Cullowhee Valley Middle School Claims Title

Ridge Road (Charlotte), McDougle (Chapel Hill) and Frink (LaGrange) Garner Regional Recognition

Article Date: Friday, December 09, 2011

The second annual Justice Iredell Middle School Mock Trial State Tournament took place on Friday, Dec. 9, at five locations across North Carolina. The Law-Related Education Advisory Committee of the North Carolina Bar Association Foundation presented the program, which was funded by the NCBA Foundation Endowment.

Fourteen teams from 11 schools competed. Their scores were tabulated from all five sites to determine the state champion, an honor that went to Cullowhee Valley Middle School of Cullowhee.

Three regional champions were also declared, with the state champion excluded for consideration for this honor. Ridge Road Middle School of Charlotte claimed the Western Regional title, McDougle Middle School of Chapel Hill won the Central Region; and E.B. Frink Middle School of LaGrange won the Eastern Region.

The competing teams, regions and competition sites were as follows:

Two teams from Waynesville Middle School represented the Western Region at the Haywood County Courthouse in Waynesville. The teams were coached by teachers Rhonda Haney and Jared Bullock and volunteer attorney coach Chase Wells.

Cullowhee Valley Middle School of Cullowhee represented the Western Region at the Haywood County Courthouse in Waynesville, where it claimed the state championship. The team was coached by teachers Deb Gedaro and Bevans Robbs and volunteer attorney coaches Mary Holliday and Jeff Goss.

Metrolina Regional Scholars' Academy of Charlotte represented the Western Region at the Catawba County Courthouse in Newton. The team was coached by teachers Anthony Yodice and Kathy Moschel.

Ridge Road Middle School of Charlotte represented the Western Region at the Catawba County Courthouse in Newton. The team was coached by teachers Kendall Hallingse, Katelyn Collishaw and Kevin McKenna and volunteer attorney coach Shannon Hoff.

Millennium Charter Academy of Mount Airy represented the Central Region at the Catawba County Courthouse in Newton. The team was coached by teacher Matthew Elder.

Two teams from Charles P. Murray Middle School of Wilmington represented the Eastern Region at the Pender County Courthouse in Burgaw. The team was coached by teacher Denise Summerlin and volunteer attorney coaches Leah Kane and Melissa Lewis.

E.B. Frink Middle School of LaGrange represented the Eastern Region at the Pender County Courthouse in Burgaw. The team was coached by teacher Jesse Pittard.

Two teams from Elizabeth City Middle School represented the Eastern Region at the Pitt County Courthouse in Greenville. The teams are coached by teachers Terrie Oatman and Carol Griffin and volunteer attorney coach Christopher Rahilly.

East Millbrook Middle School of Raleigh represented the Central Region at the Pitt County Courthouse in Greenville. The team was coached by teacher April Grybosky.

Sherwood Githens Middle School of Durham represented the Central Region at the Randolph County Courthouse in Asheboro. The team was coached by teacher Joel Wuliger and volunteer law school student coaches Hayes Hofler and Saiyani Mukombe.

McDougle Middle School of Chapel Hill represented the Central Region at the Randolph County Courthouse in Asheboro. The team was coached by teachers Jami Burns, Cissy Oneal and Warren Martin and volunteer attorney coach Frank Albetta.

Each student received an achievement certificate and medallion while each teacher received a school participation plaque. Individual certificates are awarded to students who are the most effective witness and attorney in the trials.

The Justice Iredell Middle School Mock Trial Tournament is named in honor of Justice James Iredell of Edenton, one of the original justices of the U.S. Supreme Court and the father of N.C. Gov. James Iredell Jr.

The tournament is for North Carolina middle school students and supported by their teachers who are using mock trials in their classrooms to help increase their students' skills with critical thinking, problem-solving, language arts, public speaking and more.

Volunteer attorneys who assisted with judging and scoring were:

Haywood County Courthouse - Karissa Davan, Vicky Gribble., Nikki Beyer, Kristy Parton;

Pitt County Courthouse - Lucy Austin, Yolanda Harrison, Brad Piner, Jason DeHoog, Shannon Penland;

Catawba County Courthouse - Mike Barnett, Debra Bechtel, Arnita Dula, Susan Matthews;

Randolph County Courthouse - Ryan Blackledge, Charlisa Powell, Sarah Neely Lanier, Darren Clark Allen; and

Pender County Courthouse - Judge Jay Corpening, Cindy Baldwin, Ken Shanklin, Pam Craig, Lindsey Luther, Joseph Carroll Bowman.

Law-Related Education encompasses the educational outreach efforts of the North Carolina Bar Association under the direction the LRE Advisory Committee of the NCBA Foundation, a group of attorneys committed educating N.C. students on the legal systems as part of their widely acclaimed public service initiative.