On Feb. 17, Oak Park High School’s Mock Trial team won the Ventura County Mock Trial competition. 

On March 8, Dr. Victor Anderson, who is often referred to as “DA” by his students, was caught seeing double when he met with another DA. This DA of course being Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko. Nasarenko was invited to campus by OPUSD superintendent Dr. Jeff Davis. 

“Mr. Nasarenko was very excited to accept my invitation to speak to our county championship team and to meet Dr. Anderson. Back in the 1980’s Mr. Nasarenko was one of my students at El Camino Real High School, so personally it was very gratifying to see him attain the professional status that he has attained and yet still find the time in his busy schedule to interact with our students,” Davis wrote to the Talon.  

Nasarenko came to the OPHS campus to congratulate the mock trial team on their success and to prepare them for State competitions that lay on the horizon. Davis, along with Assistant Principal Natalie Smith, guided Nasarenko around campus, discussing the success of the team and meeting with the student-led team itself. 

“I found the campus to be clean, scenic and well-maintained. The faculty was very welcoming, with Superintendent Davis and Assistant Principal Smith taking me around the campus. And the mock trial students were really engaged in the discussion and asking intelligent questions,” Nasarenko wrote to the Talon. “The team wanted to know what it was like to be a trial attorney and my ideas and recommendations for preparing for that grueling process. I explained that trial requires total concentration and commitment, with exhaustive preparation as the cornerstone.”

Sandhya Sridhar, senior, attorney, and co-captain of OPHS’s Mock Trial, was grateful for Nasarenko’s visit and learned a lot from it. 

“I’d say the main thing that stood out to me about what he said was how whether you’re a prosecuting attorney or a defense attorney, you have a duty to uphold the strength of law and continuously keep the system in check,” Sridhar said. 

Nasarenko also gave students tips for the state finals. 

“Having judged the semi-finals of this year’s Mock Trial Competition, Mr. Nasarenko gave specific suggestions on Pre-Trial arguments, Direct Examinations, Cross Examinations and Witness interactions with attorneys.  These precise tips will serve us well representing Ventura County in the State Finals,” Anderson wrote to the Talon. 

The Oak Park team will compete at the California Mock Trial contest from March 17 to March 20. 

“I look forward to our students putting forth a great effort at the state Mock Trial competition. I have no doubt that our Oak Park students will put in the necessary preparation ahead of time to represent our Oak Park community very well,” Davis wrote to the Talon. 

“Go get them OPHS!” Nasarenko wrote to the Talon.