By Tyler Tran
Maddie Garcia’s journey to becoming a lawyer started a very young age. Her decision to join mock trial in Youth and Government has given her a hands-on experience before heading to a University to further her education. Through the image (shown to the right) we go into Maddie’s journey in joining Youth and Government and ultimately overcoming challenges that has shaped her development. “Joining mock trial was my way of gaining practical experience before college. The workload has been heavy but in the end the knowledge I gain is so worth it.”, shared by Garcia. She then goes on to explain how Youth and Government is her second family in a sense that they all work together and have each other’s back. “The team is like my family. Spending extensive time together creates positive bonds. We faced challenges, including team drama where one member was disqualified due to conflict with another member, but the hard work of the team pushed us to the District Court at state competitions, Garcia emphasizes. Finally, she went on to elaborate on her greatest achievements with Youth and Government which includes winning a Mock Trial session. “In my debut year winning our first trial was a stand-out moment. It was not only memorable and fun but also served as a motivation to stay in Mock Trial for the following years. Garcia’s Journey through mock trial has been a life-changing one. She not only went through many obstacles before success but also utilized Youth and Government to its fullest extent to navigate life. As she continues to overcome these challenges, the Mock Trial and Youth Government experience was definitely a time she will never forget. The path to becoming a lawyer is far from over, but with her work ethic, she will crush any difficulties in life.
Sources: 1st Maddie Garcia of the Judical Branch 2nd “Judicial.” YMCA Texas Youth and Government, 31 Aug. 2023, ymcatexasyg.org/judicial/.
