Florida Law Related Education Association turns 25.

Partnerships with the legal community are the backbone of Florida Law Related Education Association's 25 years of success as a nationally recognized civics education program in the schools.

Annette Boyd Pitts, founding executive director of the Florida Law Related Education Association, Inc., counts the many achievements:

* Florida students have won multiple national championships in constitutional studies.

* Tens of thousands of students have interacted with government officials using effective lessons and activities that bring law related education into their classrooms.

* Mock trial and moot court competitions for high school students have encouraged critical thinking and reasoning skills, as a diverse array of students experience the legal system in a positive way.

* Middle school students have passed important legislation and contributed to changes in their local communities through civic and political participation projects.

* Democracy and law camps have encouraged students from the United States, as well as new and emerging democracies, to experience self-government and the rule of law through an innovative youth leadership experience.

* Model professional development institutes for teachers have been successfully implemented on the courts and the Constitution, using Florida's Supreme Court justices as faculty and creating a newfound trust and confidence in the courts.

* Free resources on the Constitution, public policy, and the rule of law have supplemented...