Summer court internships turns into a decade-long tradition: Welcome to “Camp Quinones”

The halls of Kings County’s Supreme Court are no stranger to the hustle and bustle of legal proceedings. However, every summer since 2012, these halls have been graced by the eager steps and inquisitive minds of young students ranging from high schoolers to law school trainees.

The reason? They are all handpicked interns of Judge Joanne Quinones, an acting Supreme Court Justice in Kings County.

Judge Quinones’ passion for mentoring has only intensified over the years until she had groups of young students accompanying her throughout the court during summer months.

It was during one of these summers that court employee Kelly Pelaez, now retired, casually referred to this group as “Camp Quinones.” The name, intended as an offhand remark, was so apt that it has since become synonymous with Judge Quinones’ annual internship program.

The heartwarming tradition does not end with the summer. As a testament to the profound impact Judge Quinones has on these students, every summer culminates in the “Camp Quinones Reunion.” It’s an event eagerly anticipated by past interns, and the lineage now extends over a decade.

Judge Quinones explained to the Eagle that mentorship is paramount in her career because she feels like she was unlikely to have made it to her position in life and would not without the help of her own mentors.

This year’s…