28 Jan 2011
Rangel Student to Put Summer Camp Experience to the Test in Mock Trial Competition
DALLAS—Emily Brokaw discovered her love for the law four years ago when she took a law related education class in the eighth grade at Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women's Leadership School. Today, the senior might loosely be considered a seasoned student of legal studies thanks to her involvement with the Dallas ISD Mock Trial Competitions sponsored yearly by the Dallas Bar Association.
Brokaw has been an integral part of the Rangel team which she helped inaugurate and is preparing for her fourth mock trial competition this weekend when her team competes against 23 other Dallas ISD teams.
"I'm really excited about competing this year," said Brokaw. "There's a lot of hard work that goes into preparing for mock trial competition, but entering the courtroom brings such an adrenaline rush that you forget about all the hard work."
After last year's competition, Brokaw decided to carry her passion for the mock trial process a step further, and with the help of a handful of dedicated sponsors, district staff and her lawyer sponsor, she organized the Dallas ISD Mock Trial Summer Camp which was held this past June for two days at SMU's law school.
"The summer camp was a great opportunity for us to learn the basics without the pressure of competing. It was fun, and I'm excited to see if the camp makes a difference in the caliber of the competition this year."
Nearly 100 district students participated in the summer camp and most will take part in the competition this weekend.
The Dallas ISD Mock Trial Competition will be held at the George L. Allen Sr. Courts Building. The competition kicks off Saturday, January 29 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and will continue Tuesday, February 1, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. The top four teams will compete in the semifinals Thursday, February 3, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. The final round of competition takes place Tuesday, February 8, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
The winning team will advance to the state competition which takes place March 3-5, in Dallas. The national competition will be held May 5-7, in Phoenix, Arizona.
"I've learned so much by participating in mock trial over the years. It's given me more confidence and has helped me to think on my feet. I feel like it has given me a big foundation to build on," said Brokaw.
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