Students learn about the courts

Seven-year-old Pinenut Christian School student Grace Fehsal, was wrongfully accused of stealing a glass apple from her teacher. Luckily, justice prevailed and Grace was acquitted during the school's mock trial on May 16.

"I took the students to the court house," said social studies teacher Christy Roney. "Judge (Dave) Gamble talked to them, and it was really cool. We decided a mock trial would be perfect to follow up with and would give the kids a feel for what they've been studying."

Lauryn Del Prete, 8, played a prosecutor. She called her first witness, 7-year-old Zayza Plante, to the stand.

"What was the defendant doing in the teacher's classroom?" Lauryn asked the witness.

"Objection, your honor, leading the witness!" said 9-year-old defense attorney Malia Huddleson.

"Overruled," said the judge, played by 8-year-old Julia Dreyer. "You may continue."

"I saw the defendant stealing the teacher's glass apple," said Zayza.

But that wasn't true. During a brief recess, Judge Julia told her bailiff, 9-year-old Noah Bonner, to keep an eye on juror 3; she said he was acting strange and suspected him of something.

Julia's suspicion turned out to be true when the prosecutor called her last witness, 7-year-old Rachel Trumpower, to the stand.

"I know the defendant didn't do it because I saw the person who did steal the apple," said Rachel. "I saw (juror 3) take the apple!"

The audience of parents gasped. The judge called juror 3 to the bench and emptied the contents of his backpack, which revealed the apple.

"This is a terrible thing that you have done," Judge Julia scolded. "You have stolen from the teacher, you hid the truth, you cost the court time and money and allowed an innocent person to be blamed and put on trial for what you did."

Teacher Roney asked students what they had learned from the experience.

"Don't steal!" a student shouted.

"The whole reason for doing this is to know that if you get into trouble, you will find yourself in a setting like this," said Roney.

Julia said being a judge was hard, especially taking responsibility for the fate of others.

"But it was fun," she said. "I would do it again."