Huntington UFSD’s Youth Court Members Sworn In

Nine Huntington High School students were officially sworn in as members of the Town of Huntington’s Youth Court for 2024/25. Town Supervisor Edmund Smyth presided over the ceremony in the Town Board meeting room at Town Hall this week.

Huntington Superintendent Beth McCoy looked on as Julia Aldas, Ethan Ambrosio, Myah Urena, Mildred Veliz, Erik Satanovsky, Isaiah Bynum, Robert McCallion, Mursal Safy and Michaella Excellent-Masidor took the oath to serve.

The Huntington Youth Court is a restorative justice practice specialized project of the Huntington Youth Bureau’s Youth Development Research Institute.

The youth court is staffed exclusively by students, who fill the positions of judge, prosecutor, defense counsel, jury and bailiff and court clerk. Participants in the program undergo a six week training program with actual attorneys, judges and social workers and/or probation officials. Students then complete a “bar exam” at the conclusion of the training program. They then serve in these roles for real trials once a month for youth respondents participating in the alternative justice program.

The Suffolk Probation Dept. evaluates potential youth court cases and sends its findings to the “designated assessment unit” for potential referral to the town’s program.

Huntington High School’s nine Youth Court members were presented with certificates of induction by Supervisor Smyth and Huntington Youth Court Director Manuel Zelaya Jr.