submitted by the Montverde Academy
At a recent Senior Seminar, Attorney Lori Smith delivered a presentation entitled “Legal Issues for New College Students.” She discussed a variety of topics that are especially important for seniors to understand before embarking on the next phase of their life as a college student, topics such as consent, Title IX, codes of conduct regarding alcohol, fake I.D.’s, hazing, and how to behave when being confronted by a police officer. A few Montverde Academy seniors shared what they were surprised to learn from the presentation.
“Having a fake I.D. is so much more detrimental than I realized,” said Alaska Dorvil, SGA Vice President. “To have something that simple be the reason you can lose so much makes me realize that I want to make good choices in college.”
“You can be charged or found guilty for actions that you might not have actually committed,” said Felipe Kimura, Head Prefect, “but just for being around and present at the moment can get you in trouble.”
“Every university in Florida has had a death relating to hazing,” said Sara Zona, SGA President. “This really put into perspective for me how severe this problem is.”
“Something I learned that surprised me was that every year since 1970 there has been at least one death from hazing in a university,” said Brianna Monahan, Distinguished Scholar.
“As a college preparatory institution, it is imperative that we go beyond merely readying our students academically,” said Mr. David Bernatavitz, Assistant Head of School and Dean of the Upper School. “We consistently strive to identify means through which we can ensure our students are well-prepared for the myriad challenges they may encounter during their transition to college. A special thank you to Lori Smith for her commitment to our students’ transition by sharing her expertise with our MVA seniors!”
