A group of Ringgold High School students had their day in court - where they served as attorneys, witnesses and jurors.
Attired in business suits and judicial garb, and armed with legal pads, students in Rhonda Baertsch's two freshman honors English classes conducted mock trials for Medea, a figure in Greek mythology.
Medea is an ancient Greek tragedy play written by Euripides, based upon the myth of Jason and Medea and first produced in 431 B.C. The plot largely centers on Medea, her struggles with the world, and the revenge she brings against her husband, who has betrayed her for another woman, the princess Glauce.
The board room at the Ringgold administration building was transformed into a courtroom Friday, as the students brought "Medea" to trial.
Baertsch said the idea to bring the story to life came from a district initiative to develop skills through "authentic experiences" that allow students to connect to the real world.
"Rather than having them simply read the play, which is sometimes difficult to get them excited about, this experience forced them to make connections between a play written in ancient times and their lives today," Baertsch said.
"They learned research skills, principles of debate, persuasive techniques, public speaking and, most importantly, how to work together to create a team success.
"This kind of challenge creates energy and a level of engagement in the classroom that traditional classroom experiences can sometimes lack," she said.
The students spent about three weeks preparing for the trial and sending invitations to parents and the media.
"One group of students took responsibility for learning courtroom procedures and legal terminology and spent an entire class period teaching the rest of us - myself included," Baertsch said.
Their preparation was evident during the event.
"Bailiff" Maggie Norton swore in all of the witnesses before "Judge" Nicolas Greaves.
The prosecution, led by Kara Dunmire, Erik DiNardo, Olivia Meyer, Shannon Robison and Brianna C. Young, accused Medea of being a cold-blooded killer whose motive was solely revenge against her husband.
The defense team comprised Russell Blackburn, Emily Eikey, Kristen Guballa, Georgia Kennedy, Julia Konwick, and Jannell McAnulty. They argued that Medea suffers from borderline personality disorder and was insane when the killings took place.
Prosecution witness, Jason, portrayed in dramatic fashion by Francis Seliga, told the jury how Medea destroyed his life.
"She annihilated my kids," Seliga shouted as he pretended to weep.
The prosecution and defense "attorneys" called a number of witnesses, cross examining them and even proclaiming objections.
"The cross-examinations, redirects, and summations were all very impromptu and reactive," Baertsch said. "They did not receive a list of the other team's questions. We all agreed that we wanted the experience to be as authentic as possible."
In the meantime, jurors feverishly took notes. The panel comprised Dominick Affinito, Amanda Bickel, Rebecca Farquhar, Jennifer Hennel, Connor Kane, Jonathan Patz, Amber Seykoski, William Sutyak and Anthony Trocano.
While the trial took on a serious tone, it had light moments. When Medea's father, played by Angela Selby, took the witness stand, her penciled in moustache and deep voice brought giggles from throughout the "courtroom."
The witnesses included Tamika Arnold as Medea's nurse, Jennifer Tolliver as Medea, and Stephen Chappars as the doctor.
Another group of students conducted a mock trial earlier in the day.
The results from the two trials differed.
Medea was charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of her children, first-degree murder for the deaths of the princess and king, and in one class, first-degree murder in the death of her brother.
The first group found her guilty in the murders of the princess and the king (no charges filed for the brother).
The second group found her guilty of murdering her brother and the princess, but not guilty in the king's death. They decided his death was a result of negligence, did not involve premeditation and did not fit the definition of first-degree murder.
Both classes found her not guilty by reason of insanity of killing her children.
Baertsch said she is proud of her students and their hard work in preparing for the trial.
