Greta Jones is a 16-year-old student at Jefferson Academy Secondary School in south Broomfield, and this year, she was part of a school mock trial team that competed at the state level this season.

In a mock trial competition, teams of students act out a fictional legal trial where each student plays a part, including roles such as attorney and witnesses.

Jones said that at the state competition, the fun never faltered — but mock trial still takes serious work from the students.

The competition requires students to combine acting skills, debate skills and knowledge of legal procedures.

Jones joined the mock trial team in November last year. She told the Daily Camera about her experience on the team.What inspired you to join the mock trial team?

I ended up on the team because the current team members selected me as a candidate and sent an invitation. At the time I was unsure because I was still in the middle of cross country and I was hesitant to sacrifice 10-15 hours a week for the club. In the end I joined and realized that it was not as intimidating as I imagined.

What case did the mock trial students portray in competition this season?

This year the case was about an 18-year-old high school student (Jordan Peterson) who followed a beauty “hack” by a popular influencer. The influencer instructed their audience to use an oral supplement as a nasal spray to open up their pores and observe glowing skin afterwards. In trying this hack, Jordan permanently lost her sense of smell … because of chemical damage. However, the case was not that simple; it had plenty of nuances and contradictions that really made it interesting. For example, the influencer, Riley Quinn, never actually tried the hack they promoted and instead portrayed a similar substance with safer materials. Jordan herself had long-standing sinus problems that could have amplified the effects of the hack and means she might bear some of the negligence, too.

What was your role in this season’s trial?

I was a plaintiff witness this year, Jordan Peterson, the driving character on the plaintiff side of the case. My job was simple: make the jury feel sympathy for my situation and make Riley Quinn look guilty. I learned to portray a character like I was Jordan Peterson, not like I was acting. I would grab a tissue from off of the witness stand as I would leave and look pitiful from my spot at the plaintiff table. It was honestly really a lot of fun to get so into character and perform.

What have you enjoyed the most about being on the team?

My favorite thing about being on the mock trial team has been the people. When you spend so much time together “running the marathon” as my coach says, then you tend to make friends with the people you are with. Everyone was so fun to be around and the jokes that emerge still make me snicker under my breath when I think of them. The happiness that we felt as a team when we won regionals was the type of happiness that I don’t think I’ve felt before. The tears and the shouts of joy were elating after working so hard.

How do you think your experience on the mock trial team will help you as you move forward in school and beyond?

As I move forward, I think the most obvious skill that will carry through would be the ability to publicly speak and communicate effectively. Aside from speaking, I’ll be taking a deeper understanding of the justice system and how the law is played out in real courtrooms and how it is constantly affecting real people. I think it is important to have a good understanding of how our nation processes trials civilly and criminally as citizens who are constantly absorbing the news.