MOCK TRIAL: Jenks students competed in the Oklahoma High School Mock Trial Competition and took home fourth place. The competition was sponsored by the Oklahoma Bar Association. Members of the Jenks team included: Julie Hildebrand, Reston Dooly, Luke Brigan, Austin Cornwell, Shilah Copeland, Christien Crynes, Parker Dooly, Barrett Powers, Kelsey Roach, Michael Shahan, Patrick Shahan and Eric Yeager. They were coached by Tim Sloan and Mike Horn.
Courtesy of Jenks Public Schools
Jenks High School’s team earned fourth place in the Oklahoma High School Mock Trial Competition. The mock trial program involves students portraying attorneys and witnesses in a courtroom setting, with judges and attorneys evaluating their performance. The program, now in its 28th year, is sponsored by the Oklahoma Bar Association Young Lawyers Division and the Oklahoma Bar Foundation.
“Jenks was among just eight teams to make it to the semifinal round,” says OBA President Bill Conger. “Reaching that round is quite an achievement and reflects the hard work of the students and their coaches. They were very close to earning the chance to compete in the finals.”
Jenks High School’s team was coached by teacher Tim Sloan and its attorney coach Mike Horn. Returning for a third year on the team was Julie Hildebrand. Second-year team member was Reston Dooly. New to the team were Luke Brigan, Austin Cornwell, Shilah Copeland, Christien Crynes, Parker Dooly, Barrett Powers, Kelsey Roach, Michael Shahan, Patrick Shahan and Eric Yeager.
Out of the 51 teams that began competing in January, the top finishers are, in second place, Clinton High School; third, Ada High School; fifth, Catoosa High School; sixth, Atoka High School; seventh, Holland Hall, Tulsa; and eighth, Broken Arrow High School.
Judge Edward Cunningham served as presiding judge during the contest finals. Scoring judges were Judge Daman Cantrell, Judge Kenneth Dickerson, Judge David B. Lewis, Judge Millie Otey and Judge Dana L. Rasure.
More than 400 judges and attorneys volunteered their time to work with mock trial teams as coaches and to conduct the competitions. Rachel McCombs of Oklahoma City served as chairperson of the Young Lawyers Division Mock Trial Committee.
The 15,000-member Oklahoma Bar Association, headquartered in Oklahoma City, was created by the Oklahoma Supreme Court to advance the administration of justice and to foster and maintain learning, integrity, competence, public service and high standards of conduct among Oklahoma’s legal community. The Oklahoma Bar Foundation awards annual grants that advance the science of jurisprudence and promote the administration of justice throughout the state. Its mission is “Advancing education, citizenship and justice for all.”
