HGD Hosts Career Day for Parker High 9th Graders

Parker High School 9th Graders pose with some of the HGD team outside the office

On Thursday, April 19, HGD welcomed the 9th grade class from Parker High School as part of the school’s career day program in collaboration with our partnership with Birmingham Education Foundation. The students got to participate as jurors in the Stephen D. Heninger Moot Court Room with members of the HGD team putting on a mock trial. The students were greeted in the morning and after a light breakfast, Erik Heninger welcomed them with an inspirational discussion about reaching for your goals, even when someone tells you they are out of reach.

The trial was about a 9th grade bullying case in a fictional High School.The students were taken through the anatomy of this civil case, beginning with watching the video of the intake. Once court was called into session, with the honorable Chris Hood presiding, the plaintiff’s attorneys called five witnesses to the stand. The witnesses were cross-examined by the defendant’s attorneys, and then closing arguments were made. The court was adjourned for a lunch break while the students were broken into three different groups for jury deliberations.

Upon returning, the student jury foreperson stood to announce the verdict of each group. There were two verdicts in favor of the plaintiff, and one verdict returned in favor of the defendant.

A big shout out to all of the HGD players who helped with the trial:

• Judge:  the honorable Chris Hood presiding
• Bailiff:  Ken Henry
• Plaintiff:  Cameron Payne – played by Lori Prince
• Plaintiff’s Attorneys:  Anna Carroll and Jeanie Sleadd
• Defendant:  Metro City School Board, King High School Principal Lee – played by Brian Stack
• Defendants’s Attorneys:  Callen Sparrow and Desiree Dodd
• Student Bully:  CJ Smith – played by Katie Milligan
• Psychiatrist:  Dr. Rodriguez – played by Mark Ekonen
• School Counselor:  Mr. Cook – played by Tim Lawson

HGD sends out a big thanks to all of our student and faculty guests from Parker High, as well as the team members from Ed for spending time with us this week. And as the honorable Chris Hood said as the students were leaving, who knows, maybe one day ten years from now, one of our student guests will be recalling how they first got the spark for a career in law at career day at HGD in 2018.

 

KC Dada and Whitney Williams from Birmingham Education Foundation and HGDs Tzena Gauldin and Cheryl Thomas with two students from Parker.

 

Erik Heninger welcomes Parker High students to HGDs career day

Firm Administrator, Tzena Gauldin, welcomes the students

Attorney Anna Carroll gives the opening statement for the plaintiff.

Attorney Jeanie Sleadd questions plaintiff, Cameron Payne (played by Lori Prince).

Anna Carroll questions Dr. Rodriguez (played by Mark Ekonen).

Defense attorney, Callen Sparrow, cross-examines Dr. Rodriguez.

 

The post HGD Hosts Career Day for Parker High 9th Graders appeared first on .