CSTHEA (Green) and Signal Mountain (Black) will compete in the state high school mock trial competition this month after finishing as the top two teams in the local competition last week.
Competing as the prosecution in a case that involved the death of a motorcyclist in an alleged texting and driving incident, CSTHEA defeated McCallie (Blue). Signal Mountain prevailed over East Hamilton as the defense in the same case.
Judge Jeff Hollingsworth, who presided over the East Hamilton v. Signal Mountain (Black) mock trial praised both teams for their performance. “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I was in high school, and I would not have been able to do anything close to what you did,” he said.
Attorney Mark Warren, one of the two jurors responsible for deciding the winner of the case, told parents they can be proud of their children. “What we saw here tonight was outstanding,” he said before offering specific feedback to each competitor and team. “Everyone was amazing.”
The local mock trial competition includes high schools and teams of home schooled students from District 7, which includes Bradley, Hamilton, McMinn, Marion, Meigs, Monroe, Polk, Rhea, and Sequatchie Counties. It is run by the Young Lawyers Division (YLD) of the Chattanooga Bar Association. The YLD of the Tennessee Bar Association runs the state competition.
The state competition will take place in Nashville March 27 and 28.
Representing CSTHEA (Green) will be students Jeremy Till, Stephen Fast, Karen Cooke, Grant Stafford, Turner Bryant, Peter Zeglen, and Halye Massengale. The team’s coaches are Chancellor Jeff Atherton and Theresa Jones.
Competing as Signal Mountain (Black) will be students Emily Phillips, Seebree De Preter, Sydney Selman, Kennedy Sanders, Jesse Dawson, and Elizabeth Ortiz. The team’s coaches are attorneys Charlie Poss and Hallie McFadden.