Beresford Booth Lawyer Andrew McKenzie Gets The Kids Paying Attention
Andrew McKenzie loves being in front of a crowd. But he also has a passion for education, civics, and history. So recently, he volunteered a day of his time teaching middle schoolers about American government and the history of the English language. What many 6th graders might consider boring subjects became alive through Andrew’s energetic and engaging style. “I’ve always loved kids and felt like I really never stopped being one,” said Andrew. As a father of six, Andrew knows how getting kids to absorb material often requires involving them in the subject matter. “Instead of just giving a lecture about what gerrymandering is, I gerrymandered the whole class, dividing the kids into specific voting blocks and then showing them how disproportional voting power can unfairly represent the population as a whole by favoring one group over another.” But Andrew’s interests extend beyond government- he also has developed a passion for language and how it evolved, speaking three languages and paying attention to etymology. “Speaking French and German really gives me an appreciation for how English wound up the way it did. And language is always evolving- in the classroom I was able use some ‘gen alpha’ slang with the kids, which they found entertaining. It was a way of showing them how language changes.” Andrew, who has volunteered since his oldest child (now 21) was in preschool, says he wants kids growing up to have as many enriching experiences as possible, and that volunteering in classrooms helps kids to make new cognitive connections that make future subjects easier to absorb. “Beyond practicing law, I think this is one of the best ways I can use my degrees in law and political science. Perhaps some of those kids will feel inspired to be lawyers or do something else to really make society a better place,” he said.
Beresford Booth encourages its lawyers to give back to the community. This year, Beresford Booth celebrates its 80th anniversary of its founding.
Please contact Beresford Booth at info@beresfordlaw.com or by phone at (425) 776-4100.