NEW ORLEANS — About 20 kids, ages 9 to 13 from Harrell Playground in the Carrollton neighborhood posed for pictures on the steps of New Orleans Criminal Court.
With them, Judge Calvin Johnson, who spent more than an hour talking with them about courtroom procedures, the law and what led him to a 33-year career on the bench.
“It was absolutely great and to have them participate, to have them ask questions on what they wanted to hear and to share with them,” Judge Johnson said. “That’s a great thing to do.”
The young people are part of a special summer camp called “Don’t Stop Dreaming,” run by Coach Derrick Henderson at Harrell.
“The most important thing that he, the judge taught me, today, is about the court, like how it runs and how he controls it,” camper Niko Stallings said.
“Hearing the judge like talk about how it is to go to jail, like what does he have to do, like how hard it is,” camper Michael Tate said.
Johnson told them he dreamed about becoming an attorney and judge at age 16. That’s when he was arrested, convicted, and placed on probation for inciting a riot during a civil rights demonstration.
He said that didn’t stop him from achieving his goals and they can as well if they believe in their dreams.
“You can be more than an athlete. You can be anything you choose to be. You can and you can dream it. You can dream it and you can be it.”
The kids took Judge Johnson’s words to heart.
“You are the choice maker of your life,” Tate said. “You don’t have to listen to anybody tell you what to do. You have to do what you want to do and dream.”
“You have to dream what you want to be in life, because everybody has goals and you have to dream,” Stallings said.
On Tuesday, the young people will be going to Baton Rouge to visit the state legislature.
As part of the program, they will also attend a city council meeting, visit Xavier University and Whitney Plantation and then wrap up the program feeding the homeless in New Orleans.
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