The Career and Technical Education Center’s mock trial team placed among the top teams in Texas at the recent Texas High School Mock Trial Competition, coming in fifth place.

The 10-person team also represents seven Frisco ISD high schools, in a showcase of the unique opportunities available at the CTEC to collaborate and learn across campuses.

To qualify for state, the CTEC team was one of four regional co-champion teams from Region 10. Also at the regional competition, held in February, Samatha Lopez of the CTEC team and Maya Iyer of the Frisco High School team won two of the Region 10 Courtroom Artist Awards. Twenty-eight teams from around the state, out of 180 total teams, qualified for the state competition. 

This year, nearly 2,000 students from across Texas participated in mock trial competition. The program provides a great way for students to learn the fundamentals of the legal system, as well as how to think critically, analyze evidence and construct persuasive arguments.

"I love to see students excel at mock trial competitions,” said CTEC teacher and mock trial sponsor Mark Bryant. “Mock trial helps to build critical thinking and persuasive speaking skills under the pressure of a competitive environment. Whether a student ultimately becomes a trial lawyer or not, these are very important adult skills regardless of professional career choice."

The competition, organized by the Dallas Bar Association Mock Trial Committee, is open to all public, private and homeschool students.

Congratulations to FISD’s mock trial team and their dedicated coaches, Mark Bryant and local attorney Ernest Leonard! Listed below are team members, along with their home campus:

Nitya Ajjampudi - Lebanon Trail

Montserrat Cedillo - Reedy

Perryn Cote - Wakeland

Saisaharsh Devireddy - Panther Creek

Madison Lewis - Lone Star

Samantha Lopez - Wakeland

Seamar Martinez-Alvarez - Memorial

Saanvi Sharma - Panther Creek

Audrey Sims - Lone Star

Aarti Srinivasan - Independence

Ved Srinivasan - Reedy

- Rachel McReynolds