Academic Enrichment Programs
PROGRAM STRUCTURE GRADE
Get Lit Club 9 – 12
Mock Trial, High School Club 9 – 12
Mock Trial, Middle School Club 6 – 8
Model United Nations (UN) Club 9 – 12
Speech & Debate Club 8 – 12
Academic Decathlon Class 9 - 12
Academic Decathlon Class 9 - 12
MOCK TRIAL, HIGH SCHOOL CLUB
Grades: 9 -12 Description
In 1980, Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF) introduced the Mock Trial program (which already had a strong following in Los Angeles County) to all the counties in California. The program was created to help students acquire a working knowledge of our judicial system, develop analytical abilities and communication skills, and gain an understanding of their obligations and responsibilities as participating members of our society. The program currently involves 36 California counties. To learn more, visit http://www.crf-usa.org/mock-trial-program/what-is-mock-trial
Program Management
Teacher Sponsor: TBD
Admin Sponsor: TBD
Coach: TBD
Student Leadership: TBD
Fundraising: Student sell things or other fundraising events.
Term, Frequency and Location
Term: Fall Semester, ending by mid-November
Frequency: Two afternoons a week after school at LACES and then at least two weekends in October. Less practice for witnesses, more for lawyers and more practices as the season unfolds. Late September, all of October and then November for the competitions.
Location: TBD
Communications Mock Trial tryouts are announced in homeroom, usually in September. Communication with parents and students are through a dedicated FB page. Competitions There are several rounds of trial competition that take place at the Los Angeles County Courthouse. Students leave school at 4pm to arrive for the start of competition at 5. Competitions end between 8 – 9 PM.
Teacher Sponsor Coordinates with MT coach, works with students and coach on practice schedules. Attends competition in Downtown. Helps recruit students and mentors students as they promote, grow the club and sustain a Mock Trial High School Team. Teacher provides room.
Parent Requirements and Involvement Parents provide transportation to weekend practices and competitions, frequently car pools are arranged through the FB page. Parent quote: “My son was very excited to participate in Mock Trial. Auditions were very competitive. Each year he has really enjoyed being a part of a defense or prosecution team that was developing a strategy for winning its case in competition with other L.A. County schools. The tight camaraderie of the teams was wonderful. The teams are made up of students of different grades, so as a younger student he benefited from the expertise of the older, more experienced team members. Competing in real courtrooms, in front of real lawyers/judges in the Mosk Superior Courthouse downtown gave him the opportunity to see first-hand what it would be like to be a lawyer. “
MOCK TRIAL, A MIDDLE SCHOOL CLUB
MOCK TRIAL, A MIDDLE SCHOOL CLUB
Grades: 6 - 8 Description
- In 1980, Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF) introduced the Mock Trial program, which already had a strong following in Los Angeles County, to all the counties in California. The program was created to help students acquire a working knowledge of our judicial system, develop analytical abilities and communication skills, and gain an understanding of their obligations and responsibilities as participating members of our society. The program currently involves 36 California counties. To learn more, visit http://www.crf-usa.org/mock-trial-program/what-is-mock-trial
Program Management
Coach: TBD
Student Leadership: TBD
Fundraising: Students sell things after school and other fundraising enterprises.
Term, Frequency and Location
Term: Fall Semester, ending by mid-November
Frequency: TBD
Location: TBD
Communications Teacher sets schedule with MT Coaches and uses Schoology to communicate with students and parents.
Competitions There are several rounds of trial competition that take place at the Los Angeles County Courthouse. Students leave school at 4p to arrive for the start of competition at 5p. Competitions end between 8 – 9 PM.
Teacher Sponsor: Coordinates with MT coach, works with students and coach on practice schedules. Attends competition in Downtown Courthouse. Helps recruit students and mentors students as they promote, grow the club and sustain a Mock Trial High School Team. Teacher provides room. Parent Requirements and Involvement Parents provide transportation to weekend practices and competitions, frequently car pools are arranged through the FB page.
MODEL UNITED NATIONS (MODEL UN) CLUB
Grades: 9 - 12 Description
- Model United Nations is an authentic simulation of the UN General Assembly, UN Security Council, or other multilateral body, which introduces students to the world of diplomacy, negotiation, and decision making. At Model UN, students step into the shoes of ambassadors of countries that are members of the UN, from Argentina to Zimbabwe. The students, better known as “delegates”, debate current issues on the organization’s vast agenda. They prepare draft resolutions, plot strategy, negotiate with supporters and adversaries, resolve conflicts, and navigate the UN’s rules of procedure – all in the interest of resolving problems that affect the world. Some students also participate in UCLA Summer Institute Model UN Program. For more information, visit http://www.unausa.org/global-classrooms-model-un
Program Management
Teacher: Ms. Van Wonterghem
Coach: TBD
Student Leadership: TBD
Fundraising: Students generate additional funding as their Model UN Club sells items at club fundraising days.
Term, Frequency and Location
Term: Yearlong
Frequency: Weekly practices, Thursdays.
Location: TBD
Communications
Teacher Sponsor: Coordinates with Model UN national organization, works with students and coach on practice schedules. Attends Model UN Local Conferences. Helps recruit students and mentors students as they promote, grow the club and sustain a LACES Model UN Team. Teacher provides room. Competitions Students attend three to five conferences throughout the year. There are conference fees ($20-$60) and UCLA offers Title 1 discount. Parent Requirements and Involvement Parents provide transportation to conferences, award ceremonies and help coordinate logistics for conferences and hotel registration, as needed.
SPEECH & DEBATE CLUB
Grades: 8 - 12 Description The National Speech and Debate Association, formerly the National Forensic League, is an interscholastic speech and debate organization serving middle and high schools, and college students in the United States. LACES is a member of the Association and specifically a member of the Western Bay Forensic League (WBFL), members schools are from South Bay and West LA. Through the club, students develop and improve their public speaking, critical thinking, and argumentation skills. The program is split into two teams, a speech team and a debate team, each with their own coaches and practice schedules. Throughout the school year, both teams compete regularly against other schools in regional tournaments and attend state wide competitions.
Program Management
Teacher: Ms. Hong
Student Leadership: TBD
Fundraising: Various school-approved sales, e.g. photobooth, selling cookies. Funds cover tournament fees for individual and/or school entries in tournaments. Funds have also been spent on League fees.
Term, Frequency and Location
Term: Yearlong
Frequency: Weekly practices, Mondays for Debate, Fridays for Speech (subject to change each term)
Location: TBD
Communications Club leadership notify students through posters and homeroom announcements, as well we through Schoology and email. Competitions
LACES travels to WBFL tournaments but there are also Invitational Tournaments in and out of the state.
Parent Requirements and Involvement Parents can provide monetary donations and donation of time, specifically in transportation and judging in tournaments.
GET LIT CLUB Grades: 9 – 12
Description Get Lit is a county-wide poetry curriculum whose mission is to "[fuse] classic and spoken word poetry to increase teen literacy and cultivate enthusiastic learners emboldened to inspire social consciousness in diverse communities." LACES students who wish to be on the team, choose a classic poem to memorize and perform from the Get Lit Anthology for that year (classic poems are excellent poems, not necessarily old poems). Students then write and respond to the classic poem with an original poem that they memorize and perform. Auditions are held in early spring semester and are open to high school students. Six poets are chosen to work together to go to competition in late April.https://getlit.orgProgram Management
Admin Sponsor: Ms. Derdzinske and Ms. Sandberg
Coach: TBD
Student Leadership TBD
Fundraising: Required
Term, Frequency and Location
Term: Spring semester before competition, which occurs at end of Spring semester
Frequency: Three-month period
Location: Classroom of the teacher/sponsor
Communications There is a Get Lit auditorium announcement and show, where the players talk about the program and read poetry in order to expand the reach of the program and notify the students about tryouts. Competitions Get Lit Classic Slam
Parent Requirements and Involvement Parents must sign off on a field trip slip for the students to go to the competition, and to allow students on the team to stay after school for practice during the two weeks before the competition.
SCIENCE BOWL Grades: 6 – 8 and 9 - 12
Description Science Bowl is a quiz show competition. Schools compete locally. The winner of the regional competition gets an all expenses paid trip to the national competition in D.C. Questions are on all the sciences and math.
Program Management
Coach: Mr. Noguchi
Student Leadership: TBD
Fundraising:
Term, Frequency and Location
- Fall semester until the competition (January for middle school, February for high school) - unless we win, then it's until Nationals are over in April or May.
- Frequency: Middle School - 2 times per week; High School - 3 times per week
- Location: Blue Building
Communications Competitions - CalState LA (middle School) and LADWP headquarters (high school)
Teacher Support: Coordinates with regional organization, works with students and coach on practice schedules. Helps recruit students and mentors students as they promote, grow the club and sustain a Science Bowl LACES Team. Teacher provides room.
Parent Requirements and Involvement – None required, except as drivers to the competitions
Academic Decathlon 9 - 12th
Description -
The United States Academic Decathlon (USAD) is a team-based academic competition for high school students. It emphasizes academic excellence across a wide range of subjects. Here are some key features of the competition:
1. Team Composition: Each team typically consists of nine students, categorized into three groups based on their grade point averages: Honor, Scholastic, and Varsity.
2. Curriculum: The competition covers ten categories: Art, Economics, Essay, Interview, Language and Literature, Mathematics, Music, Science, Social Science, and Speech. Each year, these subjects are integrated into a central theme, such as "The Cold War" or "The 1960s."
3. Testing and Performance: Students are tested in multiple-choice exams, essays, and performances. They also participate in interviews and deliver speeches as part of the competition.
4. Scoring: The competition is scored with an emphasis on academic tests and performances, rewarding in-depth knowledge, analytical skills, and the ability to think critically under pressure.
5. Levels of Competition: USAD features local, state, and national levels of competition, culminating in the national finals where teams from across the country compete for top honors.
The Academic Decathlon provides students with an opportunity to excel academically, develop teamwork skills, and gain recognition for their intellectual accomplishments.
Teacher/Coach - Mr. Contreras
Request class trough the counselor once the student has spoken to Mr. Contreras.
Competitions are in January and February