Eager hands went up as their tour guide asked who in the group from Lindbergh Elementary School wanted to be a lawyer or a judge. For the 34 fourth-grade students from Columbus’ Hilltop area, it was their first visit to the Thomas J. Moyer Ohio Judicial Center.

Lindbergh is one of 60 Ohio schools awarded transportation grants to visit the home of the Ohio Supreme Court and its Visitor Education Center.

While the school is just a few miles from the Moyer Judicial Center, teacher Kristine Casper said, “Eighty percent of the students receive free breakfast and lunch. Our kids don’t get the experience to be in a building like this. Being able to come here will help take the abstract concepts we talk about in class and make them real for the students.”

The nearly $20,000 in grants provided by the Thomas J. Moyer Ohio Judicial Center Foundation will allow students from 19 high schools, 14 middle schools, and 27 elementary schools to visit the historic building in downtown Columbus by the end of the school year. Since the transportation grant program started in 2011, more than $76,000 has been awarded to Ohio schools that might not otherwise have been able to afford the field trip.

“The foundation is pleased to be able to provide these grants as a way to support the mission of providing opportunities for Ohio students to learn about their court system and the importance of the judiciary and the rule of law in our society,” said the foundation’s treasurer Pierre Bergeron.

More than 60 students from Northwest High School in Scioto County recently made their first trip to the Moyer Judicial Center with the help of a grant.

“The students were impressed with the building and how well-maintained it was, and they liked the car display in the education center about a search-and-seizure case,” teacher Craig Havens said of the experience.

The Visitor Education Center features interactive displays designed to provide visitors with an understanding and appreciation of the history, role, and responsibilities of the Ohio court system. School tours include a mock trial and a visit to the main Courtroom, which features artwork that portrays the state’s history, culture, and commerce.

Groups of all ages are encouraged to visit the Moyer Judicial Center, and tours can be scheduled by emailing courttours@sc.ohio.gov or calling 614.387.9223.