The Montgomery County Bar Association recognized Amsterdam High School English teacher Lisa Liverio with the 2025 Liberty Bell Award during its annual Law Day Celebration, held Wednesday, April 30, at the Glen Sanders Mansion in Scotia. This year’s event was held jointly with the Fulton and Schenectady County Bar Associations and featured Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson of the New York State Court of Appeals as keynote speaker.
The Liberty Bell Award is presented annually to a non-lawyer who promotes a better understanding of the rule of law, encourages respect for the legal system, stimulates civic responsibility, and contributes to good government in the community. The award is tied to the American Bar Association’s Law Day theme, which for 2025 is “E Pluribus Unum”—out of many, one.
Liverio, a longtime educator, was selected based on her dedication to civic education through her teaching and her leadership of the Amsterdam High School Mock Trial team. She has served as the team’s academic advisor for 17 years, helping students prepare for and compete in the New York State Bar Association’s annual Mock Trial Tournament. In recent years, she has also guided students in the Montgomery County Bar Association’s Law Day essay and collage contest.
Liverio began her teaching career in 1982 as a GED and ENL instructor at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Her career has included positions in Washington, D.C., Kansas, Hawaii and Amsterdam. She currently teaches English at Amsterdam High School and previously taught at St. Mary’s Institute. She holds a Bachelor of Science in English from the College of Mount Saint Vincent and a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Development from The College of Saint Rose.
The Bar Association also recognized Liverio for her efforts to maintain student access to mock trial despite a decline in countywide participation. Amsterdam High School is currently the only school in Montgomery County to continue the program, and Liverio now brings her students to Schenectady County for competition.
Through mock trial, Liverio teaches students how to use communication, logic and the legal process to resolve conflict. The Montgomery County Bar Association commended her for fostering student belief in the justice system and upholding the principles reflected in this year’s Law Day theme.