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Lakeland Christian School’s (LCS) Mock Trial team won first place at the National High School Mock Trial Championship held May 7-9, 2026, in Des Moines, Iowa.
LCS beat Georgia in the final round, bringing the title back to Florida for the first time since 1992. Zack Branham, 17, earned a Top Attorney award.
“I’m so proud of them. They have worked so incredibly hard,” said Rep. Jennifer Canady, Director of the RISE Institute at LCS. “Chasity Branham, their coach, is an extraordinary leader, and for our whole community, we’re just celebrating.”
Teams from 44 states tried the fictional case, “Estate of Jo Gorman v. The Storm Chase, LLC,” in this year’s competition. Students took on the roles of attorneys, witnesses, timekeepers, and courtroom journalists and artists.
“This is a program that has been successful since 2014,” Canady said. “This was a year that — sometimes the opportunities just come together. This was a tremendously talented team, and this was their moment.”
Skills for the future
Founded in 1984, the National High School Mock Trial Championship promotes “an understanding and appreciation of the American judicial system through academic competitions and other endeavors for students.”
It brings together the top team from each state, showcasing the nation’s best student advocates in a rigorous courtroom competition judged by attorneys and sitting judges.
Canady said many students involved in mock trial go on to become attorneys or work in adjacent fields. “They’re using the skills that they’ve built, whether it’s communication or even just the confidence that they build,” Canady said. “There are a lot of young people in Lakeland that grew up in this program, and it’s been such a blessing to watch them do extraordinary things, really all over the country.”
Community behind the team
Before heading to nationals, the team at LCS earned top honors in the state at the Florida High School Mock Trial Competition, held in March at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando. The team beat top teams from across Florida’s judicial circuits. Griffin Byrd, 18, earned Top Witness honors, and Zack Branham was named Overall Best Attorney.
Community leaders and supporters ensured the LCS team had the resources needed during their journey to their national championship. The legal community within Florida’s 10th Judicial Circuit, including Circuit Judge Melissa Gravitt and a number of attorneys, assisted the team during preparation.
“A lot of really talented, busy people helped, and when the resources of the community come together to support young people, you see that really, Lakeland, Florida is world class — always has been,” Canady said. “When we all work together to support students, really, really special things happen, and I think that’s the case here.”
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