Washington Courts: Press Release Detail

2011 Washington State High School Mock Trial Champion: Seattle Prep Varsity

OLYMPIA—MARCH 27, 2011— Seattle Prep’s Varsity Team took top honors this Sunday as the 2011 champion of the statewide YMCA Mock Trial Competition. The team is now eligible to compete for the national Mock Trial title in Phoenix, Arizona in May. 

Washington Supreme Court Justice Debra Stephens presided over the championship trial in Olympia between Seattle Prep’s Varsity and Junior Varsity Teams of King County competing for the statewide title.  

Top eleven finalists of the competition are as follows:

• 1st place: Seattle Prep Varsity
• 2nd place: Seattle Prep Jr. Varsity
• 3rd place:  Archbishop Murphy
• 4th place: Franklin High School
• 5th place: University Prep
• 6th place: Seattle Academy
• 7th place: International Community School
• 8th place: The River Academy
• 9th place: Sehome High School
• 10th place: Fort Vancouver High School
• 11th place:  Camas High School

The Best Attorney Award went to Martin Ho from Mercer Island High School, and the Best Witness Award went to two students in a two-way tie:  Michael Abraham from Eastside Catholic and Jenny Singer of University Prep.

A total of 22 high school teams from across the state competed for the title in a three-day, four-round competition this weekend at the Thurston County Courthouse, arguing the prosecution and defense sides of a fictitious criminal trial in which a police officer shoots and kills a “person of interest” under unclear circumstances. 

This is the 24th year for the YMCA Mock Trial program, which began in 1987. Mock Trial is part of the YMCA’s Youth & Government program, which helps students experience democracy in action. Mock Trial allows students to participate in true-to-life courtroom drama before real judges in real courtrooms, gaining an understanding of the law and the role of the judiciary.

PROGRAM CONTACTS: Seattle Prep Head Coach Andy McCarthy, 206-931-1058 (cell); Judge Robert Lewis, Mock Trial Program Chair at 360-397-2226; Sarah Clinton, Executive Director, YMCA Youth and Government Program at (360) 480-4838 (cell).