Fountain Valley School (FVS) is delighted to announce Colorado Supreme Court Justice Melissa Hart as the keynote speaker for its 94th Commencement Exercises on May 25, 2024, at FVS. Raised in Colorado, Justice Hart's journey to the State's highest court has been marked by a commitment to legal scholarship, teaching, and public service.

A distinguished alumna of Harvard-Radcliffe College and Harvard Law School, Justice Hart clerked for Judge Guido Calabresi of the Second Circuit and Justice John Paul Stevens on the U.S. Supreme Court. Following her clerkships, she practiced law in Washington, D.C., including serving as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice before transitioning to academia.

In 2000, Justice Hart joined the University of Colorado Law School faculty, where she has been instrumental in shaping the next generation of legal minds. She has dedicated much of her career to teaching and scholarship, focusing on vital issues such as employment discrimination, access to justice, and constitutional law. Her contributions to legal education are further exemplified by her past tenure as director of the Byron R. White Center for the Study of American Constitutional Law from 2010 to 2018.

In December 2017, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper recognized Justice Hart's exceptional legal acumen and commitment to justice by appointing her to the Colorado Supreme Court. Governor Hickenlooper praised her as "without question a brilliant legal mind" and hailed her appointment as "a great opportunity for Colorado."

Throughout her time serving on the Colorado Supreme Court, Justice Hart has continued to uphold the principles of justice and fairness, earning widespread respect and admiration from her colleagues and the community. As the 2024 Commencement speaker at Fountain Valley School, Justice Hart will undoubtedly inspire graduates with her insights, wisdom, and dedication to the law. The day's ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. on the School's graduation lawn (6155 Fountain Valley School Rd., Colorado Springs, CO 80911).

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Founded in 1930, Fountain Valley School of Colorado is a boarding and day school for grades 9-12. Situated on 1,100 acres of rolling prairie in Colorado Springs, the School provides a rigorous, global curriculum in academics, arts, athletics, and the outdoors to develop young adults who are courageous, open-minded, self-reliant, curious, and compassionate. Enrollment is approximately 240 students from 23 countries, 21 states and the Pikes Peak Region. www.fvs.edu