GCA team honored as mock trial co-champions

The 8th Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council has adopted a resolution congratulating the Grace Christian Academy’s mock trial team for capturing the 2005 co-championship title.

The team was composed of students Stephanie Arnold, Nicole Benjamin, Rafferty Jess Dris, Sheila Ann Ho, Sara Ko, Jacqueline Li, Mathew Blanco, Nicole Torres and Tawny Palacios; teacher-coaches Tan Dionson, Lindsay Mcclain and Faith Dela Rosa; and attorney-coaches Joseph Camacho and Janine Udui.

This year’s competition was held at the Guma Hustisia last March 18 and 19, 2005.

The 2005 edition of the competition featured teams from the Marianas Baptist Academy, Marianas High School, Mount Carmel School, Northern Marianas Academy, Calvary Christian Academy, Eucon International School, Rota High School, Saipan Southern High School, Tinian High School, Grace Christian Academy and Kagman High School.

U.S. District Court presiding judge Alex Munson presided at this year’s championship round between the two finalists—Northern Marianas Academy and Grace Christian Academy—on the homicide case of Mrs. Martha Cruz, the fictitious defendant, who was charged by the prosecution team with first-degree murder of her husband George Cruz.

After hearing the arguments presented by the prosecution and defense teams, the panel of jurors composed of local attorneys Clyde Lemons, Patrick Smith, Bruce Mailman, Allen Buak and Karen Klaver declared the Northern Marianas Academy the 2005 mock trial champion, while GCA team settled as co-champion.

Other semi-finalists included the Marianas Baptist Academy, Marianas High School, Mount Carmel High School and Tinian High School.

The special award recipients are Antolynn M. Maratita, best defense attorney, Tinian High School; Virginia Castro, best prosecution attorney, Kagman High School; Michelle Milagroso, best defense witness, Marianas High School; and April Cabanas, best prosecution witness, Eucon International School.

The CNMI high school mock trial competition was organized in 1999 by Justice Ramon G. Villagomez to bring high school students into the courtroom to expose them to the legal system. The CNMI high school mock trial competition is held annually and coordinated by the CNMI Bar Association.

This year’s sponsors included Coca-Cola, Herman’s Modern Bakery, Joeten Enterprises, Marianas Visitors Authority, McDonald’s of Saipan, National Office Supply, Pacific Islands Club, Pacific Trading Co., and Winchell’s.