The Cass County Bar Association hosted its 2017 Law Day event on Monday in the courtroom of the Honorable Susan L. Dobrich at the county Law & Courts Building in Cassopolis.

The Cass County Bar Association organized an essay contest open to students attending schools in Cass County, with three different topics on this year’s Law Day theme: “The 14th Amendment: Transforming American Democracy.”

The Cass County Bar Association’s event allowed for the recognition of several of the student winners of the essay contest as well as providing a venue for the Cass County Bar Association to make its first presentation of a “Liberty Bell” award to State Sen. John Proos. Local bar associations give the Liberty Bell Award to non-lawyers, in conjunction with Law Day, to honor outstanding citizens within the local community.

Proos was selected as this year’s “Liberty Bell” award recipient to honor his innovative contributions to our community and the state of Michigan.

The essay contest drew 81 entries and the following students, all from Edwardsburg High School, and part of Mr. Jeff Kozinski’s sophomore Civics class, received awards:

First place: Natalie Rarick

Second place: Alex Schenk

Third place (tie): Chloe Bartz and Parker Coles

Honorable Mention: Madeline Gordon, Olivia Buysse, Kristin Maret and Layla Rosales

Cash prizes were awarded to the first through third place winners, with all winners receiving a commemorative county pin from the Cass County County Administrator Karen Folks, as well as a certificate.

The Cass County Bar Association’s officers — Carol Bealor, president, Kelley James-Jura, vice president, Melissa Sytsma, treasurer, and Robert LaBre, secretary — organized the 2017 Law Day activities, with Sytsma heading up the student essay contest.

Law Day, held annually on May 1, is a national day set aside to celebrate the rule of law. Law Day underscores how law and the legal process contribute to the freedoms that all Americans share and provides an opportunity to recognize the role of courts in a constitutional democracy.

The 2017 theme provides the opportunity to explore the many ways that the 14th Amendment has reshaped American law and society. Through its citizenship, due process and equal protection clauses, this transformative amendment advanced the rights of all Americans.

It also played a pivotal role in extending the reach of the Bill of Rights to the states. Ratified during Reconstruction a century and a half ago, the 14th Amendment serves as the cornerstone of landmark civil rights legislation, the foundation for numerous federal court decisions protecting fundamental rights, and a source of inspiration for all those who advocate for equal justice under law.