YHS student earns trial art honor

A keen eye in a court of law can enliven testimony especially if the witness is a participant in the Arizona High School Mock Trial program.

Amanda Mollindo, 17, a Yuma High school junior, won first place in Region I of the state's Mock Trial drawing competition. And she was runner-up at the state level judging.

The Mock Trial is co-sponsored in Yuma by the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education and the Yuma Bar Association, said Theresa Fox, deputy county attorney who organizes the competition locally.

Teams of students argue cases in front of a Superior Court judge so they can learn about the legal system through a simulated trial. And as an added feature the artistically inclined submit a drawing of a courtroom scene. A team of judges from around the state evaluates sketches based on accuracy of proportion, realism, figure/ground relationship and use of contrast.

Mock Trial increases a student's awareness of the importance of law in a democratic society and strengthens their understanding of the Constitution, Fox said.

"Amanda's drawing is outstanding. You can see the contemplation of the witness's face."

In addition to winning a plaque, Mollindo had her drawing posted on the Arizona Foundation website: www.azflse.org. Regional and state winning drawings are also displayed at the State Bar Center and the foundation offices.

Amanda said she was "pretty surprised at her win and didn't expect it at all.

"I drew a profile of one of the witnesses and in the background is the trial judge and court recorder. It was a case about a suspect in Phoenix who escaped from police and crashed his car into a train."

Amanda used charcoal pencils to do her drawing on an 18-by-11-inch sketch pad. But it was a bit tricky because unlike in an artist studio, the models do not sit still but often shift from place to place. There was also the added pressure of completing her work by the end of witness testimony.

Amanda has been drawing since preschool and was a serious artist at 7, she said. But she prefers painting to drawing and says it is really relaxing. She likes to work in acrylic paints because the colors are more intense, she said.

The Mock Trial was the first time she ever entered a drawing contest or covered a trial. What motivated her to compete was her social studies teacher Christy Wiencek, who was drawn to one of her portraits. Wiencek said she recruited Amanda because courtroom artists are needed to render portraits very quickly.

"Court artists are needed in high-profile cases when cameras and video are not allowed in the courtroom. Artists are the public's eye on the courtroom and an elite handful. Amanda brings out the emotion of the procedure, whether it's intense or lighthearted."

Wiencek said many students in high school are interested in all facets of law from the attorneys to judges, law enforcement or court officers. And by participating in the Mock Trial, students are exposed to the legal environment and it helps them with their speaking skills, she said.

"It also encourages students to do research, do legal training and work in teams. It basically creates a mini law firm in my classroom."

Wiencek added that Amanda conveys her courtroom scenes with precise accuracy and shows a truly advanced degree of skill at a young age.