SCOE Board Salutes Elk Grove Mock Trial Team

Posted April 26, 2007
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EGHS Team Honored for Capturing First-Ever State Title

The Sacramento County Board of Education, at its April 25, 2007 regular meeting, welcomed and honored the Elk Grove High School Mock Trial team, winners of the 2007 California state championship.

On March 23-25, 2007, Elk Grove High School's students competed against 34 teams from throughout California to become the statewide winner. As both Sacramento County and state champion, the Elk Grove High School Mock Trial team will represent the State of California at the National Mock Trial Competition to be held in Dallas, Texas on May 10-12, 2007.

Mock Trial is a competitive, extracurricular program in which students spend several months studying the facts of an assigned case and then portray lawyers and witnesses in a "mock" courtroom setting involving two teams. The teams consist of up to eight students who must portray witnesses and lawyers. Unlike actual lawyers, the students must prepare themselves to defend both sides of the case. This educational activity for high school youth fosters teamwork and collaboration among the team's members.

The Board of Education also honored the Center for Youth Citizenship (CYC), a leadership development program which sponsors the Mock Trial program in Sacramento County.

In January 2007, EGHS participated in the Center for Youth Citizenship's five-county Gordon D. Schaber High School Law Program. During the regional program's culminating events, Elk Grove competed against 25 high school teams from throughout the greater Sacramento Region. Ultimately, EGHS took top honors and, with it, a chance to represent Sacramento County at the State Mock Trial Competition.

David Hill, EGHS Mock Trial teacher/coach, applauded the hard-work and commitment of his students.

"The county of Sacramento and Elk Grove community should be proud of the professional and courteous character demonstrated by the Elk Grove mock trial team during the state competition," Hill said.

Information about the Sacramento Regional Gordon D. Schaber High School Law Program is available on the Center for Youth Citizenship's Web site, along with information about involving youth in citizenship education about the rule of law and our courts.