SVHS Artist to Represent County in State Mock Trial Competition

Austin Yungmeyer has been into art every since he was a little kid and his dad, also an artist, first began to teach him to paint. And though watercolor painting is his favorite medium, he is now being recognized on a state level for his realistic drawings.

Austin, a senior, will travel to Sacramento on Friday, March 23 to compete as a courtroom artist, representing Santa Cruz County, during this year’s California State Mock Trial competition.

“I was really excited when I heard [I won]. My heart was pounding before they announced it,” Austin said. “It was an overwhelming feeling and it meant a lot to be selected as the one to represent our county. I was very thankful for them choosing my art work.”

As an artist, his journey into the courtroom may seem an unlikely one, and it is one that came upon him quit unexpectedly as well. After watching several of his friends compete and , Austin became more aware of the courtroom artist aspect of mock trial, something he had vaguely heard of before. This inspired him to want to learn more and get involved.

“I never really understood it or knew what actually happened until I went to see them in person last year. The whole mock trial competition was just really interesting,” Austin said. “I thought it was really fun to watch and listen to, and so I decided then that I wanted to join my friends next year by being the courtroom artist.”

Austin, who takes art classes at SVHS, dabbles in several mediums of art, including watercolor, oils and drawing, but he knew mock trial would be something different. So to prepare for the competition, he says he spent the past year practicing realistic drawings. He also drew members of the SVHS mock trial team as they practiced, choosing one person and sketching them on the spot.

“Courtroom artist was new for me so I didn’t know what to expect, but I did have a goal of trying to win the county competition because last year our team went to state, and I was hoping they would go again and I could go with them,” Austin said.

This year’s county competition took place in February at the Santa Cruz County Courthouse. Despite the SVHS reigning champion team losing many of its members to graduation last year, the Falcon team was in first place going into the semi-finals where they then lost and were knocked out of the competition.

“Everybody pulled through and we did really well for a team that had a lot of new people,” Austin said.

There was still hope for Austin though since the mock trial team and courtroom artist categories are judged separately. During the competition, Austin had to draw a courtroom scene as it played out. He had as long as the trial was going on to complete the piece.

“Timing was probably my biggest issue,” he said. “As it got closer to the end and time was running out, I had to finish up drawing a witness that had already left.”

Austin says he is thrilled to be heading to Sacramento but will miss his SVHS teammates. He will instead make the journey with the Santa Cruz
High School team that placed first in the county competition.

“It’s bittersweet that my teammates aren’t going but they are happy for me and want me to represent them well,” Austin said. “I really wish that they were the ones to make it but that can’t always happen.”