The Granada Hills Charter (GHC) Mock Trial team placed first out of 126 high school teams in the Los Angeles County Finals at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse on December 3.
The team’s attorney coach, Aren Kavcioglu also won attorney coach of the year.
The GHC Mock Trial team had made it to the Finals in 2023 where they placed second, the Semifinals in 2024 where they placed third, and now again to the Finals where they placed first.
“This season has been nothing but an absolute joy watching our students’ hard work finally pay off,” history teacher and Mock Trial coach Andy Kim said. “Making it to the championship round of the LA County Mock Trial Competition is never easy, but this group has done so with grace and dedication to the team and one another.”
During the competition, the GHC Mock Trial team presented “People v. Fromholz,” a murder case where Haley Fromholz is being tried for the murder of Chef Morgan Sears on a reality TV cooking show.
The defense claimed the investigation was rushed and that the detective focused too narrowly on one suspect instead of looking at both fairly. Meanwhile, the prosecution argued that old tensions between the defendant, Haley Fromholz, and the victim resurfaced after years of mistreatment, leading Fromholz to plan the killing of Chef Morgan Sears using poisonous mushrooms.
As an academic team, Mock Trial reviews the process of law through various cases such as this one, formulating arguments as prosecutors and defenders. Members of the team are assigned different roles ranging from attorney, witness, bailiff, time keeper, etc.
Along with Kim, the team also has professional attorney coaches including: Aren Kavcioglu, Rouben Varozian, Vickie Grasu. These professionals assist the team with their arguments and oral presentations.
“Mock Trial really makes you feel like you are a part of something meaningful and fun,” captain and senior Isabella Simon said. “It is such a breath of fresh air because it is a space you share with your friends and you share the same passions as well.”
Mock Trial allows students to embrace a community built on passion and determination, fostering an environment that gives students information to boost their expertise in the field of law. Students obtain many lessons in law, leadership, and communication, which they will carry into their adulthood and future careers.
“As a captain in Mock Trial, I’ve learned how to work with others, how to teach and uplift other students, and how to be positive at times where it’s really tough to keep your head up,” captain and senior Lilliana Agazaryan.