The first school to use a transportation grant from the Ohio Judicial Center Foundation toured the Visitor Education Center on Nov. 4.

Fifth and sixth grade students from Keene Elementary School in Coshocton saw how the judicial system works firsthand.

More than 75 students studied a first amendment case about freedom of religion and participated in a Harry Potter mock trial.

"That helped me learn names for the lawyer's client and what the person that starts the trial is called. I just thought that was interesting for us to learn. I thought that was a good case," said Mason Varns, fifth grade student.

Several school districts cut field trips, including Ohio Judicial Center visits, off their yearly classroom curriculum due to financial troubles.

So, the Ohio Judicial Center Foundation donated $30,000 for schools to use to help pay for bussing to the Supreme Court of Ohio.

"It definitely helped because it made it so they could come for free. They usually have to pay for that themselves and sometimes the bus too and this time the PTO (parent teacher organization) paid, and we had grants to pay for all the bussing so it helped them all be able to come and nobody could say they couldn't afford it," said Barb Arney, Keene Elementary School social studies teacher.

100 schools across the state received a grant worth up to $400. The grants were given out based on need and distance traveled. Around 250 schools applied for a grant.

This is the first year the Visitor Education Center received money to help bring students to the Ohio Judicial Center.

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