From TeenPact to the Supreme Court

Seated just feet from the nine Justices of the United States Supreme Court, Drew Waldbeser felt the weight of the moment. The courtroom was quiet, focused, and intimate, with the podium only steps from the bench. Justices fired questions from both ends of the room. Though Drew wasn’t the one delivering the argument that day, he had done extensive work on the case. “You’re so close to the Justices. They ask questions from all angles, and it’s fast. It was intense to watch,” he said. “And it was an honor to contribute to a case with the potential to shape environmental regulatory law across the country.”

Drew’s journey to that courtroom began years earlier at a TeenPact State Class. As a high schooler attending a private school in Georgia, he first participated through a required class trip. “I went twice as a student and loved it both times,” he said. “I had always been interested in political advocacy and civic engagement. TeenPact gave me an avenue to explore those things in a meaningful way.”

After attending the Georgia State Class, a week that fused leadership, lawmaking, and discipleship, Drew went on to serve as a Staffer and Travel Staffer during his junior and senior years of high school. “That’s where the impact really deepened,” he recalled. “TeenPact gave me the courage to step out and do things that were outside of my comfort zone, like public speaking and leading devotions. It gave me the confidence to take on things I had never done before, to figure it out, and to know that making mistakes is part of the learning.”

The training wasn’t theoretical. “Leading devotions, emceeing events, organizing students—none of that came naturally to me at first,” Drew said. “But being expected to do those things, with encouragement and feedback, helped me see I was capable of more than I thought. That changed how I saw challenges going forward.”

“TeenPact really cemented my desire to go into law,” Drew said. “It helped me see a law degree as a platform for impactful work—whether in public service or civic-minded private practice.”

Drew considered applying for TeenPact’s Traveling Internship, but by then, he had nearly completed his undergraduate degree through dual enrollment and was preparing to apply to law school. “I had thought about it, and people encouraged me to apply, but I was ready to take that next step toward pursuing a legal career.”

He went on to earn his law degree from Indiana University and clerked for two federal judges. From there, he joined the Solicitor General’s unit at the Georgia Attorney General’s office, where he worked on high-profile appellate litigation on behalf of the state. “It was the kind of work I think a lot of TeenPact students would be thrilled to do,” he said. “You’re defending state law in high-profile cases, often involving constitutional questions. It was fast-paced, meaningful, and very aligned with what first drew me to TeenPact.”

Drew later transitioned to private practice at a national litigation firm that focuses on representing companies in high stakes litigation with the government, including challenges to federal regulations. That’s where he represented the State of Oklahoma in a Clean Air Act case argued­ before the U.S. Supreme Court. It was the third case Drew had worked on that reached the Supreme Court, and the first time he was physically present in the courtroom.

When asked how TeenPact shaped his faith, Drew didn’t hesitate. “That really goes back to the community aspect,” he said. “It’s powerful to be around people who are sincere and serious about their faith—not just a theoretical faith, but one they actively live out.” They’re living it out in public and private, and molding those two things together. That can be hard. The temptation is to compartmentalize. But seeing others model how to live it well was huge for me.”

He continued, “Developing relationships with both the younger and older people involved in the program who were serious about their faith—that was absolutely a formative part of TeenPact for me. And the worship, and everything else, was special.”

Reflecting on the journey, Drew summarizes: “TeenPact has a special place in my heart. I have a lot of fond memories. It shaped the way I live and lead today by providing the kind of Christ-centered leadership training where my interest in public service and legal advocacy was reinforced. I’m really glad to know it’s still going strong.”

Now married with a young daughter, Drew smiles at the idea of one day sending her to a TeenPact One Day Class. “That would be fun, and a little strange,” he said. “To come back and see it all again as a parent would be wild. But I’d love for her to experience what I did.”