Centennial High Rises to the Top in a New Era of Kern County Mock Trials

The Kern County Board of Supervisors Chambers buzzed with anticipation as high school students filed into their seats Wednesday evening. Months of preparation came down to the final round of carefully timed objections. But this year’s Mock Trial competition brought more than the usual adrenaline — it introduced a new system designed to make competition more transparent and equitable than ever before.

The program underwent significant revisions this year, beginning with a new rule book that evaluates teams based on percentage of points won rather than total points scored. According to KCSOS Program Coordinator Zack Safi, the change was driven directly by participant feedback and was designed to create a clearer, more equitable scoring process.

One of the most visible changes was separating the final round — determining first- and second-place winners — from the traditional Super Saturday schedule. As a result, Centennial High School and Wonderful Prep Academy advanced to a standalone championship round held at the Kern County Board of Supervisors Chambers on Wednesday, Feb. 4.

The final matchup was closely watched, with energy filling the room from both sides of the gallery. Families and friends packed the left side of the chambers to cheer on Centennial, while loved ones and fellow students from Wonderful Prep Academy filled the opposite side, proudly sporting sparkly green eye tape and waving mini foam fingers in support.

The championship case, People v. Fromholz, kept the audience on edge. In the courtroom outcome, Wonderful Prep Academy prevailed as Centennial’s client, Fromholz, was found guilty by Judge Tanya Richards. However, Mock Trial winners are not determined by the verdict itself.

Despite the courtroom ruling, Centennial High School secured the higher overall score. After a close final, Centennial High School emerged as the 44th Kern County Mock Trial champions, taking home first place, and moving on to the state competition next month.

“The revised scoring system addresses long-standing concerns about clarity and consistency,” Safi said. “Coaches now know where their teams stand throughout the competition.”

Norma Procell, Mock Trial coach for Highland High School, returned to the competition after a year-long hiatus and said the difference was immediately noticeable.

Under the new system, Procell and other coaches now receive comprehensive data showing point percentages, win-loss records, strength of schedule, and how teams perform across all rounds — not just their own.

“It’s wonderful because you get to see what’s happening outside of your little world in the competition,” said Procell.

Beyond scoring updates, the Mock Trial program also saw notable growth and participation.

This year marked the first time North High School has participated in the program’s history. Meanwhile, schools like Stockdale High School expanded their presence by adding a second team. Together, these additions increased the number of teams participating from 14 to 18, further elevating the level of competition.

Tara Haner, North High School’s Mock Trial coach, says the experience had a profound impact on her students — all of whom were first-time participants.

“They learned to think on their feet and trust their peers,” Haner said. “As a coach, my greatest joy was seeing shy and insecure students grow into confident, well-spoken team players.”

Safi, who is in his first year as program coordinator, hopes to build on this momentum. His long-term goal is to expand Mock Trial to every high school in Kern County, giving more students the opportunity to participate and qualify for the State Seal of Civic Engagement.

“Mock Trial gives students a real-world understanding of the justice system and builds skills they can use for the rest of their lives,” Safi said. “We want as many students as possible to have access to that experience.”

Students echoed that sentiment. Marissa Herrera, a senior from Highland High School, described the challenge of speaking in a courtroom setting.

“I’m a pretrial attorney, so I’m not getting objected to,” Herrera said. “But being addressed by the judge can be a scary experience.”

She added that the competition reinforces preparation and adaptability.

“It definitely teaches you to be quick on your feet — to know that you’re prepared and able to ask questions and communicate effectively on the spot,” said Herrera.

In addition to traditional student roles, such as attorneys and witnesses, the program reintroduced the journalist and courtroom artist competitions this year. These categories allow students to engage creatively by documenting Mock Trial through writing and visual art.

The success of the Kern County Mock Trial program is made possible through sponsorship from the following nonprofit, government, and public agencies: Kern County Superintendent of Schools, Superior Courts of Kern County, Kern County Board of Supervisors, Kern County Sheriff’s Department, Kern County Bar Association, and Kern County Bar Association Charitable Foundation.

The program also relies on community volunteers who assist with scoring and judging. With the growing number of teams, organizers are actively seeking additional volunteers from the legal community to ensure meaningful feedback for participants.

For those interested in volunteering for next year’s Mock Trial Competition, please contact Zack Safi at zasafi@kern.org.

Centennial High’s Mock Trial team poses with their hardware.

Final Team Ranking
Centennial High School
Wonderful College Prep Academy Delano (Black)
Stockdale High School (Silver)
Stockdale High School (Black)
Centennial High School (Golden Hawks)
Highland High School
Wonderful College Prep Academy (Green)
Ridgeview High School
Delano High School
Garces High School
Bakersfield High School
Liberty High School
North High School (Red)
South High School
East Bakersfield High School
North High School (Gray)
Robert F. Kennedy High School 
Wonderful College Prep Academy Lost Hills

Courtroom Artist Winners
Keen Nguyen — Liberty High School
Robert Clegg — Liberty High School

Courtroom Journalist Winners
Faith Roberts — Centennial High School
Toni Dethlefson — Bakersfield High School

2026 Honor Court

Centennial High School
Ishaan Ghai
Samantha Haas

Wonderful College Prep Academy Delano (Black)
Preston Garza
Devin Ceja

Stockdale High School (Silver)
Kai Kim
Tanav Doddapuneni

Stockdale High School (Black)
Sophia Martin
William Plank

Centennial High School (Golden Hawks)
Jordan Lowery
Khloe Tena

Highland High School
Jasnoor Sanghera
Sophia Brown

Wonderful College Prep Academy (Green)
Saul Arreola
Chris Quintero

Ridgeview High School
Tej Singh
Christopher J. Corral

Delano High School
Brooklyn Allred
Abigail Hernandez

Garces High School
Daniel Shaw
Alex Maristany

Bakersfield High School
Jeslyn Martinez
Natalia Castillo

Liberty High School
Maren Seals
Keen Nguyen

North High School (Red)
Mollie McKinley
Sandra Villegas

South High School
Lyla Bermudez
Olivia Marquez

East Bakersfield High School
Bryan Rodriguez
Jaslene Lopez

North High School (Gray)
Bradley Dockery
Marily Diaz

Robert F. Kennedy High School 
Sheilin Elston
Caylee Cisneros

Wonderful College Prep Academy Lost Hills
Genesis Hernandez
Cristian Acevo Lara