NEW PHILADELPHIA (Tusco TV) - Tuscarawas County court officials are continuing to educate local students on the ins and outs of the American justice system.

Students from Conotton Valley, Central Catholic, and Indian Valley visited the courthouse Thursday to sit in on common pleas court proceedings. East Central Ohio Educational Service Center Programming and Marketing Coordinator Sarah Spies says it’s part of the Law Day event they facilitate several times a year to highlight potential court-related career opportunities.  

"Judge, attorney, probation officer, victims advocate, interpreter, there are lots of different opportunities for them," she says.

Tuscarawas Central Catholic students spent the morning in Judge Elizabeth Thomakos’ courtroom, while teens from Conotton Valley and Tusky Valley sat in on an afternoon session with Judge Edward O’Farell. Conotton Valley junior Abigail Hostetler says she was surprised to how much actual court proceedings differ from what’s presented on tv.

"I mean, I watch a lot of Law and Order shows so it was definitely different," she says. 

Tusky Valley Senior Todd Tacy says he learned a lot from his Law Day experience and would definitely recommend the program to a friend.  

"I was expecting it to be something that was just educational but whenever I came in and I started hearing about the case and the individual, I don’t know, I guess I felt more of like a personal connection to the case," he says. 

Tacy says he’s considering a law enforcement career, and Hostetler says she aspires to become a substance abuse counselor. 

TUSCO TV