating the Discovering Justice community with news both exciting and bittersweet: after eleven years with Discovering Justice, our Chief Operating Office Ann Gogol departed from the organization earlier this month.

 

Ann is moving on to become the first Executive Director of the Martin Trust Partnership in Education for Early Learners. We offer Ann our sincerest congratulations and well wishes for her next chapter.

 

Over the past eleven years, Ann has helped build Discovering Justice into one of the strongest civic education groups in the Commonwealth, bringing our programs to more than 50 school districts and over 21,000 students. 

 

An institutional part of the Discovering Justice team, Ann’s impact has been clear. She took on many roles within the organization, including two stints as interim Executive Director, and she has been instrumental in building strong relationships within the Moakley Courthouse and its staff; growing our civic education work across all of our programs; writing grants and stewarding a number of our foundation partners; recruiting sponsors and coordinating our recent Galas; and, as the organization’s COO, keeping our books in order and producing consistent, clean financial audits. 

 

We are grateful for the grace, passion, and professionalism with which Ann took on all of these responsibilities. Ann cares deeply about Discovering Justice and the people who make up our community. We will miss her hard work and dedication, and we wish her great success in her next position. 

 

Thank you, Ann!!

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Meet Thomas Rachele: “Partner for Justice” & Tireless Student Advocate

Meet Thomas Rachele: “Partner for Justice" & Tireless Student Advocate

“Thomas Rachele is the embodiment of an exceptional educator, district leader, and partner of Discovering Justice. He is a hands-on leader who knows what students deserve and believes in what they can achieve. His genuine care and respect for each student in Springfield drives every piece of his work.”
Laura Brenner
Discovering Justice Chief Program Officer

As Director of Humanities for Springfield Public Schools, Thomas has been an ardent champion of Discovering Justice programs in Springfield since 2021. 

In Tom, we have an invaluable collaborator and ambassador for our programs. He has played vital roles both in conceptualizing our K-3 Children Discovering Justice (CDJ) curriculum and helping Discovering Justice expand our programs to students across Springfield in grades K-8.

Tom’s dedication to his students drives his ongoing partnership with Discovering Justice. Teaching students how to advocate for themselves and others, Tom believes, is vitally important – and it starts with our youngest learners in CDJ.

“All students need to be able to recognize what justice is,” he explains, “so they can recognize when it’s not present.”

“Tom is tireless in his efforts in ensuring that all students have access to lasting and meaningful student learning experiences. He always has students at the forefront of his decision making and uses student learning outcomes as the compass for his work.”
Stefania Raschilla
Superintendent of West Springfield Public Schools

Tom’s dedication to his students drives his ongoing partnership with Discovering Justice. Teaching students how to advocate for themselves and others, Tom believes, is vitally important – and it starts with our youngest learners in CDJ.

“All students need to be able to recognize what justice is,” he explains, “so they can recognize when it’s not present.”

You can meet Tom and all of our 2024 Partners for Justice Awardees at our Annual Gala on June 26th.

Through Tom’s hard work and persistence, Discovering Justice has expanded our reach through Springfield and beyond. After just three years, we’re proud to report that every elementary student in Springfield Public Schools has access to four years of our CDJ civics curriculum, and five Springfield middle schools host teams of ‘student attorneys’ in our Mock Trial & Mock Appeal Program. That means we impact thousands of students in Springfield every year – and that’s not counting the connections Tom has helped us make to bring our programs into West Springfield and Worcester Public Schools!

“Director Rachele has been an invaluable asset to Springfield Public Schools. While enhancing the curriculum in programs like Civics Education and Early Financial Literacy, Tom has proven himself to be an effective leader focused on the well-being of students and educators. I look forward to continuing to partner with Tom to serve the students and faculty of Springfield Public Schools and the Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester District.”
Senator Jake Oliveira
Massachusetts State Senate - Hampden, Hampshire and Worcester District

Tom’s work with students and the community began long before his current role as SPS Director of Humanities. In his two decades working with students in Springfield, he began as a classroom teacher, then broadened his reach as an academic coach with SPS, before transitioning to the Supervisor of Secondary ELA and Libraries, allowing him to have an impact on students across the district. He is passionately committed to promoting equity through literacy, English language arts, history, and social science by providing all students with impactful teaching and learning experiences.

“Discovering Justice teaches students not only that they have a voice and how to use it,” he says, “but also that using their voice means something.”

“Thomas Rachele has been a pivotal figure in our district. His advocacy for innovative educational practices underscores his commitment to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to succeed. He is a visionary leader who is shaping the future of education in our community, and I have no doubt that his continued efforts will inspire generations to come."
Daniel Warwick
Springfield Superintendent of Schools through SY24

Discovering Justice is grateful for Tom’s incredible partnership over the years. We’re looking forward to presenting Tom’s award, as well as hearing from all our Awardees on the importance of doing work they believe in, at our Annual Gala on June 26th.

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Meet Hannah Esquenazi: A “Partner for Justice” Who Goes Above and Beyond

Meet Hannah Esquenazi: A “Partner for Justice” Who Goes Above And Beyond

Discovering Justice has been honored to partner with Hannah as volunteer Legal Mentor in our Mock Trial & Mock Appeal Program since 2019.

From mentoring middle school ‘student attorneys’ in Boston, to leading the mentoring team at Jones Day, to helping recruit and train new volunteers, Hannah has been an instrumental partner in Discovering Justice’s work to double the size of the program in the last four years.

Teaching Massachusetts students about the law and their rights has been particularly rewarding for Hannah. “It is a gift each semester to watch the ‘student attorneys’ gain confidence, face their fears, stand in front of a judge, and successfully grapple with complicated legal questions,” Hannah says.

Hannah and a middle school ‘student attorney’ hard at work in 2021.

Derek Doherty, teacher at Boston’s Mildred Ave K-8 School, reports that Hannah’s passion for this work inspires her students:

“Hannah is an amazing educator. She knows the law on a deep level - but she also knows how to scaffold that knowledge in ways that make it accessible to middle school students. And Hannah makes learning fun and engaging – students sense her passion and interest, which leads to our students being more engaged and interested in their work.”
Derek Doherty
Teacher, Mildred Ave K-8 School

You can meet Hannah and all of our 2024 Partners for Justice Awardees at our Annual Gala on June 26th.

Hannah says that “witnessing that tangible moment when the students gain confidence, latch onto their arguments, and are able to advocate successfully” is one of her favorite aspects of volunteering with the program.

“In the end,” she reflects, it is often hard to get them to sit back down, because they become so passionate and confident about the issues!”

Hannah looks on as a ‘student attorney’ presents his work during a spring 2023 Mock Appeal Final Event.

Discovering Justice staff Malia Brooks describes Hannah going above and beyond in her work in support of both our Mock Trial & Mock Appeal Program and its participants:

“Hannah cares so much about the students she volunteers with, and it shows in the extra effort she puts in to support the program. As the point person for her team, she recruits and trains new volunteers and is eager to share her expertise and experience. When school’s out for the summer, she has even served as an extra set of eyes on our curriculum and helped us coordinate an in-person orientation event. When I think of Hannah, I hear her saying, “Let me know how I can help!”
Malia Brooks
Discovering Justice staff

As an attorney, Hannah works as an Associate at Jones Day in their Financial Markets practice group. There, she advises and represents financial institutions in litigation matters, with a particular focus on evolving legal and regulatory risks and disputes related to complex commercial transactions and consumer products. She also maintains an active pro bono practice, representing women and minors seeking asylum, and proudly serves as chair of the Hispanic National Bar Association’s (HNBA) Special Committee for Community Outreach and Pro Bono Services. In January, Hannah was named one of the HNBA’s “Top Lawyers Under 40.”

Discovering Justice is enormously grateful for Hannah’s hard work and support over the last five years. We’re looking forward to presenting Hannah’s award, as well as hearing from all our Awardees on the importance of doing work they believe in, at our Annual Gala on June 26th.

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Kayla Nordman

Kayla Nordman believes strongly in expanding access to comprehensive civic education to provide the next generation with the resources they need to uphold and expand upon the values of American democracy and create a more equitable future. Before joining Discovering Justice, she worked as a Legislative Intern at the Massachusetts State House and as a Program Manager for the Massachusetts Center for Civic Education. Kayla graduated from Suffolk University with a BA in International Relations.