Church School Team Champs of Mock Trial

Call them Dream Team II.

Eighth-graders from St. Michael and All Angels School on Tuesday emerged as champions in a countywide mock trial competition designed to make the legal system more understandable for young people.

During the final round of competition among middle school students, held at the Los Angeles County Courthouse downtown, students from the tiny Episcopal church school won their case over the runners up--a public school team from La Mesa Junior High in Canyon Country.

For the past 16 years, the Constitutional Rights Foundation has co-sponsored the mock trial competition with the state Department of Education and other groups to provide middle and high school students with a working knowledge of the judicial system.

“Our kids didn’t know what ‘overruled’ meant when we started preparing,” said St. Michael teacher Madelyn Inglese, who coached the team for the four-week competition. “They’ve had to learn every single thing from the beginning. It’s incredible how much they’ve picked up about the courts and how much they’ve improved their ability to think analytically,” she said.

Each team was given the same hypothetical case: A suspected vandal is accused of breaking into his school to change his grade on the computer. The teams were required to prepare arguments for both the prosecution and the defense, with their actual roles assigned just days before the competition. On Tuesday, St. Michael was the prosecution.

“When I first read the case, I said, ‘Whoa, this is going to be hard,’ ” said Lenna Vanerian, 13. “With everyone working together and adding their input, it made it a lot easier.”

Besides learning their individual roles for the trial, students conducted legal research and learned correct courtroom procedure. A panel of lawyers scored the competition and Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Enrique Romero presided.

“What’s unique about our school is that everyone in the eighth grade is involved,” said Inglese. “With only 21 students, we need literally everybody to take part.” The school has a total enrollment of 215 in preschool through eighth grade.

To qualify for the championship match, St. Michael had won four previous rounds during the past few weeks.

“At first, we weren’t that organized and I didn’t think we’d win,” said Andy Sumner, 13. “But after seeing how we worked together, I think we’re a great team.”