Grady High School Named a National Dynasty High School Mock Trial Team

Congratulations! The Henry W. Grady High School Mock Trial program has been named a 2019 National Dynasty High School Mock Trial Team, becoming one of only two teams in the state of Georgia to earn the title.

Tied at No. 5, Grady has the singular distinction of finishing in the top 10 at the National High School Mock Trial Championships for four consecutive years. Grady also is the only APS school to earn the title.

To be considered a dynasty, a school must have appeared in the top 10 for at least three years in a row, and must have had at least one of those years in the top three places.

Armed with a four-year run in the top 10 at the National High School Mock Trial Championships, Grady joins Jonesboro High School as one of only two Georgia schools to earn the distinction as a National Dynasty High School Mock Trial Team. Grady has earned the prestigious designation for the past two decades.

Established in 1995, the team is comprised of current Grady students from all grade levels. Over the years, students have received coaching assistance from lawyers across the Atlanta legal community, as well as teachers from Grady High School.

Mentored by Head Attorney Coach Carl Gebo, students spend countless hours learning courtroom procedure, rules of evidence and preparing their case for “trial.”

Through the mock trial case preparation process, students also develop and sharpen their abilities to think logically and critically, to argue persuasively and passionately, and to write clearly and succinctly.

Gebo praised the students for their hard work, dedication and commitment.

“The Grady High School Mock Trial Program is not and has never been about collecting trophies or titles,” he said. “It has always been and will always be about getting high school students to commit passionately, to prepare well, to fight hard and clean and shake hands afterwards, to push their limits, to expand their reach, to be excellent, and to measure themselves against their own capabilities and not the subjective perspectives of others — whatever the outcome.”