Steel Valley Students Participate in Traffic Safety Mock Trial

Steel Valley High School students recently participated in a hands-on Mock Trial experience led by the Honorable Magisterial District Judge Patrick Campbell. Prior to the event, students were issued a variety of simulated traffic citations, including reckless driving, speeding, running red lights, and other related offenses. One student also faced a more serious charge of Driving Under the Influence, while another received a non-traffic citation for harassment at school.

During the mock proceedings, law enforcement officers, including Tyler Chandler and Daniel Boehme of Munhall, Bobbie Bertalan of the Allegheny County Police, and Trooper Melinda Bondarenka of the Pennsylvania State Police, provided testimony supporting the citations. Students were then required to respond to and, in some cases, defend their actions in a realistic courtroom setting. Based on the testimony presented, Judge Campbell issued consequences ranging from warnings with strong advisories to more serious penalties such as fines, points on a license, and license suspension. In the harassment case, the student was issued a 90-day no-negative-contact order and required to return to court at a later date, at which time a final determination of either a warning or a fine would be made.

Following the proceedings, students enjoyed pizza and cookies while engaging in informal conversation with Judge Campbell, the participating officers, AAA Safety Advisor Terrie Rae Anthony, and the school’s Athletic/Activities director, Mr. McCallister. This provided an opportunity for students to ask questions, gain insight, and reflect on the experience.

“This group of students really impressed me with their preparation and poise,” said Mrs. McCallister, the Student Council sponsor who organized the field trip. “We even had one student intentionally portray a disrespectful and unprepared defendant, which provided a valuable learning moment when Judge Campbell addressed the importance of appropriate courtroom behavior and respect for the judicial process. This interactive program was designed to increase awareness of laws and encourage responsible decision-making among students. We are very thankful for Judge Campbell and all of the officers involved for inviting our students to participate in such a meaningful experience.”

Participants were Peter Bos, Camron Carter, Theo Coyne, Andy Diep, Kalynn Gray, Aubrey Guciardo, Anajai Holden, Rebekah Kleiber, Sophia Madeja, Shaterra Meadows, Amari Randall, Amir Randall, Lily Wright, and Paige Yura.