Prateek Kumar
Phillips Academy
Andover, MA
National Scholar Award Recipient
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A silent gathering of suited gentlemen and dressed-up women sat silently on plush red chairs, all staring ahead at nine empty chairs. Towering, Romanesque pillars surrounded the room, standing at attention for some unknown presence that had yet to make its appearance. "All rise," came the call from the front of the room. At that moment, a series of doors opened from behind the empty chairs, and out walked nine stoic figures dressed in flowing black robes. These nine men and women represent the final defense of constitutional freedom and civil liberties in our great nation. Their job is to ensure that the American way of life stands resolute against any challenger, and that the foundations of our government are properly interpreted. These men and women are the Justices of the United States Supreme Court.
Among the properly dressed members of the crowd sat three students, dressed similarly to the rest of the crowd, but not in a way that could hide their youth. I was one of those three students, an Apex Scholar in Law/Policy, chosen by the American Psychological Association to intern with Professor Alan Morrison of Stanford Law School. I had been drawn to this opportunity like a bug to a flame, excited at the chance to work with a man who had tried dozens of cases before the Supreme Court in his time. At school, I had studied U.S. History, reading about how our nation was first conceived by a group of gentlemen locked in a stifling room in Colonial Pennsylvania. I had also studied European History, learning about people like Rousseau, Locke, and Montesquieu, whose writings were a source of inspiration for our Founding Fathers. Studying under Professor Morrison gave me the opportunity to see the applications of these political ideas in practical uses, both at the Supreme Court, which I was able to visit as a result of my study under Professor Morrison, and through a law paper that I wrote analyzing the history of eminent domain in the United States and the public uproar following the Supreme Court's decision in Kelo v. City of New London (2005).
Why am I, a high school senior, so interested in constitutional law? The U.S. Constitution has always been important, but in recent years, its interpretation has become more and more important, especially in the aftermath of 9/11. Is the Patriot Act constitutional? Is terrorism a proper justification for the unwarranted wiretapping by the Bush Administration? Where is the line for media organizations like the New York Times on revealing government anti-terrorist programs? Unfortunately, these issues have been politicized when they should not be. I hope to attend a top American university, where I can study constitutional law and lend an experienced voice to this debate. Who knows? Perhaps, I might get to sit in one of those nine chairs someday.