To Serving Your Community, With Love: The North Carolina Bar Foundation’s Civic Education Programs

February 19, 2025

Imagine the next generation of students. What are their hopes, fears and aspirations? For a child who dreams of going to college and becoming a doctor, a teacher, a scientist, an astronaut, an engineer, a writer, an attorney or something else, one thing can be helpful to them in achieving their dreams. A child needs individuals who will come alongside them, embolden them and believe they can accomplish their goals.

In addition to people who believe in them, students need exposure to different careers early on so that they can learn about various fields and prepare for their futures. As they think about the career paths they might choose, many students look to their teachers, counselors and school staff for information.

But by hearing firsthand about a career path from someone in the field, that profession comes alive. When students meet an attorney and learn about the field of law, students can think about what it might be like to become an attorney. For students, meeting an attorney might be a defining moment in which they realize their calling to enter the legal profession.

Did you know that the North Carolina Bar Foundation offers opportunities for you to speak with students in your community?

The Civic Education programs provided by the North Carolina Bar Foundation, Lawyers for Literacy and Lawyers in Schools, connect attorney volunteers with schools to meet two specific needs in the state. The first need is to promote literacy by reading with elementary-aged children, and the second is to create awareness about the legal profession through speaking with middle and high school students in classrooms and at career fairs.

Both programs provide opportunities to reach the next generation in different ways. There is an immediate need for volunteers, and commitments range from one-off opportunities (Lawyers in Schools) to one-month commitments (Lawyers for Literacy).

Partnering with the Foundation is a wonderful way for you to demonstrate leadership, service and integrity, core values in the profession, to benefit students and teachers in their communities and to make a lasting difference in the life of a young person. By volunteering, you can have a tangible impact on the lives of elementary, middle and high school students in North Carolina.

Below, read more about each of these programs and the amazing volunteers who are giving back to students in the state.

Lawyers for Literacy: Volunteer to Read With Children

What other skills are more foundational than the ability to read, and to read well? Literacy is a primary starting point for students because it lays the groundwork for future learning. Once they have a grasp on this skill, they can begin to learn other subjects. In short, the ability to read is necessary for students to move forward in their educational path. It is also valuable in reaching their life goals, such as graduating from high school, applying for and going to college and obtaining a job.

If literacy is a cornerstone for students, developing reading comprehension is the next building block for success. Yet for some students, understanding what they read can be challenging, according to national data on students’ academic performance.

In 2024, of the students in the U.S. who took the National Assessment of Educational Progress, forty percent of students in fourth grade performed below the NAEP Basic levels of performance standards. In North Carolina, forty-two percent of students in the state performed below the NAEP Basic level of assessment in reading.

Given these numbers, many students in the U.S. and in North Carolina would benefit from opportunities to strengthen their reading comprehension abilities. Reading comprehension boosts students’ confidence and bolsters their ability to excel not only in English and language arts but also in other areas, including math and science, where understanding questions and word problems is important.

To improve their skills, students need opportunities to practice reading, as well as reading comprehension. Creating those opportunities to promote literacy is one of the goals of Lawyers for Literacy. And with your help, the program will make an even bigger impact in the months and years ahead. Currently, there are openings to read in schools in different cities across the state.

Since the program began in 2013, volunteers have partnered with schools to read to children. In 2021, students at Elon University School of Law began serving in their community, and now dozens of students have participated in the program. The Foundation is grateful to each volunteer who has served. The need for volunteers continues, as there are schools across the state that have open requests for volunteers. Now, the Foundation hopes to provide volunteers to fill those requests across the state. Attorneys, judges and paralegals, as well as law students, can volunteer for the program.

By reading to elementary students, attorney volunteers can assist students in cultivating these crucial skills. Even further, honing their abilities can help students to thrive academically and to prepare students for wins in other areas of their lives.

Making a difference to students is exactly why Lawyers for Literacy volunteer Q. Shanté Martin became a volunteer. Martin, an education law attorney, first volunteered with the program in fall 2023, when she visited Eric Cavers’ third-grade classroom at Charles H. Parker Academic Center.

Over the next month, Martin assisted a group of students with reading proficiency once per week for thirty minutes at a time.

“I’ve always wanted to have a positive impact on education,” said Martin. “I know that reading is such an impediment if you can’t read or struggle reading. That was something that I could carve out time to be able to do. And then when I did it, the four weeks weren’t enough.”

Martin, who has 22 years of experience in education law, is grateful to be living out her childhood dream of being an attorney working with children’s issues. Martin has worked for the state and now is a private practitioner. She served as a judicial clerk at the North Carolina Supreme Court before representing the UNC System and the Department of Public Instruction while at the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office. Next, Martin transitioned to the North Carolina Community College system, where she was the general counsel who represented the State Board of Community Colleges and Community College System Office and provided advice and guidance to presidents and senior leaders of the 58 community colleges.

After working for the North Carolina Community College system, she transitioned to private practice, where she primarily represents charter schools. Her clients also include a university, a private Christian School, community colleges and a doctor’s office. She has served as an instructor at Wingate University for the past twelve years. Martin is the inaugural instructor for the course in higher education law and policy.

Beyond her gratitude for a job she loves, she is thankful to have found a way to volunteer her time in Charlotte, especially because it has empowered her to realize her passion for seeing students flourish.

“I think that education is the great equalizer. I am from what people would call a traditionally disadvantaged background, and for me personally, in addition to my Christian faith, education played a tremendous impact in social mobility in my life,” she said.

“Even though I was from a disadvantaged background, and per all the statistics, slated to not have a successful life, the fact that I did well in school, it allowed me to have experiences that I would have never had. It really doesn’t matter what your background is, or what your family background is, or how much money you have. Education can really equip anybody to have a chance at success. That’s why I devote my career to it.”

One of the greatest rewards to being involved with the Lawyers for Literacy program is spending time with students and seeing them move forward on their path to learning.

“Having the opportunity to actually be one-on-one with the students and to have that impact from a macro level is extremely personally satisfying, and because I have a way to connect that maybe some don’t, especially given the group of children who are impacted by it, I just look forward to giving back in that way.”

As part of the program, Martin assisted students with reading for a month, and by the end of the four weeks, she knew she wanted to continue volunteering. With the program, Martin has served with not one but two schools. When Cavers moved to Irwin Academic Center in 2024, he asked if Martin would be willing to continue her involvement, and she said yes.

Now, Martin visits the classroom once per week. She assists students with reading comprehension during the first part of their recess. While some of the students could switch to a different schedule, several students have specifically requested to continue being a part of the program.

“There’s some who are like, ‘Can I stay? I want to stay.’ We actually read for 45 minutes because they want to stay longer. Some are willing to miss part of recess so they can stay. ‘The lawyers group’ is what they call it,” said Martin.

Through volunteering, Martin is not only fostering student success but also demonstrating what a lawyer is, someone who both serves and leads.

And although the commitment to be involved with Lawyers for Literacy is once per week for four weeks, and it is not a requirement to serve in additional ways, getting involved can open other doors. For Martin, the initial month led her to discover an opportunity to serve long-term.

For the past year and a half, as she has volunteered, she has been flexible with her time and willing to adapt to support the needs of the school and students.

Over time, Martin has watched the students benefit from honing their abilities. When Cavers asked if she might be willing to assist the students with specific reading comprehension skills in preparation for the End of Grade test, she was glad to assist. After six months of working with students, Martin was able to see the results of the work that she, Cavers and the students had put in over days, weeks and months.

“When the students took the End of Grade test this past year, Cavers excitedly shared that two students in the group went from failing scores at the beginning of the year to 5s at the end of the year. At the end of the year, 10 of 13 students scored a 5 and of the 10, four students were in the 99 percentile and 1 received 100%. I was blown away. I don’t take 100% credit for that, but there’s some credit.”

When asked what is most meaningful to her about volunteering with the program, Martin underlines two things.

“The results and the relationships,” she said. “I love all of their idiosyncrasies, and the things they say and do are wonderful.”

Martin wants to shine a light on the Lawyers for Literacy program, which made it possible for her to get involved in supporting literacy efforts in her community. She hopes that others will join her in becoming Lawyers for Literacy volunteers, so that students across the state can reap the rewards. They will also experience a personal fulfillment.

“The need is tremendous. There are so many kids who need an extra push, especially after COVID. I represent schools, so I know what school scores are, and the difficulty teachers are experiencing. Having that outside help and assistance is so needed.”

“I appreciate lawyers for literacy opening that door.”

Are you interested in volunteering with Lawyers for Literacy? The North Carolina Bar Foundation provides reading materials for volunteers. Sign up to volunteer. Opportunities are available for individual attorneys as well as for firms to create a community event, in which multiple attorneys can volunteer together.

Lawyers in Schools: Serve as Guest Speaker in a School or at a Career Fair

Every attorney’s path to the profession is unique to them, but some of the important factors in preparing for a future career as an attorney are knowledge about what to expect and support through each curve in the road. While some attorneys can name a person in their family or a close family friend who was an attorney, there are students who will become first-generation attorneys, and who don’t know anyone in the profession.

For both groups of students, those who have some awareness of the profession or those who do not, it is helpful to hear about careers in the law from attorneys. By sharing your individual story with students, you provide valuable information they may look back on in years to come. You have the chance to inspire students interested in the field to take the next step, prepare for law school and beyond.

As part of the Lawyers in Schools program, volunteers spend about twenty minutes talking with either middle school or high school students. Then, students have the chance to ask questions about your role and field. The suggested presentation topics are your practice areas, what types of clients you might have and how you got involved in your area of the law. Another option is to speak as a member on a panel and to talk about the field of law with a few other attorneys.

Connecting with the next generation and supporting them is why Alexandra Southerland became involved with Lawyers in Schools. As a volunteer for the past four years, Southerland has spoken with students by volunteering both as a guest speaker Haw River Christian Academy and as a speaker at career fairs at C.E. Jordan High School.

When asked why it is meaningful for her to volunteer, Southerland says it is because of her own journey to the law, in which she sought out mentorship on her own. She hopes that by talking with students, they find it easy to understand how to apply for college and law school and how to become an attorney.

“I really did not have any kind of guidance about what I accomplished. I’ve had to seek out the right mentors and make as many connections as I possibly could. I had to do it on my own and figure it out as I go,” said Southerland.

“And I found that was truly, really difficult for me on my own. Because I didn’t realize a lot of people who are attorneys already have someone who has been an attorney in their family, or they know someone in practice. So, they knew what to expect and what to do. Because I didn’t have that, I want to be that guide for any other child, teen or young adult who needs that knowledge, or connection or whatever they seek.”

It is not surprising that Southerland dedicates time to talk with others about the legal field. Throughout her 6-year career as an attorney, Southerland has a track record of working on behalf of those in need.

Southerland, who received her undergraduate degree from Campbell University and her J.D. from Campbell School of Law, began her career at Legal Aid of North Carolina, where she practiced for five years. She worked in many areas of the law including landlord-tenant law, in which she advocated for low-income individuals facing evictions.

In 2023, Southerland transitioned roles to Disability Rights North Carolina, where she assisted individuals with mental and physical disabilities in matters of housing. In May of 2024, she joined the North Carolina Department of Justice as an assistant attorney general. She primarily focuses on workers’ compensation matters, specifically the penalties that are associated with not having workers’ compensation coverage or insurance.

When asked what initially drew her to volunteer with Lawyers in Schools, she speaks of her commitment to giving back to her community.

“It’s my civic duty to make sure I’m spending time and energy and offering as much encouragement as possible to get more wannabe attorneys on board and help them stay on board, too, because law school is difficult.”

“You need to have the right amount of support monetarily, friends, and family. There is a lot that goes into it, and the process can easily derail people.”

Reflecting on her experience as a guest speaker, she describes how engaged students are in learning more about the legal field. By providing students information early on, she hopes to emphasize the value of a career in law. She especially wants students to realize their ability to succeed if they choose this career path.

“I enjoy doing that, and then getting feedback from them and getting questions. A lot of times, high schoolers, they’re more raw than me. They will ask personal questions because they want honest answers. I am very transparent, and I respond to anything that would help encourage them to get on the course and stay the course.”

Beyond visiting classrooms to speak to students about the field of law, Southerland has also served at career fairs to share more about the path to becoming an attorney. She describes the experience as being on a larger scale than speaking to students in an individual classroom. As a result, she has learned to balance multiple priorities and to focus on making individual connections.

“It’s a bigger space, and you’re dealing with multiple, and in some cases, hundreds, of kids, depending on how big the school is. They come through a few minutes at a time. I do find it challenging to make sure that I’m giving each person in each group that comes through the amount of time that they need. I find that challenging, but it’s a good challenge.

“I time myself. If I don’t get a chance to really hit everything that they need to hear or want to hear, I always offer my number and e-mail. I usually get good responses from that.”

Through her experiences, she has seen that the opportunity to talk with an attorney one-on-one leads students to play an active role in gleaning information. Some of the frequently asked questions she receives are how long it takes to graduate from law school, how to navigate applying for student loans and how to obtain student loan forgiveness.

Sometimes, she is surprised at how many questions students between the ages of 14 to 18 want to ask during their conversations.

“They were already thinking about things that most people don’t think about until they’re in college or much older,” she said.

Having conversations about various topics related to the field of law is beneficial for students who plan on going to law school. Southerland has observed how meaningful it is to be able to provide this information to students. When students follow up with her to say that they have been accepted into college and are beginning their educational journey, Southerland shares in their joy.

“I can’t even begin to count how many high school students have either already gotten accepted into their four-year university or are on the way to getting in. There are so many who were already getting on that path, but there were also many others who wanted to do it, but didn’t know which school to attend.”

While Southerland says she does not recommend specific schools to students, she is able to talk with them about what different schools offer and how that can prepare them for law school and a career in the field.

In reflecting on serving with students, she hopes that others join her in becoming volunteers with Lawyers in Schools.

“We could always use more volunteers. Not only is it a personal reward, but the kids, they really do need as much guidance as possible. There are so many other things in the world that can distract them. Our young folks, that’s our hope for the future. So we want to, if not encourage them to be lawyers, encourage them to do something, and be someone that is going to benefit society.”

Are you interested in becoming a volunteer with Lawyers in Schools? Opportunities are available for one-off events, which include presenting to a classroom as a guest speaker or as part of a panel, or speaking to students at a career fair. Sign up today.

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Jessica Junqueira is communications manager for the North Carolina Bar Association.

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