Empire High School
Tucson, AZ
Jennifer Roberts has been teaching for nearly 10 years. She has taught Theatre Arts, English, and for the past seven years, U.S. History and Advanced Placement U.S. History. Six years ago, she started a Mock Trial team at Empire High School (EHS). Jennifer participated in Mock Trial in high school and loved it, so she was more than happy to give that opportunity to her students! There are so many great skills students learn in Mock Trial that extend to all academic areas and that help to increase their confidence, in addition to increasing their understanding of the justice system. Her work with Mock Trial earned her the John J. Ross Award for Teacher Excellence in Law-Related Education in 2021, and last school year, her team was so excited to finally get a coveted space in the State tournament! Jennifer's history students participate in the Kids Voting Arizona program each year, which is eye-opening for them to see how their votes align with the actual results. They have some great discussions out of that activity! Last year, EHS hosted the first Arizona High School Mediation Tournament, and they are looking forward to continued participation in this valuable competition as it grows! Jennifer sponsors the Genders & Sexualities Alliance for LGBTQ+ students and their allies. Over the last few years, this group has increased its civic participation through writing letters and hosting "calling parties" to state legislators about bills in our state that could directly affect their lives. Jennifer loves to see her students engaged in activism and learning about laws - she appreciates all the opportunities that law related education offers to teachers to help in this pursuit!