Charles Skinner, a junior at North Penn, is trying to maximize his time at school with all things law and order. Skinner says he has always found law, or more specifically debating with people, a fascinating subject. He has become one of the most involved students in this particular area of expertise and he’s only getting started.
“Let’s say you have this problem, and you need to try to figure out within their parameters and how to solve it,” Skinner stated. “It’s very interesting to me, the mechanics of it.”
Last year as a sophomore, Skinner was able to find a community that shared his interest through Mock Trial. This club, which has grown massively in popularity throughout the years, is an interactive hyper realistic look at the American judicial system that helps students practice their communication skills and use their ability to analyze real world situations. Club members are able to participate in practice trials that contain hypothetical criminal cases. Here Skinner was able to adapt his inclination for law and talk to other students who shared the interest.
While participating in this club Skinner also joined Model UN for the similar appeal of roleplaying diplomats for democracy. As for electives he has also tacked on the Debate semester course to improve his argumentation skills.
“I like to debate and I think that it can test people’s true mental acuity as people,” Skinner said. “I think it’s essential to debate because the world has a lot of issues, you’ve got to figure out how to formulate the best solutions to them.”
Besides his active role in many clubs, Skinner has also been on the Boys Tennis team for the past three years now, and he hopes they make the playoffs this year. His natural affluence for the sport has led to his success on the courts, which he will continue to foster in the upcoming spring season.
“I’ve always had tennis. I’ve been playing it for about half my life now,” Skinner noted.
While Skinner is unsure if law school is in his future, he is certain that furthering his education is a must, and he still has two more years at North Penn to figure out what lies ahead. Skinner is not only a refreshingly avid learner but also a testament to how North Penn’s wide array of electives and extracurricular can positively impact students.