In July 2001, the National Bar Association established the Crump Law Camp at Howard University to provide a life-changing experience for youth ages 14-17. Since its inception, the residential camp has graduated more than 300 youth from 40 states.
The Law Camp, which is designed to provide high school students with an enjoyable and comprehensive introduction to the challenges of a legal education, attracts students throughout the United States from diverse backgrounds.
Because only 10 percent of the nation’s lawyers are people of color, the primary goal of the Law Camp is to encourage young students of color to improve their grades in high school, attend college and enter law school. The Association’s partnership with Howard University School of Law reflects the school’s mission of cultivating lawyers who will positively impact communities across the nation and the legal profession.
According to the Law Camp’s founding members, “If America is to become a true melting pot, the legal system must lead the way. This can be done only when diverse groups of people bring their cultural, ethnic, and social backgrounds into the equation. Therefore, although the camp has an open enrollment policy and is available to all students, its emphasis is on empowering students of color.”
All applications are reviewed and up to 36 participants are selected by the Law Camp Selection Committee. Participants must be at least 14 years of age by the first day of the camp and must not be more than 17 years of age. Students must be entering the 9th through 11th grades. In addition to a completed application, applicants must submit a one-page, hand-written (not typed) letter explaining why they would like to participate in the camp; one letter of recommendation from a teacher, counselor, minister, or any individual who can attest to the character of the applicant, and a copy of the applicant’s last report card or progress report. Official transcripts are not required.
Tuition for the Law Camp varies depending upon family income and the number of exemptions as defined by IRS regulations. The tuition includes transportation to and from Washington, D.C.; housing, meals, educational materials and field-trip expenses. However, students who are required to pay full tuition must also pay for their transportation to and from Washington, D.C. Participants are not selected based on their ability or inability to pay tuition.
Participants are housed on the campus of Howard University for duration of the program and live in a protected campus environment with young attorneys, law students and college graduates serving as counselors and mentors. Participants also will attend law school classes at Howard University School of Law.
The Law Camp’s faculty and staff are comprised of members of the Howard University School of Law community, National Bar Association members, and guest lecturers. The curriculum includes guest lectures, field trips and a mock trial competition. The highlight of the academic component is the Evett L. Simmons Mock Trial Competition, which is held during the final week of the Law Camp. All attendees will participate, with the “Final Four” competing at the National Bar Association’s annual convention.
The application deadline for the Crump Law Camp is April 13, 2012, and the camp will run from July 7-14. Acceptance letters will be mailed by May 31. There is a $30 non-refundable application fee which much be received with the other application materials.
For more information on the camp and to print the application, visit www.nationalbar.net/Crump_Law_Camp.
