Valwood Students to Attend State Bar of Georgia Law Academy
HAHIRA, GA – September 5, 2024 – Valwood students Alberto Garcia and Claire Glen will travel to Atlanta in late September to attend a four-day law academy conducted by the State Bar of Georgia.
Garcia, a senior, is entering his fourth year as a competing member of the Valwood Mock Trial team, school officials said in a statement. Glen, also a senior, will be entering her third season.
“Alberto and Claire are exceptional members of our program, having competed at a high level throughout their tenure,” said Daryn Beasley, Valwood Mock Trial Coach. “The opportunity of Law Academy will allow them to receive a multi-faceted, intensive education as well as competitive guidance that they can share with their teammates during the upcoming season.”
Garcia and Glen have excelled in multiple competing roles for the Valiants. Garcia stepped in as an alternate witness his freshman year and helped Valwood defeat perennial Georgia Mock Trial powerhouse, Jonesboro, to advance to the 2022 State Finals. Glen joined the team the following season in the role of witness. Since their singular outings as witnesses, both Garcia and Glen have competed as attorneys, helping the Valiants win Region and District Championships and return to the State Finals. They will reprise those attorney roles in their senior season, handling a complex civil complaint.
The Law Academy is designed to provide opportunities to High School Mock Trial students to enhance their skills in the fields of trial technique and courtroom procedure, rules of evidence, witness presentation and team leadership. This year the curriculum is being expanded and diversified to include even greater courtroom practice. The goal is to better prepare students for the demands and constraints of the mock trial competition.
A private tour of the Georgia Court of Appeals, the State Bar of Georgia and the Georgia Supreme Court is also a part of the program. At the end of the sessions, students will take an exam that will potentially qualify them for admission into the Student Bar of Georgia.
Garcia and Glen are among only 60 applicants in the state accepted into the illustrious program. This is the third time that Valwood has been represented by 2 students, and the pair carry on a tradition of Valwood Mock Trial players attending the Law Academy each year and being admitted to the Student Bar.
“Alberto and Claire are so talented, and such determined competitors,” said Beasley. “I am excited for them to continue the spirit and traditions of our program by attending Law Academy. The experience will not only prepare them for their senior season, but further their preparations for careers in law.”
