By Anna Michael
Enquirer contributor

BATAVIA - Students from 12 schools converged on the Clermont County courthouse Wednesday to witness Ohio's Supreme Court in action.

Every year, the justices travel to two of Ohio's 88 counties for an off-site court program. Teachers used this occasion as a learning activity for their students as five of the seven justices were present for about two hours of hearings.

Before the hearings, four of the justices fielded questions from students. Before closing the student press conference, Justice Maureen O'Conner challenged the youths to think about a judicial career.

She told them that the justices are human, and decisions are not always easy. "We are not robots," O'Conner said. "We listen intently; we prepare."

Four girls from Glen Este High School attended the hearings as part of an assignment for their journalism class. Two girls were writing stories for a local newspaper and two were writing for their school paper.

"I think it's a good idea" to have students attend the hearings, said Glen Este junior Amanda House, 16. "I didn't really know much, and I think this is really cool."

Every student had the opportunity to be present in the courtroom for one of the four hearings. During the other three, students packed into a room where the hearings were shown on closed-circuit television.

Eighteen-year-old Stephen Woodall represented the Grant Career Center at the hearings. He said he became interested in law while working as a congressional page.

Twenty-three students in an economics class at Amelia High School were at the hearings. Junior Brice Owens, 17, said he was there to see how the court system woks.

Teacher Jessica Strike said her students would be responsible for journal entries based on what they saw and heard.

She wanted them to see "the role the government plays in their lives," she said.

Clermont County Communications Director Kathy Lehr said Chief Justice Thomas Moyer likes getting students involved. Lehr said he thinks that the more students learn about the court system and the government, the more informed adult they will be.

Josh Proffitt, 18, a senior at Bethel-Tate High School, is majoring in political science at Berea Collegein the fall. He has wanted to be a lawyer since the eighth grade.

"Getting to hear the Ohio justices - it's definitely a good experience before attending college and law school," Proffitt said.