ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Court Room 1 inside the Anne Arundel County District Court turned into a real life classroom for several high school students Thursday morning as they came for Schools in the Court.
"We now bring in all 14 high schools in the county every year to run the four programs to teach them about making better choices," said Shaem Spencer, an Administrative Judge in Anne Arundel County.
First up, four students participated in a mock traffic stop.
The students didn't know one another and pretended to get in a car they did not know was stolen and was spotted near the scene of a crime.
The teens had no idea that a backpack, planted with drugs was inside the car.
They were handcuffed and arrested. Spencer says the purpose of the exercise was to show the students how making one bad choice can ultimately change their life forever.
"We ask them to make good choices. We don't want them to not have fun, but to make good choices to get home safely," said Spencer.
The students also got to hear from a judge, a defense attorney and a prosecutor to get their perspective on the legal system.
High School Junior Joey Patanella was moved by the traffic stop demonstration.
"I learned you should always, just like cooperate and don't put yourself in a position where it will happen in the first place, said Patanella.
For Spencer, he says if this program saves one person's life, it's worth it.
