EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Two El Paso high school mock trial teams are heading to state after earning top honors at the Region 19 Mock Trial Competition, according to the El Paso District Attorney’s Office.
Valle Verde Early College High School placed first in the competition, and Northwest Early College High School finished as runner-up.
Valle Verde Early College High School awarded first place in Region 19 Mock Trial Competition. Photo courtesy of the El Paso DA’s Office.
Northwest Early College High School awarded runner-up in Region 19 Mock Trial Competition. Photo courtesy of the El Paso DA’s Office.
Diana Hernandez from Valle Verde ECHS named Best Classroom Artist. Photo courtesy of the El Paso DA’s Office.
Diana Hernandez from Valle Verde ECHS named Best Classroom Artist. Photo courtesy of the El Paso DA’s Office.
Madeline “Scottie” Meza from the Young Women’s STEAM Academy placed second in Best Classroom Artist. Photo courtesy of the El Paso DA’s Office.
Aiden Ramos from Eastwood High School, awarded Outstanding Witness. Photo courtesy of the El Paso DA’s Office.
Aruja Misra from Coronado High School, awarded Outstanding Advocate. Photo courtesy of the El Paso DA’s Office.
In addition to the awarded teams, several students were recognized for their individual performances. Aruja Misra from Coronado High School was awarded Best Advocate. Adrian Ramos from Eastwood High School earned Best Witness honors. Diana Hernandez from Valle Verde ECHS was named Best Classroom Artist, and Madeline “Scottie” Meza from the Young Women’s Academy placed second.
The DA’s Office gives honorable mentions to El Paso High School and Franklin High School mock trial teams, who advanced to the semifinals in the Region 19 competition.
“The District Attorney’s Office was honored to host this year’s Mock Trial competition in partnership with the El Paso Young Lawyers Association,” El Paso District Attorney James Montoya said. “As a young person, I didn’t know any attorneys and had little exposure to the legal profession. Participating in mock trial opened my eyes to a career path I didn’t even know existed, and it truly changed my life. Seeing the dedication and preparation these students bring to the courtroom is especially meaningful to me because I know firsthand how impactful this experience can be. I am confident VVECHS and NWECHS will represent El Paso proudly at the state level. We look forward to continuing to grow and expand this program so more students can discover opportunities they may not have realized were within reach.”
The Valle Verde and Northwest ECHS teams, with courtroom artists Hernandez and Meza, will compete in the 47th annual Mock Trial Competition on March 6 and 7 in Dallas.
Twelve high schools from across the region participated in the two-day competition, on Jan. 30-31, at the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse.
To prepare for the competition, over 150 students spent months analyzing a mock trial civil case that involved a plaintiff, witnesses and evidentiary materials, according to the DA’s Office.
“Students were tasked with developing both plaintiff and defense strategies, drafting witness examinations, preparing objections, and crafting opening and closing arguments. Competitors also studied relevant legal statues to effectively argue their cases,” read the news release by the DA’s Office.
Each team participated in four preliminary rounds and presented their case before a panel of volunteer judges and attorneys from El Paso’s legal community.
For the final round, the panel of volunteers included Judge Ruben Morales of County Court at Law 7, Judge Linda Perez of County Criminal Court at Law 1 and Melissa Baeza of County Court as Law 3.
The El Paso Young Lawyers Association and dozens of practicing attorneys and coaches helped make the event possible, according to the DA’s Office.
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