District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands

The United States District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands recognized the winners of this year’s Law Day Photo Contest.

In celebration of Law Day, the District Court held its second annual Law Day Photo Contest during May. Law Day is celebrated nationally on May 1st to recognize the rule of law. Law Day underscores how law and the legal process have contributed to the freedoms that we all enjoy. The 2022 Law Day theme is “Towards a More Perfect Union. The Constitution in Times of Change”.  The photo contest was open to all public and private school students in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in grades 6 through 12. Students were asked to give a brief description on how their photo captured the theme. Photos were judged according to its originality, creativity, and how well the photo represented the theme.

The high school winners selected by the District Court were:
1st Place: Wendy Zha (11th Grade, Marianas High School)
2nd Place: Xinyi Ni (11th Grade, Kagman High School)
3rd Place: Amena Mahmud (11th Grade, Marianas High School)

The middle school winners selected by the District Court were:
1st Place: Tyler Camacho (7th Grade, Chacha Oceanview Middle School)
2nd Place: Yu Rong Jiang (7th Grade, Francisco Sablan Middle School)

An award ceremony was held on June 3, 2022 in the third floor courtroom for the participants of both the Ninth Circuit Civics Contest and Law Day Photo Contest. Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona was present to congratulate the students.

Winners for the 2022 Ninth Circuit Contest and Law Day Photo Contest pose for a group photo. Front Row: Samantha Flores, John Lawrence Apit, Yu Rong Jiang, Tyler Camacho, and Grace Ju. Back Row: Xinyi Ni, Wendy Zha, Amena Mahmud, Seongeon Heo, and Grace Kim.

Law Day High School Winning Photo

1st Place “Union" by Wendy Zha, 11th Grade Marianas High School
The constitution ensures a country's functioning, guarantees every citizen's rights, and establishes appropriate limits. It enables citizens to unite and cooperate to make society a better place. Social change is inseparable from everyone's effort. The clasped hands in the picture represent the determination and commitment of every citizen to create constructive social changes. Today's society, represented by the American flag in the center of the hands in the image, cannot flourish without every citizen's contribution, while the constitution is the cornerstone.

Law Day Middle School Winning Photo

1st Place "I Dissent" by Tyler Camacho 7th Grade Chacha Oceanview Middle School
The Constitution was written to protect citizens and all States. The Constitution makes the government and fundamental laws and certain rights for its citizens. One of the most famous changes to the Constitution was the freedom of speech. This amendment allowed people to voice  their opinion even if they do not agree with what most people say. “I dissent” was a famous quote made famous by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. To “dissent” is to withhold assent or approval. Justice Ginsburg is a person that my auntie really respected because of her interpretation of the constitution and support of gender equality.  Justice Ginsburg also became a pop culture icon before she died in 2020. Whenever she did not agree with the Supreme Court’s ruling, she wore a collar to show her disagreement. She was a change maker and this photo is a tribute to the “Constitution in times of change.”