Twenty-seven students from Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School recently participated in the Youth Judicial program sponsored by the YMCA. Approximately 450 students from around the state spent three days in the Montgomery County courthouse reenacting actual court cases, participating in all parts of the judicial process, serving as judges, bailiffs, prosecution and defense lawyer teams, and as jurors. Each of the Montgomery Catholic teams were coached by Montgomery attorneys with Montgomery Catholic roots: Deanie (Clark) Allen ’62, Richard Dean ’78, Charlie Anderson (husband of Linda (Belsterling) ’78 Anderson, and father of Roscoe ’09), Gwen Kennedy-Zimmerman (mother of Heather Kennedy ’07), Deborah Nickson (mother of Nichole Nickson ’08), and Chip Vercelli (husband of Lisa (Miska) ’77 Vercelli, father of Chris '99, Lauren ’05 and Anna ’07).
One of the Montgomery Catholic teams consisting of Trey Griffith, Thomas Herge, Cynthia Weber, Roscoe Anderson, Kristin Sutton, and Bob Weber, who were coached by Richard Dean ’78, was named a TOP 5 Prosecution Team, and in their final trial, won the verdict. Two students from Montgomery Catholic, Cynthia Weber as a member and Trey Griffith as first alternate, were named members of the 8-person (4-member and 4-alternate) Alabama All-Star Team that will participate in the National Mock Trial Competition in the spring in Oklahoma City.
During the weekend event, two students also participated in the Talent Show where Cynthia Weber performed an original ballad while playing her guitar and Thomas Herge performed a song written by the Montgomery Catholic band director, Mr. Kerry Palmer, on his clarinet. Both received standing ovations. With the success of Youth Judicial, the Montgomery Catholic Government Club is looking forward to participating in YMCA’s Youth Legislature event planned for spring 2006.
Participating in Youth Judicial were Roscoe Anderson, Kalan Boddie, Kaila Camara, Karen Gonzales, Trey Griffith, Rebecca Hails, Amy Hall, Thomas Herge, Lauren Houston, John Ingram, Joseph Ioimo, Heather Kennedy, Mary Kimbrough, Nichole Nickson, Anna Parker, Jill Polis, Andria Ransdell, Abbie Redden, Kierra Rumph, Kimberly Smith, Kristin Sutton, Lauren Tucker, Michael Walley, Bob Weber, Cynthia Weber, Caitlin Wiggins, Kaitlyn Wilkinson, Olivia Veres, and Matt Visco.
Pictured: Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School’s Government Club Members.
