CLARKESVILLE, Ga. — Order in the court.
Third-grade students in the Habersham County Schools Discovery Program traded their classroom seats for courtroom benches Feb. 18, stepping inside the Habersham County Courthouse to put a familiar fairy-tale character on trial.
The gifted enrichment program, based at Habersham County Schools’ Discovery Center at Fairview Elementary School, organized the mock trial as a hands-on civic learning experience. Students are transported from their home schools to the Discovery Center one day each week to participate in interdisciplinary enrichment focused on critical thinking, research and communication skills.
A fairy tale meets the justice system
In the case before the court, Goldilocks faced charges of breaking and entering, trespassing and destruction of property at the Bear family home.
Classmates took on key roles in the courtroom drama. Students portrayed Goldilocks, Mama Bear, Papa Bear, Baby Bear and even a forest ranger. A student jury listened to testimony, examined the facts and weighed arguments before reaching a verdict.
According to the prosecution, the Bear family returned home to find Goldilocks had entered without permission, sampled their food, broken Baby Bear’s chair and fallen asleep in one of the beds.
The defense argued Goldilocks was a lost and exhausted little girl who meant no harm and made poor decisions out of fear and confusion.
The goal, educators said, was to allow students to experience an authentic court environment while acting out a legal case in an age-appropriate way.
Real judges, real courtroom
The trial was organized and presided over by the Honorable Lori Pearson, chief juvenile
court judge of the Mountain Judicial Circuit. Pearson guided students through courtroom procedures, explaining each step of the judicial process while maintaining the structure of a real trial.
The Honorable Brian Rickman, presiding judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals, also participated. Rickman led the jury through deliberations and later spoke with students about the appeals process, describing how cases can move to higher courts for further review.
Legal professionals from across the circuit helped bring the experience to life. Jessica Martin served as prosecutor, Kerry Morris acted as defense attorney, Jami Dailey served as court reporter, Richard Sinclair as bailiff, Eric Luders represented the Sheriff’s Office and MaryBeth Hopkins acted as clerk of court.
Throughout the proceedings, students practiced public speaking, critical thinking and collaboration while learning courtroom roles, legal terminology and the importance of listening carefully before reaching a decision.
Beyond the regular classroom
The Discovery Program is a gifted resource pullout model serving elementary students across the district. Its goals include extending learning opportunities, developing individual potential and fostering independent, lifelong learners.
Georgia’s gifted eligibility process requires a collection of student data in mental ability, achievement, creativity and motivation. At the Discovery Center, instruction emphasizes critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving through integrated units of study with a focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, enhanced by the arts.
By transforming a beloved fairy tale into a civic lesson inside their own county courthouse, students gained more than a day out of school. They left with a firsthand look at how the justice system works in their community — and a deeper understanding of the rule of law.
