It’s one thing for students to read about the Constitution; it’s another thing entirely to explore the application of our constitutional rights through real-world scenarios. When Fremont High School history teacher Ana Monugian contacted PESA expressing her desire to engage students in the latter, PESA stepped up to create the school’s first-ever mock-trial program.
Monugian and fellow history teacher Kattia Rangel had a number of sophomores and juniors interested in participating in the Constitutional Rights Foundation, an organization focused on youth civic engagement and commitment to the principles expressed in our Constitution. Acceptance required them to show participation hours in a related area of study. The mock trial program was a natural solution, and PESA the perfect partner. Over the last three years, PESA has built an impactful relationship with Fremont High School, and the mock trial program provided another opportunity to continue strengthening this relationship.
To help guide students through the mock trial, PESA staffers Devapriya Roy and Stephanie Santillan worked closely with the defense and prosecution teams, respectively. The case involved a security guard who had been beaten up for wearing a Nazi symbol on his uniform, and the trial focused on the extent to which the First Amendment protects free speech rights.
Roy, a 2021 UC Davis graduate with a degree in political science and a minor in human rights, reinforced the benefits of the mock trial as a way for students to be more hands-on in their own learning process. “The mock trial experience gave them a chance to ground what they were learning theoretically about the First Amendment in a case that emulates real life,” Roy said. “Sure, they could hear a lecture about the First Amendment, but I think it was a very different experience when the students were the ones shaping the narrative. They had an active role in creating their own understanding of the material.”
For Santillan, a 2020 UC Irvine graduate with a degree in criminology, helping students with the case material was not her only goal. She also wanted them to understand that their roles in the mock trial corresponded to real-life careers. “I could engage their attention to say, ‘You have the ability to do this in the future,’” said Stephanie, who believes the mock trial also provided a space for students to feel empowered. “They learned their voice does matter, and that the process of contesting what’s written in our Constitution is not perfect, but people have the power to contest these things. And they also have the power to protect other people, by ensuring a conviction or finding someone is not guilty.”
Both Roy and Santillan expressed the personal gratification they each felt through working with the students. “I would have never thought I’d end up working with kids,” said Santillan. “I doubted myself in the beginning. I don’t have a teaching degree, I hadn’t worked with kids before. But then I became involved in the mock trial, and I got to witness life come full circle, as I helped teach students concepts I had learned throughout college.”
Roy also acknowledged the impact of the rapport she had built with the students. “I loved working on the mock trial because of the engagement with the students. I got to actively talk to kids, to connect in a way I wouldn’t have been able to in other opportunities.” And although she enjoyed the casework aspects of the trial, Roy emphasized that, “Working with [the students] to get them to a certain level of understanding was rewarding in and of itself.”
PESA is proud of the Fremont High School students and teachers, as well as our staffers Roy and Santillan, for their hard work. If you are interested in establishing a mock-trial program at your school, please contact us. ■
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