Kennewick — High school students from Richland, Kennewick, Southridge and Tri-Cities Prep are competing today in the YMCA Mock Trial competition at the Benton County Justice Center in Kennewick.

Today's competition is for the Benton/Franklin District, according to a release. The winning teams will go on to the state competition in Olympia in March.

Student teams will prepare and argue cases before presiding judges while also being evaluated by a jury of attorneys.

The competition is meant to give students in the mock trial program a chance to be in a true-to-life courtroom scenario while learning about the law, critical and analytical thinking and oratory skill.

The competition goes until 4 p.m. this afternoon. The awards ceremony will be at 5 p.m. in Courtroom B.