PRESS RELEASE

LAS VEGAS, NV – August 18, 2015 – Las Vegas high school students who want to study pre-law, government and public affairs or non-profit management will now be able to practice their skills in a real courtroom as Faith Lutheran Middle School & High School debuts the Crusader Justice and Advocacy Mock Trial Courtroom. The new mock trial courtroom is a training tool for the school’s Justice & Advocacy Academy (J & A Academy) and is part of a $1.8 million, 8,720 square foot expansion that besides the mock courtroom, includes an additional five classrooms to be used in a variety of settings.

Faith Lutheran Middle School & High School will celebrate the opening of the school’s new Crusader Justice & Advocacy Mock Trial Courtroom with a special ceremony on Aug. 31 at 9:15 a.m., at the school’s campus at 2015 Hualapai Way. U.S. Congressman Joe Heck will be the special guest speaker.

The Justice & Advocacy Mock Trial Courtroom includes an 8 foot screen and projector, a 65” television for video presentations, multiple speakers and microphones to record competitions and practices. The 1,500 square foot custom built mock trial courtroom also offers a platform and seat for the judge, table and seats for the prosecution and defense, a jury box and a jury deliberation room.

“Our Justice & Advocacy Academy students will now have the opportunity to receive valuable courtroom training by local judges and attorneys in a real courtroom,” said Jocelyne Uy, Faith Lutheran’s Justice & Advocacy Academy director who in February helped lead the school’s Mock Trial team to a state championship title for the first time in the school’s 37 year history.

Faith Lutheran’s J & A Academy is designed for the strongest students, whose superior verbal, analytical, debate and public speaking skills will enable them to excel in the top colleges and universities. Students in J & A must maintain a weighted GPA of 3.5 or above in core classes, and continually participate in Mock Trial, Moot Court, We the People, Model United Nations or Trial by Peers. Completion of a 50-hour internship program is also required.  J & A Academy classes include Persuasion and Argument, Sociology, Forensic Science and Trial & Appellate Advocacy. Students who meet Faith Lutheran’s J & A Academy requirements will be awarded an endorsement seal on their transcript, attracting the attention of top rated university admission personnel. Currently over 80 students are participating in the Academy.

The Crusader Justice and Advocacy Mock Trial Courtroom is part of Build Faith, a $60 million project that includes the state-of-the-art Crusader Competition Center, expansion of facilities and eventually a STEM academy, aquatic center and a dedicated middle school.

“We’re excited about the growth we’ve achieved at Faith Lutheran. In the last five years we’ve expanded our campus by 60,000 square feet, and added a state-of-the-art athletic competition center, an artificial turf soccer field, football practice field and a solar energy project to meet the diverse needs of our students,” said Dr. Steve Buuck, CEO of Faith Lutheran Middle School & High School.

About Faith Lutheran Middle School & High School
Faith Lutheran Middle School & High School, the largest non-public school in Nevada and the largest Lutheran school in the United States, will welcome over 1,700 students for the 2015 – 2016 academic year. Faith’s 50 acre campus is located near Downtown Summerlin. The school offers traditional college preparatory curriculum and specialized technical and creative academies including STEM, Justice & Advocacy, Business Leadership and Entrepreneurship, the School of Film and Broadcast, and the Conservatory of Fine Arts. For more information, visit www.FaithLutheranLV.org.