PERRYSBURG – Four teams from Perrysburg Court Law and Government Explorer Post #2306 have
registered to compete in the annual statewide mock trial competition.District competition will take
place on Jan. 31. District winners will advance to the regional competition on Feb. 21. The state finals
are March 6-8 in Columbus.The Ohio Mock Trial Program, established by the Ohio Center for Law-Related
Education (OCLRE) in 1983, is a statewide educational program designed to allow students to become aware
of their constitutional rights and responsibilities. It provides students the opportunity to learn
first-hand about the law, court procedures and the judicial system while also building interpretation,
critical thinking and public speaking skills. Students who compete in the program come away with a
greater understanding of not only the principals our legal system is founded on but of themselves and
the skills they possess. Students are recognized and rewarded for their academic and intellectual
achievements.The Perrysburg Court Explorers have participated in mock trial since 2003.Members this year
include Areeb Ahmed, Ceimoani Bumrah, Ben Hirt, Steven Hugg, Michael Kepner, Ryan McConnell, Alexandra
Phlegar, Joseph Rakowski, Henry Yang, Megan Galle, Julia Gonzales, Ross Grilliot, Savannah Guy, Alex
Katko, Mahnur Khan, Kaity Laumann, Amanda Parent, Meric Pope, Noah Rossler, Emily Cottle, Michael
Gerber, Alex Leong, Sam Malhas, Zack McKenna, Alex Miller, Will Robinson, Irsyad Sjah, Clara Thornberry,
Niara Williams, William Baldoni Jordan, Alex Buzzell, Nate Dobbs, Ali Kopp, Alisa Leong, Nehal Methi,
Alisha Ohanian, Nathan Rowland Miller and Savannah Stein.In this year’s case, Phillips High School
agrees to license naming rights of its field to a large corporation. In response, students organize
protests both in school and on the field. The school district responds by installing security cameras,
searching lockers of the students involved and filing a lawsuit seeking an order authorizing the school
to remove the students from the field. The students claim that the school district’s actions violated
their First and Fourth Amendment rights.