2021 Virtual Opening Statement Competition
State v. Hungry Howie
Sponsored by:
Alabama YMCA Youth in Government
and
The Booker T. Washington Magnet High School Chapter of SkillsUSA
The Challenge:
Lost and adrift on the high seas after a storm, driven to desperation by the specter of
death by starvation, three best friends make a gruesome pact. When rescue arrives, one
of the friends is dead, and one is charged with murder and desecration of a corpse. Now
it’s your time to step up as the attorney for the prosecution or defense. Your job: capture
the jury’s interest and give them a road map for how the evidence they are about to hear
will lead them to decide the case for your side. Make your opening statement, and make it
good … this is a case of life and death!
The Competition:
The 2021 Virtual Opening Statement competition provides high school students an opportunity
to hone their opening statement, case analysis, and public speaking skills; to virtually connect
and compete with students from other schools; and to present their opening statements before
real-life judges for scoring and constructive feedback. To compete, students will create and
deliver a video recording of their opening statement for the side of their choice. Finalists chosen
from among the recorded submissions will compete before actual judges in a live virtual final
round.
Lesson plans are provided in the materials to help teachers guide students through the learning,
creation, and presentation process. The lesson plans are developed for Alabama’s Law, Public
Safety, Corrections, and Security CTE cluster, but they can easily be adapted for courses that
cover topics such as drama, theater, debate, public speaking, creative writing, government, legal
history, and ethics.
The State v. Hungry Howie case was developed by juniors and seniors in Booker T. Washington
Magnet High School Center for Law’s SkillsUSA chapter. The case is loosely inspired by
Regina v. Dudley & Stephens , 14 Q.B.D. 273 (1884), a real-life case of shipwrecked sailors
faced with a horrible ethical dilemma and perilous legal consequences.
Entry Fee:
$35 per student not participating in the Alabama Youth Judicial mock trial competition
$25 per student who is also participating in the Alabama Youth Judicial mock trial competition
Register for the Opening Statement Competition
Contest Deadlines:
Initial Video Submission Due: February 10, 2020
Final Round: March 13, 2020