Ann M. David

Mrs. David's passion for teaching began before her decision to attend law school. As she prepared for life after college, she struggled with the decision to attend law school or to teach. She decided that with a law school degree she could give back to the students in her area and guide them to an aspiration in government and the law. She has constantly volunteered in schools speaking to groups of students from elementary to high school about a variety of topics from the Constitution to the practice of law. She could even be seen dressing as a colonial founding father to speak to elementary school students during Constitution Day. She also was a volunteer with Junior Achievement teaching more classes than any other volunteer in the county and participating on the Cape Fear Junior Achievement Board. Her Junior Achievement lessons always included a discussion about City, County, State and even Federal Government and becoming an active, informed citizen. Her desire to help students evolved into a variety of leadership roles starting in the schools that her children attended and expanding to her county and state. She began her North Carolina Bar Association Law-Related Education involvement by volunteering with a program to assist public school teachers learn the trial process in order to coach mock trial teams and to teach their students the trial process. Mrs. David was also on their list of available speakers for teachers to call on to come and present to their classes.

During that time, she spoke with Director of Law-Related Education about a program that the North Carolina Bar Association would like to start in the public schools. With only the premise in hand, Mrs. David launched on the project with the same enthusiasm that she has for any chance to reach out to children and teach them to become active, informed citizens. She formulated the program outline and presented it not only to New Hanover County Superintendent of Schools, but also, to Principals of two of the most at-risk elementary schools in her district and the New Hanover County Bar Association. Soon 20 volunteers would be reading with students at both schools, books on various topics related to Civics, American History and its leaders. She readily volunteered to attend the American Bar Association Law- Related Conference in Atlanta, Georgia to explain the program to attendees; offering her contact information to any group that wanted to expand on these ideas or needed her help in any way. In addition to being the state and local coordinator for these programs, she served on the Law-Related Education Committee for the North Carolina Bar Association and constantly offered assistance in judging Elementary Mock Trial and Authors on America and to speak to groups of teachers for Trials and Tribulations workshops or classroom presentations. She has volunteered for the North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice’s challenge to inform the public about our judicial history and process by adding her name to the “Celebrate NC Courts” Speakers List. She has worked over the years to help create guidelines and informational literature not only for the programs she has sponsored but other Law-Related Education programs in an effort to encourage legal professionals to get involved while teaching students the importance of knowledge about our government and our history.