Here at Faith Academy, we’re blessed to be able to offer a wide variety of extracurricular activities. It’s always so exciting to see our students blossom and discover their God-given gifts and talents, and to soar to the heights He intended! One of these activities is our Mock Trial team, which is gearing up for the regional competition on February 29, so we wanted to tell you a bit about who they are and what they do.
Our Mock Trial team is captained by Bella Agpoon. The plaintiffs are represented by Carter Sawyer and Maria Steele, with Bella Agpoon and Minette Kofford representing the defense. Witnesses are Hannah Headings, Maverick Agpoon, and Gracie Nelson. The Mock Trial team is sponsored and coached by Kimberlyn Gilchrist and Jasmine Fields, attorneys at law and partners at the law firm of Gilchrist & Fields.
Mock Trial consists of a fictional legal case, either civil or criminal, assigned to students at the beginning of the semester. As with any legal case, there is a prosecution (or plaintiff, in a civil case) and a defense. Students are expected to know the details of both positions of the case, and are also taught various facets of the Federal Rules of Evidence. Students prepare and practice assignments both inside and outside the classroom, then stage a public mock trial to resolve this hypothetical dispute. “Mock Trial is valuable to all students, not just those who want to become lawyers,” says Jasmine Fields. “It teaches essential skills such as public speaking, critical thinking, and the art of forming a persuasive argument.” Kimberlyn Gilchrist agrees. “It’s the combination of interaction between students and the public nature of mock trial that make it invaluable for teaching thinking, speaking, and listening skills.”
Through Mock Trial, students develop an understanding of the judicial process, the roles of those in a courtroom and their importance to the administration of justice, as well as the significance of their constitutional protections and the blessing it is to live in a country that offers such protections. But the main benefit goes much further than the courtroom. “Mock Trial strengthens and tests the characters of our students,” says Jasmine Fields. “During Mock Trial, we see these kids bloom in self-confidence, maturity, and Christlike character, which prepares them to represent Him well regardless of where their careers take them.”
It is this preparation that is the heart of our mission at Faith Academy, and we’re blessed beyond measure to have Mock Trial as part of our educational approach. We’re grateful to Kimberlyn Gilchrist and Jasmine Fields for working so diligently with our students, and we’re so very proud of Bella, Carter, Gracie, Hannah, Maria, Maverick, and Minette for all their hard work and preparation. Best wishes for Regional Competition! We’re rooting for you!