HELENA — It’s not every day you see teammates go head-to-head for a state title, but that’s exactly what happened for Helena High School's mock trial teams, and now they are being honored by the Montana Supreme Court for that standout finish.
Madelyn Heath reports - watch the video here:
“I started crying, and I was just so proud of my team and how hard we work,” Gabbi Lavoie said.
Senior and club president Gabbi Lavoie says the moment was emotional but not surprising.
“The community that we have at Helena High, and it’s also the work ethic we put towards getting the championship.”
That dedication has paid off—because this marks Helena High School's seventh straight state championship.
Even facing teammates in the final round, students say the experience was unforgettable.
Student Glacia Lucchetti said, “It was kind of like a fun surprise because we knew what their case was, but it was fun to see our teammates and how well we were all doing.”
Beyond trophies and recognition by Montana’s Supreme Court, the program is building lifelong skills.
Montana Supreme Court Chief Justice Cory Swanson noted, “This is a very valuable skill for them to learn—the ability to think, analyze, to critically examine and then respond to arguments."
Now the team will head to the national championship in Des Moines, Iowa, next month.
