CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni was at the Bellamy Middle School in Chicopee Wednesday for the Adopt-a-Class program.

Gulluni and members of the DA’s office address eighth-grade students, providing a civics lesson and looking to inspire future leaders in the criminal justice system. It supports the students as they begin their transitional year into high school by talking about the importance of hard work, smart choices, and good citizenship as a path to a successful future. 

“We talk to these young people about the legal system, about the constitution, about the work that we do keeping them safe. And we work with their school to kind of integrate in their lesson plan and we’ll come back, and do a mock trial, with some prosecutors and the kids will play the roles in the court,” said Anthony Gulluni, Hampden County District Attorney.

The DA’s office has adopted a total of four schools this year, including STEM Middle Academy, Rise Prep Academy, and Kiley Middle School in Springfield. The program will culminate with a tour of the courthouse so the students can see what they’ve learned in real life like observing an actual trial and speaking to a judge.