District approves plans for new multi-use classrooms
Of all the places for a courtroom to be built, a high school may not seem to be the most likely choice — but on Sept. 9, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District (PVPUSD) Board of Education approved a move to build a courtroom at Peninsula.
The courtroom, which will be situated in rooms S21 and S22, will primarily be used by Teen Court. The room is also projected to be used by other student groups such as Mock Trial, Speech and Debate and Model United Nations, along with parent and faculty groups such as the Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) and various Booster Clubs.
Previously, Teen Court sessions held at school took place in the College Career Center (CCC).
“We’d have to set the CCC up with 125 chairs, and it was very cramped,” Principal Mitzi Cress said. “My goal is to get groups unrelated to a college and career focus out of the College Career Center, because it’s kind of become ‘Hotel CCC’ — you go down there and there’s a PTSA meeting, an Athletic Booster Club meeting…it just got out of hand.”
The courtroom’s creation was proposed by Superior Court Judge Steven Van Sicklen. The local bar association has pledged $18,000 to assist in construction. Given the very recent approval for the project, construction has not yet begun.
The courtroom is expected to make Teen Court function in a more professional atmosphere and to help other groups such as Mock Trial practice for competition.
“With the courtroom, we’ll be able to practice efficiently and effectively, since everything will be the exact same way it is at competition,” senior and Mock Trial member Rachel Oda said.
Though the first teen court was on Sept. 23, and the courtroom was not yet ready for use, staff and students are optimistic for the future.
“It’s really nice to have the administration’s support,” Tootell said, “and now the district’s support, and of course the community’s support in providing the donations to get it constructed. We’re just excited and ready to get in there.”
