Celebrating Law Day with Fox Tech
By Jodye Kasher, CP, TBLS Board Certified Paralegal

District 5 Division members recently had an opportunity to participate in a wonderful program involving Fox Tech students. The San Antonio Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, the Bexar County Women’s Bar Association, and District 5 of the Paralegal Division of the State Bar of Texas, were invited to a program on March 2, 2007, hosting girls participating in the Law Magnate Program at Fox Tech High School for a pizza mentoring luncheon.

Louis W. Fox Technical High School was the lowest-ranking school in Texas in 1995. At that time, the school became reestablished with a new administration and many new staff members, and was nicknamed “Fox Tech.” Within 5 years of the new administration’s plan to eliminate the high dropout rate, and increase enrollment, the school completely turned around, became recognized in the 1999- 2000 school year, and was eventually elevated to National Blue Ribbon status. The pizza mentoring luncheon program was developed to help encourage the students to stay in school and succeed, despite peer pressure. Many of the students at Fox Tech rely on public transportation to get to school, and many come from backgrounds where they may not have a lot of guidance, or where financial support may not be available for education. Mentors provide encouragement to the students.

While pizza and beverages were purchased and supplied to students and mentors by the San Antonio Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, mentors got to sit at tables with the students, and visit with them. Mentors talked about their own educational or career struggles, and encouraged the students to stay in school and be successful. U.S. Magistrate Judge Pamela Mathy, U.S. District Court, Western District, spoke to the entire group about her background and career choices, as did several of the members of the San Antonio Federal Bar Association and Bexar County Women’s Bar Association. One of the mentors that spoke to the group, both this year and the previous year, was a former Fox Tech student who had a successful career at the U.S. Marshal’s Office. The impact of the program was clear when several students coming back to the Law Day program this year revealed they also wanted to be a U.S. Marshal after they heard her talk last year about the difficulties she faced in getting her education, and the payoff later with a rewarding career.

Some of the District 5 Division members who attended this event as mentors were: Kristy Ritchie, Jodye Kasher, Susan Wilen, Rachel Salinas, Melanie Langford, and Linda Rumsey.

Jodye Kasher is a Certified Paralegal through NALA, and a Board Certified Paralegal through the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Law. She has 19 years of experience as a litigation paralegal, and has worked in a variety of areas, including mass toxic torts, antitrust, class actions, environmental law, franchise & distribution, discrimination cases, products liability, professional liability, premises liability, and complex litigation matters. She has published articles in the TPJ, and has been a past paralegal seminar speaker for the Division, as well as the Institute of Paralegal Education. She has twice been the joint recipient of the Pro Bono Partners Team Award from the Paralegal Division for pro bono work. Mrs. Kasher currently works in the Litigation Department of Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.’s San Antonio office. She is a member of AAPA, STOP, the Bexar County Women’s Bar Association, the Paralegal Division, and currently serves as the Public Relations Chair for the Division.

Texas Paralegal Journal © Copyright 2007 by the Paralegal Division, State Bar of Texas.

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