Vincent Memorial de-thrones Central, set to represent Imperial County at state mock trial competition
EL CENTRO – In joyful tears and cheers, the Vincent Memorial Catholic High School (VMCHS) Mock Trial Team raised the trophy after a victory over Central Union High School (CUHS) on Wednesday, February 8, for the Imperial County Mock Trial Competition Championship at the Imperial County Superior Court.
With its win, VMCHS has earned the right to represent Imperial County at the state Mock Trial Competition this spring. Vincent Memorial also previously won the county competition in 2018.
“It feels amazing,” VMCHS student Diego Monroy said. “This was the most nervous I’ve been in a long time.”
“When they opened the enveloped and said ‘Vincent Memorial’ was the best thing ever,” he said.
In the future, Monroy plans to major in political science and go to law school.
Eighteen year mock trial coach veteran and teacher, Lourdes Ramirez, said she started with a rookie team.Ramirez said this was a learning experience for the students, who prepared for nearly six months for the county competition.
“It’s amazing to see how they have grown throughout these months and what they’ve learned and accomplished,” Ramirez said. “I’m very proud of them, and I know they’re doing their best.”
During the regular mock trial season, participant schools included VMCHS, CUHS, Desert Oasis Phoenix Rising High School, and Southwest High School.
Michael Garcia, curriculum coordinator at Imperial County
Office of Education (ICOE), said that the two top teams earned the right to compete in the final round.
During the final, VMCHS served as the prosecution and CUHS as the defense of the case the “People v. Franks.”
The San Diego County High School Mock Trial Competition website shows a case brief of California Mock Trial, People v. Franks. Per the document, People v. Franks is the trial of Jordan Franks, a young actor who finished a run of performances of the Shakespeare adaptation Macbeth at Sea on the cruise ship ‘Heart of the Ocean.’ Franks is charged with robbery and battery of Franks’ fellow actor, Billie Scher.
The Honorable Monica Lepe-Negrete was the judge during the Imperial County Mock Trial Competition Cham
pionship.
“When I say you are the stars of the show I mean it, because you deserve the credit,” Lepe-Negrete said. “No matter what happens today, I don’t mean to belittle your efforts at all. Please understand how proud we are of your efforts and just getting here today.”
“Remember where you’re at, appreciate the accomplishment that it took to get here and the hard work, and be proud of yourselves,” the judge said.
John Baker and Kelly Ranasinghe served as scoring attorneys
“From my perspective, it means a great deal because it’s part of our legal history in Imperial County,” Ranasinghe said. “Marco Nunez, Patricia Guerrero, and Mariano-Florentino Cuellar were all mock trial. Marco Nunez is currently our
presiding judge of the juvenile court, Mariano-Florentino Cuellar was the justice of California Supreme Court, and Patricia Guerrero was the first Latina woman to be nominated for the California Supreme Court.”
“Imperial County is very strong in mock trial,” the attorney said. “It’s part of our history.”
“Every time I look at these kids I’m looking at the future of the legal world in Imperial Valley,” Baker said.
After the competition, Lepe-Negrete, Baker, and Ranasinghe praised both teams’ performances and efforts.
CUHS Mock Trial Team Coach Ana Vizcaino said Central has won the county-level competition for the past three years.
“This is not only for students that want to become attorneys,” Vizcaino said. “I have students
that have become teachers, doctors, they have master’s (degrees), get admitted to the best universities. It’s meant for anyone. It gets you out of your comfort zone.”
Central senior Oscar Santos has participated in Mock Trial for the last four years. He said mock trial has taught him determination and public speaking skills.
“My freshman year I was so shy, I couldn’t speak in public,” Santos said. “and then I joined mock trial and they taught me so much.”
Santos was the defense attorney during the Imperial County Mock Trial Competition Championship. He is considering becoming a lawyer.
“It’s a path I’ve been considering since middle school,” Santos said.