STORY AND PHOTOS BY ANNELIESE TURCK

Two students who graduated this summer from Sun Valley Community School have been selected for publication in the 2026 National High School Law Review.

Anna Yuras and Piper Schmitz join fellow SVCS alumni Ellie Hunter, Keaton Pate, and Lowie Watkins, who had their law review articles selected for national publication in 2025.

The five students wrote their law review articles as a capstone project in Sun Valley Community School’s Upper School English Teacher Phil Huss’ senior English elective "Interpretations in Law and Literature,” a course Phil has taught at SVCS since 2001.

Piper Schmitz

The National High School Law Review publishes the top student law review articles from schools across the country participating in High School Law Review, a civics program built around constitutional law, agreeable disagreement, legal writing, oral presentation, and case analysis.

Student law review articles nominated for the national review are evaluated by legal scholars, and only the most exceptional are chosen. Being selected for publication in the National High School Law Review is one of the highest accomplishments to which a high school student interested in law can aspire.

This publication will be shared with significant leaders in the field of law, including the Justices of the Supreme Court.

Yuras and Schmitz advocated for Originalism as the most important and objective interpretive method for Supreme Court Justices who are tasked with determining the meaning of the US Constitution. They reviewed US Supreme Court cases concerning the death penalty, abortion, and affirmative action.

“We’re thrilled to have been published and to have the opportunity to share our writing with others,” said Yuras. “Law and Lit has inspired both of us to develop a deeper understanding of the law and the world around us while strengthening our passion for writing. We’re incredibly grateful to Phil for challenging us, encouraging us, and helping us become stronger writers.”

Huss applauded the critical thinking and exceptional writing that went into the two young women’s work.

“To be selected from hundreds of submitted law review articles for publication in the National High School Law Review is a tremendous honor. I am impressed with Anna's and Piper's ability to analyze complex constitutional issues and discern that honoring the ratified understanding of the constitutional phrase must be paramount for Supreme Court Justices.

“Their fear of an imperious judiciary informed by personal predilections and the negative impact this would have on our constitutional democratic republic is well supported by their close reading of both originalist opinions and consequentialist opinions,” he added. “I am reminded of a mantra I repeat to myself each September: Never underestimate what young people can do.”