Chief Judge Timothy J. Koenig | Holly Elomina, Trial Court Administrator
Winners will be notified by Court Administration.
Thank you to all participants for their banner and essay submissions, and a special thank you to the Monroe County Bar Association for their generous support and prizes.
Lower Keys (Key West to Big Pine Key) Kindergarten – 2nd Grade: “We All Fit Together” by Ms. Shannon Williams’ 1st-grade Class – Sigsbee Charter School
Prize: Class Prize $100 Towards a Pizza Party or Classroom Use
Middle and Upper Keys (Marathon to Key Largo) – Kindergarten – 2nd Grade:
Prize: Class Prize $100 Towards a Pizza Party or Classroom Use
No Submissions
Lower Keys (Key West to Big Pine Key) 3rd Grade – 5th Grade: “We Are United by The Constitution by Ms. Kristen Haskins, 4th-grade Class – The Basilica School of St Mary Star of the Sea
Prize: Class Prize $100 Towards a Pizza Party or Classroom Use
Middle and Upper Keys (Marathon to Key Largo) 3rd Grade – 5th Grade: “Law Day” by Ms. Airiana Lindback’s 5th-grade class at Plantation Key School.
Prize: Class Prize $100 Towards a Pizza Party or Classroom Use
Division I / 6- 8th Grade – Monroe County
Prize: Class Prize $100 Towards a Pizza Party or Classroom Use
No Submissions
Division II / 9th – 12th Grade – Monroe County
1st Place: Jeremy Sharp – 12th Grade – Key West High School – Teacher: Jodi Rolison
Prize: $100.00 Gift Card
Rewind 239 years to America’s First Constitutional Convention. Perhaps John Adams and James Madison were debating about how the future U.S government should be structured. Ultimately, they would have no idea about the development of technology in today’s society. During the early stages ofthe “American Experiment,” our founding fathers held the ideals ofthe rule of law, Natural Rights, and separation of powers incredibly close. The Fourth Amendment to our Constitution is a constitutional pillar in the idea ofthe rule of law, and deeply impacts people’s ability to adhere to the American Dream by limiting excessive government power, establishing accountability, and providing freedom to build “property” securely, giving citizens freedom from fear ofa tyrannical government.
During British colonial rule, “general warrants or “Writs ofAssistance” allowed officers to break into colonists’ homes and arrest them without probable cause.” (Freidman) The colonists saw this as tyranny and believed instead in the rule of law: that no individual or government official is above it. This led the founding fathers to draft the Fourth Amendment, establishing that every search and seizure must be authorized by a judge. However, when and how searches should be conducted is now more relevant than ever in our new digital age. The government now has access to resources that can monitor your every move, indoors and out. Yet, Supreme Court cases like “Carpenter v. The United States” (Property or Expectations) have shown the utilization ofthe Fourth Amendment to protect our rights in this new era, proving it remains a vital legal shield against government overreach.
One of the greatest things about the United States is embedded in the American Dream: the ability to own a home, establish a livelihood for you and your family, and build personal wealth, without government intervention. John Locke’s “Natural Rights” helped pave the framework for Thomas Jefferson’s life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. “The freedom to make decisions that result in the best possible life for a human being.” (Pursuit of Happiness). The founding fathers viewed the British Illegal searches and seizures as intended to instill fear in the colonists, meaning they were concerned about an abusive government that could roam society, seizing individuals’ property. This fear helped establish the Fourth Amendment. Furthermore, if the government can take away your property, does that mean it’s entitled to take away your livelihood? Ultimately, the Fourth Amendment grants us the right to make our lives the best possible without fear of unjust seizures.
So no, our founding fathers had no idea how the Fourth Amendment would protect the rights of U.S citizens 250 years later. Yet it remains clear that their wisdom has shielded us from excessive government outreach, establishing accountability, and allowing us Americans to pursue and build a better life without fear of an abusive government reaching into our private property. It has given us a pillar of freedom we enjoy every day, which we probably take for granted, and has helped America’s vision stand strong.
“Constitutional Amendments -Amendment 4 -‘the Right to Privacy.”‘
Ronald Reagan, Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum ,
www.reaganlibrary.gov/education/lesson-plans/high-school/constitutionalamendments/constitutional-amendments-amendment-4.
Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
Friedman, Barry, and Orin Kerr. “The Fourth Amendment.”
National Constitution Center -Constitutioncenter. Org, National Constitution Center,
constitutioncenter.org/theconstitution/amendments/amendment-iv/interpretations/121.
Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
“Property or Expectations: A Struggle for the Soul ofthe Fourth Amendment.”
Pacific Legal Foundation, Pacific Legal Foundation ,
pacificlegal.org/call-for-papers/property-or-expectations-a-struggle-for-the-soul-of-the-fourth-amendment/.
Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
Pursuit ofHappiness. “John Locke.”
Pursuit of Happiness, 10 Apr. 2023,
www.pursuit-ofhappiness.org/history-of-happiness/john-locke/.
United States Courts. “What Does the Fourth Amendment Mean?”
United States Courts, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts,
www.uscourts.gov/about-federalcourts/educational-resources/about-educational-outreach/activity-resources/whatdoes-fourth-amendment-mean.
Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
2nd Place: Leandro Batista – 12th Grade – Key West High School – Teacher: Jodi Rolison
Prize: $75.00 Gift Card
The American dream has been shown to be the perfect life. The life you will have when moving to America. The nice house with the yard, the car, and your family all living comfortably. The United States is perfect, and they give us the perfect life, and with that you can live the “American dream.” The dream also has the other side where it is not perfect and the world makes mistakes; we make mistakes. So the 18th amendment, regardless of becoming repealed by the 21st amendment, still protects the rule oflaw and helps adhere to the American dream.
This amendment was ratified in 1919, which prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol in the United States. This amendment came out ofthe temperance movement, which stated that alcohol was a cause of problems in American society, such as crime, poverty, and unstable families. Rather than solving the problem by prohibiting alcohol, this only contributed to the spread ofillegal activity. This demonstrates the fact that even laws enacted for the right reasons can still be unsuccessful.
Court cases from this era included the case of Olmstead v. United States. In this case, the Supreme Court allowed evidence to be used from a wiretap without a warrant, demonstrating the tension between the enforcement of the amendment and the rights of the individual. This is an example of the tension between the rule of law and the government’s attempt to enforce an unpopular law. Rather than strengthening trust in the legal system, Prohibition often weakened it, as many Americans ignored or actively resisted the law.
The failure ofthe Eighteenth Amendment led to its repeal by the Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1933. This is relevant to our discussion of the American Dream because of its significance to the flexibility ofthe Constitution and the rule oflaw. This flexibility is important to our understanding of the American Dream because of its relevance to our understanding of failure and how it is not permanent but rather an opportunity for improvement.
This connects to our discussion of the American Dream very well. The tale ofthe Eighteenth Amendment reveals to us that our success in this country is not based on perfection but rather on improvement. Just as humans fail and learn from their mistakes, so too does our country. However, with the rule oflaw, we do so in an orderly fashion. Even though we failed to improve with the implementation of prohibition, we did learn an important lesson about the rule oflaw and our need for change.
The Eighteenth Amendment is a clear example of how failure is a part of the American Dream. Did it succeed in solving all of the problems related to alcohol, no not at all, but it showed how the rule of law can guide a nation through failure and toward success. The ability of people to recognize failure, correct it, and continue moving toward a better future is what allows people to chase and achieve their American Dream.
Wheeler, Wayne. “Eighteenth Amendment IDefinition,
Summary, & Facts.” Britannica, 13 March 2026,
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Eighteenth-Amendment.
Accessed March 2026. 24
3rd Place: Trevor Johnson – 12th Grade – Key West High School – Teacher: Jodi Rolison
Prize: $50.00 Gift Card
The American Dream depends on a stable legal system that treats everyone fairly and protects individual rights. The Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution plays a role in keeping the rule of law by ensuring due process, protecting citizens from self-incrimination, and preventing double jeopardy. These protections help create a fair legal system where people can pursue success and security without fear of unjustifiable treatment by the government.
One of the most important protections provided by the Fifth Amendment is the guarantee of due process of law, which is a constitutional guarantee that prohibits all levels of the U.S. government from depriving individuals of a fair, legal procedure. The amendment states that no person shall be deprived of “life, liberty, or property, without due process of law” (Cornell Law School). This means the government must follow fair legal procedures before punishing someone or taking away their rights. Due process includes rights such as a fair trial, the ability to present evidence, and the opportunity to defend oneself in court, whether by themselves or with a lawyer. These protections prevent the government from acting unfairly toward citizens. The legal system is based on fairness and establishes rules to help maintain the rule of law. When people know their rights will be protected and that the law applies equally to everyone, they can pursue opportunities such as education, careers, and property ownership without fear of unjust treatment.
Another example of protection in the Fifth Amendment is the right against self-incrimination, often referred to as “pleading the Fifth.” This protection means that individuals cannot be forced to testify against themselves or others in criminal cases. According to legal scholars, this right protects people from being pressured into giving a false confession or a statement that could be manipulated against them (Encyclopaedia Britannica). In the American legal system, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. By preventing forced confessions, the Fifth Amendment keeps the fairness and reliability of the justice system. This protection supports the American Dream because it ensures that individuals cannot be unjustly punished due to coercion or abuse of power.
The Fifth Amendment also protects individuals from double jeopardy, which means a person cannot be tried twice for the same crime after being acquitted or convicted. This prevents the government from repeatedly prosecuting someone until it obtains a guilty verdict. Legal experts explain that double jeopardy protects individuals from harassment, emotional stress, and financial hardship caused by multiple trials for the same offense (Cornell Law School). By limiting the power of the government, the amendment keeps the rule of law in place and prevents abuse within the legal system. This protection allows citizens to feel secure in their rights and the idea that the legal system will not unfairly target them.
The Fifth Amendment is essential to maintaining the rule of law in the United States and the American Dream By guaranteeing due process, protecting individuals from self-incrimination, and preventing double jeopardy. Making sure that the amendment ensures fairness and justice in the legal system. These protections create a society where citizens can pursue opportunities and success without fear of unfair treatment by the government. Ultimately, the Fifth Amendment helps preserve the freedom and equality that make the American Dream possible.
“Fifth Amendment I U.S. Constitution I US Law I LII / Legal Information Institute.” LII,
https://www.law.comell.edu/constitution/fifth_amendment.
Accessed 5 March 2026.
FindLawStaff. “The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.”
https://constitution.findlaw.com/amendment5.html/.
Accessed 5 3 2026.
Smentkowski, Brian P. “Fifth Amendment I Summary, Rights, & Facts.”
Britannica, 27 February2026,
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Fifth-Amendment.
Accessed 5 March 2026.