Press Release
A JMCSS communication for families & community stakeholders
Four JMCSS Students Complete Prestigious Supreme Court Educational Program
U.S. Magistrate Judge Jon A. York (JCM '93) connected students to unique program
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
JACKSON, Tenn. - Four Jackson-Madison County School System students recently concluded a unique educational program that provided firsthand insight into the federal judiciary and the United States Supreme Court.
Carter Washington (JCM-ECH), Kimora Hurt (JCM-ECH), Jeremiah McGill (Madison Academic), and Cayde Hayes (South Side) were among a select group of students chosen to participate in the Supreme Court and My Hometown program, a partnership between the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee and the Supreme Court Historical Society.
The program concluded on Oct. 8, 2026, when students traveled to Memphis to present the final phase of their work at the Odell Horton Federal Building. Their research culminated in a five-panel exhibit exploring the history of Watson v. City of Memphis, its path through the federal court system, and the role of the judiciary in protecting constitutional rights. The exhibit was the result of months of study that began during students' spring break in March and continued through fall break activities in October.
Through lectures, question-and-answer sessions, group activities, and field experiences, students explored the judicial branch and federal court system through the landmark civil rights case Watson v. City of Memphis (1963), examining its legal significance and its impact on the desegregation of public parks and recreational facilities in Memphis.
"I want to spread the information that I learned while I was there and make a difference in my community," JCM-ECH senior Kimora Hurt said.
Above photo: JMCSS students Carter Washington, Kimora Hurt, Cayde Hayes, and Jeremiah McGill pose with their completed exhibit at the Odell Horton Federal Building in Memphis. Their research examined Watson v. City of Memphis and the role of the federal judiciary in protecting constitutional rights.
"I felt like it was really important to get that first hand experience from people doing what I want to do in my life. When I found out about this opportunity, I knew that I had to do it," JCM-ECH senior Carter Washington said.
The student-created exhibit explored the case's history, its journey through the federal court system, and the judiciary's role in protecting constitutional rights. Their research and presentations demonstrated how historical legal decisions continue to influence communities today.
The Supreme Court and My Hometown program is designed to engage high school students in the study of Supreme Court cases connected to their local communities while providing firsthand exposure to the federal court system.
"This experience allowed our students to see history, government, and civic engagement come together in a meaningful way," said Rhonda Heard, Senior Executive Director of Family and Community Engagement for JMCSS. "We are proud of the dedication they demonstrated throughout this program and the way they represented Jackson-Madison County School System."
Highlights of the program included a live observation of sentencing and initial appearances in the courtrooms of Chief Judge Sheryl Lipman and Magistrate Judge Charmaine Claxton. The students toured the National Civil Rights Museum and learned about the case from Professor Daniel Kiel in the courtroom where the Watson case was brought before a district judge in 1960.
Above photo: Jackson-Madison County School System students visit with Chief U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman during a reception celebrating the opening of the Watson v. City of Memphis exhibit at the Odell Horton Federal Building.
"When I grow up, I want to be a criminal lawyer so I can help people that basically got wronged.
I want to start off as prosecution and then work to a defense and eventually maybe be a judge," said Cayde Hayes, a senior at South Side. "We met a federal judge. You'd think that would be scary, but they were actually really nice and I enjoyed getting to know how they worked."
The Memphis program is part of a larger effort by the Supreme Court Historical Society to expand civics education through partnerships with federal courts.
During the program, our students learned from:
- 10 Federal and state judges
- 4 professors from Rhodes College, the University of Memphis, and the University of Memphis Cecil H. Humphreys Law School
- Former Memphis mayor AC Wharton and Former County Commissioner and Civil Rights lawyer Walter Bailey
- Multiple Memphis area attorneys
- Numerous members of the federal courthouse staff
"In that real life moment in time, sitting in the federal court building, you know, seeing Judge Lippmann and Judge Pham, all of these people of high ranking. Authorities who had to go before the Senate and get confirmed to do what they do. You know, it was an eye opener," Madison Academic senior Jeremiah McGill said.
Above photo: United States Magistrate Judge Jon A. York (JCM Class of 1993) was instrumental in connecting JMCSS students with this Supreme Court Historical Society learning opportunity.
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