In Eighth Grade Social Studies, I participated in a re-creation of Pico v. Board of Education (1982), a landmark Supreme Court case centered on book banning. The project didn’t just challenge me—it sparked a deep curiosity about the legal field. Years later, when it came time to design my Capstone project, I wanted to create something that could ignite that same excitement in other students. I launched a Legal Studies and Mock Trial Program in Laurel’s middle school. In this hour-long weekly program, students prepared for local and state Mock Trial competitions while building a foundational understanding of the law and the Constitution through presentations, group activities, and discussions.

I established a key partnership with the middle school mock trial advisors at University School. Utilizing their collegiality and insight, I authored a detailed, week-by-week curriculum and program plan. After pitching the idea to middle school leadership, I secured a regular weekly meeting time. I then presented the program to students, receiving over 30 inquiries. 

When the program officially launched in the fall of my junior year, 20 students joined. Throughout the fall semester, we focused on legal vocabulary, case writing, and public speaking skills. The students developed prosecution and defense arguments for a challenging case centered around arson and religious freedom. Their efforts culminated in two Mock Trial competitions: a showcase event against University School and a head-to-head match with Hathaway Brown. Both were learning experiences that guided the participants into the next phase of the program. 

In the spring semester, a dedicated team of 14 students prepared for the state competition. The case involved serious charges, including attempted murder, arson, and criminal mischief. Despite the weight of the material, the girls approached it with poise, insight, and enthusiasm. They took their case to the competition at the Ohio Supreme Court in Columbus, where the team thrived. One of the girls won the “Outstanding Witness Award” twice!  

Since launching the program, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with 34 seventh- and eighth-grade girls, introducing them to the fundamentals of law and the U.S. Constitution. As a result, 88% of participants reported a significant increase in their understanding of these topics. 100% reported more confidence with public speaking, and 100% felt overall growth in the skills we worked on. Most importantly, I built meaningful relationships with these girls, fostering an environment where we could comfortably engage in thoughtful discussions on complex legal and constitutional issues.