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Students on the California High School mock trial team are gearing up to participate in a statewide competition next month following a win at the county level for the seventh year in a row.
Cal High was announced as the winning team at an awards ceremony on Feb. 15, following their performance in the final trial of that stage of the competition on Feb. 13.
“Mock Trial is unlike any other program that exists in our county, largely because of the partnership that exists between education and the court system,” Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey said in a statement on Feb. 16.
The county competition, now in its 43rd year, consisted of teams from 17 different schools, with more than 140 volunteers assisting in facilitating the trials and a panel of four judges deciding on the winning team at the A.F. Bray Courthouse in Martinez last week.
All in all, the county-level competition consisted of 44 different trials, with the Cal High team winning against Campolindo High School’s team in the final round.
In addition to the first-place win for the team, Cal High student Susanne Soroushian secured a spot in the state level competition as second-place winner for courtroom artist, with fellow Cal High student Andrew Ma earning third place for best courtroom journalist.
“Mock Trial supports, educates, and empowers students to engage in hands-on learning opportunities to become future leaders in our community and the world,” Mackey said. “We are very grateful for the support from the Superior Court, the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department, and the dozens of judges, coaches, and legal professionals who volunteered their time. Meeting the students and seeing them in action reminds us all why we keep this program going.”
The state competition is scheduled from March 22-24 in Los Angeles.
