Local Legal Literacy

USC Gould’s Street Law program inspires teens.

3L Alexandra Mateus says USC Gould’s Street Law program is the reason she chose law school.”I really wanted to work with youth in a public interest way,” she says. “When I learned about Street Law, I knew I wanted to be here.”

Mateus with her Street Law team and Prof. Jody Armour (center), after hosting a Street Law workshop at Gould.

For the past 24 years, the student-run Street Law program, a nationally recognized educational outreach program, has brought legal literacy to local high school students. Throughout the academic year, USC Gould students visit nearby campuses and teach lessons on various fundamental legal topics.

Teaching the law to teenagers is the perfect educational experience for Mateus whose career aspirations involve working with youth. Mateus, the 2015-16 president of Street Law, is currently externing in Ventura County with the Public Defender’s office, splitting her time between the adult and juvenile divisions.This year Street Law worked with Roosevelt High School in Boyle Heights, South East High School in South Gate, as well as Dorsey High School and New Designs Charter School, both near the University Park Campus.

“But even if you’re a law student who’s not interested in working on youth issues, Street Law can be a valuable experience,” she says. “Having to get up in front of a classroom of judgmental teens is really good for your public speaking skills. Plus, because a lot of lesson plans are based on the 1L curriculum, such as torts, you are gaining a deeper understanding of the material.”

Gould Prof. Donald Scotten leads a mock lecture for middle and high schoolers.

Malissa Barnwell-Scott, director of Gould’s Office of Public Service, advises the group, and many Gould faculty present mock lectures for middle and high school students who visit Gould for Street Law Mentor Day each semester. “To get high school students to care and engage is a feat of its own,” says Mateus. “To see them engaged is the greatest reward.”

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2016 issue of the USC Law magazine.