TULALIP — It was the first-ever statewide mock trial for eight-graders, and not only did the 10th Street School win, it won by so much that it actually agreed to share some of its awards.

“We swept first, second and third place, but we deferred recognition in exchange for an overall first-place rating, so that other teams could get recognized as well,” teacher Eric Hanson said. “We were also singled out as having the best witness, and many of our students were nominated for best attorney.”

Hanson’s eighth-grade students have participated for seven years in mock trial, which is part of YMCA’s Youth & Government program. The state-level competition in Spokane March 5 saw eight teams enter.

“They’d been waffling for years on opening state competitions to middle-schoolers, because they’re supposedly not capable of higher-level thinking,” Hanson said.

March 20 will see the students demonstrating their skills in Olympia, as part of an exhibition match, and Hanson is optimistic that the state Supreme Court might even get a chance to witness his kids in action.

Hanson credited his students’ success to exhaustive preparation and their improvisational ability.

“They have to know the material, but still be ready to throw it all out at a moment’s notice,” Hanson said. “They’re trained to consider all possibilities.”

Student Zoe Coates agreed, noting that you have to “think quick” when you’re a witness being cross-examined, while classmate Preston Parsons admitted, “It’s a lot harder to think when you’re nervous.”

While Zoe sees the mock trials as “a great opportunity to learn how the law is practiced,” other students appreciated the more immediate benefits.

“My arguing skills have gone from zero to a hundred,” Alex Reyes said. “I know I can win, because I have better ways of explaining myself.”

“And staying calm,” agreed Preston. “The only problem is, I can’t watch Judge Judy and think it’s real now.”