Local students from Chattanooga Southeast Home Education Association competed in a two-day state high school mock trial competition, sponsored by the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (TBA YLD), which involved 16 teams and 200 volunteers, including lawyers, law students and paralegals, held this past weekend. In addition, sitting judges in the state presided over the trial rounds at the Metro Davidson County Courthouse in downtown Nashville. Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Mary Wagner presided over the championship match Saturday evening.
Montgomery Bell Academy of Nashville claimed the state high school mock trial championship title, defeating Agathos Classical School of Columbia.
The team now will represent Tennessee at the National High School Mock Trial Competition in Phoenix, Az., May 7-10.
Montgomery Bell Academy has made it to the state championship round on numerous occasions and was named state champion in 1993, 2016, 2017, 2022 and 2023. The team is coached by Nashville attorneys Tracy Hancock, Wade Cowan and Marisa Combs-Smith. To reach the state competition, each team had to win its respective district competition held throughout the state in February.
At a ceremony immediately preceding the championship round, students were recognized for their efforts. Nashville attorney and TBA President Ed Lanquist Jr. and TBA YLD President Sean Aiello, an attorney in Franklin, presented awards to the top eight teams, the best lawyers and witnesses, the most valuable players for each team, and the team exhibiting the best sportsmanship-like behavior. In addition, the top artist from the inaugural Artist in the Courtroom Competition was recognized. A slide show exhibiting artwork from all 30 student entries also was featured as part of the awards ceremony.
Schools competing included:
Agathos Classical School (Columbia);
Central Magnet School (Murfreesboro);
Clarksville High School;
Cookeville High School;
Chattanooga Southeast Home Education Association (CSTHEA) Blue Team;
Chattanooga Southeast Home Education Association (CSTHEA) Green Team;
Elizabethton High School;
Harpeth Hall School (Nashville);
Jefferson County High School (Dandridge);
Lausanne Collegiate School (Memphis);
Maryville High School;
Memphis University School;
Montgomery Bell Academy (Nashville);
Sevier County High School (Sevierville);
St. Mary’s Episcopal School (Memphis); and
University School of Nashville.
Award winners:
- Team Sportsmanship Award
Sevier County High School took the Team Sportsmanship Award. The award recipient is based on the votes of other teams and presiding judges. The team is coached by U.S. Magistrate Judge Cynthia Richardson Wyrick.
- Best Advocate for the Plaintiff
First Place: Caroline Snyder, Jefferson County High School
Second Place: Adley Ogles, Agathos Classical School
Third Place: Louisa Brown, Harpeth Hall
- Best Advocate for the Defense
First Place: Ava Heuston, Clarksville High School
Second Place: Kavneer Majhail, Montgomery Bell Academy
Third Place: Elise Mason Harpeth Hall
- Best Witness for the Plaintiff
First Place: George Ma, Montgomery Bell Academy
Second Place: Olivia Smelcer, Sevier County High School
Third Place: Addison Snyder, Jefferson County High School
- Best Witness for the Defense
First Place: Selah Mitchell, CSTHEA Blue Team
Second Place: Ellie Midha, St. Mary's Episcopal School
Third Place: Simmons Bone, Harpeth Hall
- Team Most Valuable Players
Molly Brandon, Agathos Classical School
Grace White, Central Magnet School
Karley Sugg, Clarksville High School
Annabella Stevens, Cookeville High School
Ariana Payne, CSTHEA Blue Team
Elizabeth Pierce, CSTHEA Green Team
Jackson Keller, Elizabethton High School
Evie Moore, Harpeth Hall School
Alexa Key, Jefferson County High School
Madison Thomas, Lausanne Collegiate School
Jonathan Humberd, Maryville High School
Chrishton King, Memphis University School
Kenny Royer, Montgomery Bell Academy
Addison Wyrick, Sevier County High School
Mary Alice Simpkins, St. Mary’s Episcopal School
Ophelia Cherry Pulay, University School of Nashville
- Artist in the Courtroom Competition
First Place: Harper Cowart, Signal Mountain High School
Second Place: Claire Yang, Houston High School (Germantown)
Third Place: Louis Frankel, Houston High School (Germantown)