NCRA Immediate Past President Cindy Isaacsen, RPR, recognized Kansas Judge Robert J. Wonnell for his longstanding commitment to civic education through an annual Constitution Day program that brings the U.S. Constitution and the work of the courts to children across the country and around the world.
As part of the recognition, Isaacsen presented Wonnell with an American flag flown over the U.S. Capitol and a special recognition letter from U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas honoring his longstanding commitment to civic education.
Isaacsen, who has served as Wonnell’s official court reporter, has also volunteered at the annual event for years. Her involvement in Constitution Day programming with colleagues at the 10th Judicial District Court spans 12 years, giving her a firsthand view of the program’s growth.
Wonnell began the program more than a decade ago with third graders at Forest View Elementary School in Olathe, Kan. Through a partnership with Olathe Public Schools and the 10th Judicial District Court, the program expanded across Kansas before reaching classrooms nationwide.
The 2026 event reached more than 50,000 third graders in 47 states, Washington, D.C., and 12 countries, including students attending Department of Defense schools overseas.
Students have had the opportunity to learn from leaders representing all three branches of government. This year’s guests included U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas, Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer, and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett. The 2025 program featured U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and then-Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert, alongside Meyer and Moran.
At the center of the event is an interactive mock trial in which students serve as jurors. Classrooms hear the evidence, discuss the case, and submit their verdicts in real time. This year’s case involved a student accused of violating a rule against running in school hallways, giving young participants a familiar setting in which to consider how laws are applied.
Isaacsen’s participation also introduces students to court reporting. By serving as the mock trial court reporter, she helps children understand how stenographic reporters capture the spoken word and preserve a record of proceedings.
The recognition reflects a professional partnership that has extended beyond daily court proceedings into years of volunteer service. Together, Wonnell and Isaacsen have helped students experience jury service and meet the people whose work supports the judicial system.
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