THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE MADISON TIMES WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

THE OFFICIAL WEB SITE OF THE MADISON TIMES WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

931 E. Main St., Suite 7, Madison, Wisconsin 53703

Phone: (608) 256-2122; (608) 256-2185; Fax: (608) 256-2215;

E-mail: news@madtimes.com (Editorial) ; sales@madtimes.com (Advertising)

June 25-July 1, 2004 • Vol. 13 No. 26• www.madtimes.com • Free

Behnke Sworn in as First Black State Bar President

A step closer to Justice for All

by Jonathan Gramling

Left: WI Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson swears in WI Bar President Michelle Behnke. Next Thursday, July 1, something monumental will happen. Another "first" in the history of Wisconsin's African American community will occur. On that day, Michelle Behnke will officially assume her duties as the president of the State Bar of Wisconsin, the first African American to hold the position in the Bar's 125-year history. The State Bar is the lawyers association for the state that has a major impact on how the criminal justice and overall legal system operates in the state.

Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson swore Behnke in as president during the 2004 State Bar convention on May 6 at Monona Terrace. In an event emceed by her husband Darrell, Behnke took the oath of office in front of over 200 lawyers, friends, and family members.

During her remarks during and after the ceremony, Behnke readily acknowledged that this achievement was not hers alone. Behnke was born and raised in Madison. She is the first person in her family to enter the legal profession. The seed to enter the profession was planted while she attended Edgewood High School. "A guidance counselor suggested law," Behnke said. "I think it comes from the fact that I like to talk. When she suggested it, I though 'Okay.' But I didn't really have any background or anything. Then I started to learn a little bit more about it and how every day is different got me interested."

Behnke said her parents were her role models even though they had no experience in the legal profession. It was their support that mattered most to her as she attended the University of Wisconsin Law School and then began practicing. "My parents never said 'You can't,'" Behnke said. "They never said 'What are you doing that for.' I would just turned to them when things got tough and they would say 'You can do this.' They never knew what it was either, but they always encouraged and supported me."

The monumental nature of what Behnke was about to do was underscored by a remark Behnke's mom had made when they were driving to Green Bay during Behnke's election campaigned. "I was deep in thought when my mom reached over and squeezed my hand," Behnke recalled. "She said 'You know, I was only 13 years old when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat. And today, I'm watching my daughter run for president of the State Bar of Wisconsin.'"

It is that sense of history that gives Behnke an understanding that this accomplishment was made possible by the sacrifices of those who came before her. Her triumph is not due to her efforts alone. "I am humbled by how meager my sacrifices and set backs have been as compared to the generations who went before us, the sacrifices and perseverance that made this day possible for all of us and especially for me," Behnke said. "I want to recognize this milestone and I want to recognize those who went before me because I cannot stand here today but for the path that they've blazed. Let's take a moment to recall Mabel Watson Raymond. She was the first African American woman known to have attended law school in Wisconsin and the first African American woman to be admitted to the Wisconsin Bar. Let's also remember Everett Simpson who is believed to be the first African American man to be admitted to the Wisconsin Bar after graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 1888. The list of pioneers would not be complete without acknowledging the accomplishments of Vel Philips, a lawyer, a judge, and the first African American elected to statewide office." Behnke also acknowledged Judge Jim Martin and Donna Jones, two African American lawyers who had previously served on the Bar's Board of Governors.

American lawyers who had previously served on the Bar's Board of Governors.

And while being the first African American humbles Behnke, she also realizes that there are many other firsts that have yet to be achieved by the Bar. "The tapestry of diversity is woven of many threads," Behnke exclaimed. "And my race and my gender are just two among many. I may be the first African American to serve as president, but I look forward to the other firsts that are yet to come, perhaps the first prosecutor to serve in this role, the first Asian, or the first public interest lawyer. And more importantly, I look forward to the time when we aren't counting firsts."

Behnke looks upon her time as president of the Bar as an opportunity to promote a conversation and action in two areas that she feels are important to the Bar's future. The first is the promotion of diversity and spurring the participation in the Bar by all of its members. "I am committed to the idea that a variety of voices makes for a real and lasting result," Behnke said. "As I look out over this crowd, I see some fresh faces, some people who might not generally attend this event. As the year plays out, I suspect that having elected an African American to this post will cause some who don't normally pay attention to what this association does to draw near. That's not to say I don't appreciate and value the work of those who have made Bar service a part of their normal and every day routine. But I want to capitalize on this opportunity to draw in new interests and thoughts. Different points of view are important to this association. Indeed, I think they are necessary. If our work is only the product of a very small percentage of our members, the ideas and solutions we come up with are, in some ways, constrained and limited. If we draw on the broader base, it will allow us to really fulfill the mission of this association. And that is to join together to do collectively that which we could not do individually.”

The other area of importance to Behnke is in the area of pro bono work, which is free or reduced cost legal work for the poor. "Our professional commitment is that all people deserve justice and there is no real justice for anyone unless there is justice for all, even if that means we must provide it for free," Behnke said. " The unmet legal needs of the poor and the working poor is a critical issue. However, this is not solely a lawyer issue. It's an issue for our whole society. And we must look for ways to involve a broad spectrum of people to provide the solution."

Behnke realizes that running the Bar is not a one-person show and that she will need the ideas and the assistance of the membership. "I look forward to meeting lawyers around the state this year," Behnke said. "I want to encourage greater participation of a diverse mix of lawyers. I want to know what you really think. If you believe the State Bar can do things differently, if you have concerns about its relevance, then you need to speak up. You need to share your ideas and your thoughts. If you think the State Bar activities need to be more diverse, then you need to participate. Can we do everything? No. But if we take this time to have a good conversation, if you share your thoughts and ideas, if you roll up your sleeves and lend your thoughts and ideas, perhaps we'll have an opportunity to really make a difference for our profession and aiding and assisting in the administration of justice. I hope you will join me this year in a great conversation."

While being president of the State Bar is an awesome responsibility that will consume much of Behnke's free time, she has no reservations. "It's absolutely fabulous," Behnke proclaimed. "And I'm really, really honored to serve in this role."

Young Eagle flights give students

a great view of Madison, future

by A. David Dahmer

PEOPLE program students and their liason, Terrance Newell (left), got to see the Madison area from 30,000 feet in the air on the morning of June 18. A group of young students got to see a different view of Madison on the morning of June 18 — a view from 30,000 feet up in the sky.

Thirteen students took off on Young Eagle flights from Wisconsin Aviation, which is based on the Dane County Regional Airport, as part of the PEOPLE program's Aviation, Rocketry, and Space Exploration workshop they have been attending this summer. The Pre-college Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence (PEOPLE) program is a year-round learning adventure that challenges and stimulates middle school and high school students who are considering higher education.

The breathtaking and awe-inspiring flights overlooking the beautiful city of Madison are all part of a workshop made possible by a partnership of the UW-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center, UW Space Place, and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT). The students spend one week learning extensively about three different fields — aviation, rocketry, and space exploration.

Last week was aviation week, and it culminated in the Young Eagle flights over Madison. The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Young Eagles program has flown more than 1 million young people since 1992 on flights above every continent except Antarctica and in aircraft ranging from business jets to blimps.

On this particular morning, pilots Bill Wambach and Tom Thomas took turns taking three or four kids on half-hour flights. Shortly before takeoff, Thomas explained the aerial route he planned on taking the young students through. "We're going to fly over Middleton, over Lake Mendota and the university campus, the capitol building, State Street, and Park Street and loop around and come back," he said.

"There have been 3,254 young adults, from the ages of 7-17, able to fly in Young Eagle flights with the UW Flying Club under the leadership of Bill Wambach," Thomas added.

The kindness and benevolence of the pilots is what really makes the program succeed. "The pilots work on their own time and spend their own money to rent the plane. It's a very generous gesture, in my opinion," said Margaret Mooney, an outreach specialist at the Space Science and Engineering Center. "The DOT doesn't pay for it; the PEOPLE program doesn't pay for it; Tom [Thomas] does."

The pilots not only gave the students rides, but also explained how their airplanes work and how pilots can ensure safety. "This is great because all week they've been learning about airplanes — the different parts of airplanes and how they work," said Terrance Newell, the PEOPLE program liaison in charge of the group of students. "Now they get a chance at the end of the week to fly around in an airplane. The great part is that when the pilots explain to them the parts of the airplane before they take off, they already know them."

This week, the children are delving into rocketry and learning about Newton's Laws and rocket propulsion by first making simple Alka Seltzer rockets and then building and launching their own model rockets at Quann Park. Next week, they'll get to learn about space exploration and the solar system as they explore the many moons of Jupiter and Saturn. The students will build rockets, replicas of planets, and Mars Lego motorized terrain rovers.

"The goal is to help the kids figure out what they might want to do later on in life and to keep them interested in education so they can pursue their career goals," Mooney said. "So if they want to be a pilot, or go into space exploration or meteorology, they'll know a little bit more about that field."

The workshop is one of many that is offered by the PEOPLE program this summer, that seeks to increase enrollment and graduation of ethnic minority and low-income students in institutions of higher education, particularly at UW-Madison. The PEOPLE program targets African American, American Indian, Southeast Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, and disadvantaged students with strong academic potential. The program currently serves students in Madison, Milwaukee, and Racine, but has plans to expand to serve other diverse communities in Wisconsin.

Newell, a UW-Madison grad student, has been on the job for only a couple of weeks, but he knew that working with kids is something he always wanted to do and he enjoys it a great deal.

"We have two programs going on at the same time — one for the new seventh and eighth graders and one for people transitioning to the ninth grade," Newell said. "In the morning, we have very creative workshops like this one [Aviation, Rocketry, and Space Exploration]. What we're trying to do with these workshops is to really broaden students awareness of different fields and possibilities and encourage them to pursue academic success."

Newell said that in the afternoon workshops, which are strictly for students going into ninth grade, the PEOPLE program concentrates more on core subject areas like math, science, social studies, and study skills. "What's great about that program is that they are actually being taught by the teachers who will teach them next year from their schools," he said.

When fully developed, the PEOPLE program will provide pre-college educational services to hundreds of middle and high school students and graduates of the PEOPLE program will be attending UW-Madison, helping to achieve campus diversity goals contained in Plan 2008. Diversity of viewpoints and backgrounds are essential components of the intellectual life of a great university.

"Ultimately, we hope to increase the number of diverse students on college campuses," Newell said. "This program encourages students to pursue higher education. We open up possibilities for the students through experiences so they start thinking about different types of field studies. We have a lot of academic prep programs to give them pre-exposure. Hopefully, down the road, what we are doing now will make colleges more diverse in the future."

To apply to the PEOPLE program, a student must submit a complete program application form, a middle school transcript, and a recommendation from a teacher or guidance counselor. Send your application or contact for additional information: PEOPLE Program, UW-Madison, 417 Education Building, 1000 Bascom Mall, Madison WI 53706. The telephone number is 262-7415. Fax is 262-5036.

For more information on the EAA Young Eagles Program, contact the Young Eagles Office, P.O. Box 2683, Oshkosh, WI 54903-2683. Fax 920-426-6560, e-mail yeagles@eaa.org., or call toll free, 877-806-8902 or 920-426-4831. Additional information is also available at the Web site, www.youngeagles.org.