Eudora Kean High School Wins Annual Moot Court Competition

The Appellee team from Eudora Kean High School, comprised of KiAndre Thomas, Dorrencia Gray, and Jahveed George and coached by Attorney Melanie Turnbull, won the recently-held 25th Annual Virgin Islands High School Appellate Moot Court Competition, sponsored by the Virgin Islands Bar Association (VIBA).

The competition included a total of 12 teams competing from the St. Croix Central High School, Good Hope Country Day School, St. Croix Seventh Day Adventist School, Charlotte Amalie High School, Antilles, School, All Saints Cathedral High School, and Ivanna Eudora Kean High School. 

The moot court contest provided an opportunity for high school seniors in the territory to vie for scholarship prizes by presenting oral arguments in which they analyzed relevant legal issues in a mock appellate court proceeding, according to the bar. Members of the V.I. Bar Association and school faculty mentored the students and advised the teams regarding the substance and presentation of their arguments.

During the first two days of competition, each team presented their arguments to a three-judge panel comprised of local attorneys who selected the top two teams from each district. On Thursday, the final day of competition, the selected teams presented their arguments before a three-judge panel comprised of Judge Robert Molloy, Judge Douglas Brady and U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller from the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands and the District Court of the Virgin Islands, respectively. This year the students were presented with a challenging hypothetical case involving a Syrian immigrant seeking asylum and withholding of removal based on a fear of persecution in Syria. These issues directly implicate timely and relevant legal issues in our national and local communities. 

Second Place was awarded to the Appellee team from St. Croix Central High School, comprised of Laurie Cedeno, Patricia Zablan, and Indeyah Todman coached by Attorneys Kelvin Vialet and Chloe Sellers. Third Place was awarded to the Appellant team from All Saints Cathedral School, comprised of Kejuan Harrigan, Kimorah-Lin Blackett, and Kejuan Harrigan coached by Attorney Tina Commissiong. Fourth Place was awarded to the Appellee team from Good Hope Country Day School, comprised of Avery White, Nia Canton, and Nayan Bansal coached by Attorney Michael Rogers. The award for Best Oralist was presented to Good Hope Country Day School student Avery White. 

President of the V.I. Bar Association, Chivonne A.S. Thomas, congratulated the students, attorney coaches, teachers and parents of the competing students.

“On behalf of the members of the V.I. Bar Association, we hope that the Moot Court Competition was an unforgettable and enriching experience for the participating students,” she said.