August 25, 2026 — From mock trials and police cadet programs to real-world experiences with legal and public safety professionals, Cobb students are getting an early look at careers they may one day pursue. At North Cobb High School, those opportunities come to life through the school’s Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security pathway.

With 16 career clusters and more than 60 pathways, Cobb’s Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) program gives students opportunities to explore their interests, build real-world skills, and prepare for life beyond high school.  A cluster is a broad topic of study, while a pathway is a focused group of three classes within that cluster. Students can become pathway concentrators by completing two classes in a pathway or pathway completers by finishing all three. 

Students who are pathway completers earn graduation cords and diploma seals, as well as recognized industry credentials. One of Cobb's popular CTAE clusters is Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security (LPS), which is offered at several high schools across the District.

For example, North Cobb High School's LPS Pathway consists of Intro to Law, Public Safety, Security and Corrections; Criminal Justice Essentials; and Criminal Investigations. Completing the LPS pathway provides students with additional opportunities, including recommendations for college credit and workforce competency certification. North Cobb's LPS Pathway is closing the gap between high school and the real world, preparing students with 21st-century technical and employability skills.

The North Cobb LPS pathway extends learning beyond the classroom through experiences with local law enforcement, public safety agencies, and professional organizations. Students can participate in police cadet and Fire P.R.E.P. programs, volunteer with Cobb County Juvenile Peer Court, and develop leadership skills through Mock Trial and SkillsUSA. Career exploration opportunities have also taken students to programs hosted by the State Bar of Georgia and Cobb County Emergency Communications (Cobb 911). 

Two programs in particular are giving North Cobb students opportunities to compete, lead and put their classroom skills into action.

Making Their Case: Mock Trial

The Georgia High School Mock Trial (GHSMT) is made up of competitive student teams across the state, coached by Georgia Bar-certified attorneys and teachers. Students assume roles of attorneys, witnesses, and courtroom artists and compete in real courtrooms, evaluated by professional attorneys and judges at regional, district, and state championship levels before advancing to the national championship. The NCHS mock trial team, the Warrior Lawyers, is made up of a diverse group of students, including honors/gifted, Magnet, CTAE, student-athletes, and more, who practice together weekly after school. The Warrior Lawyers have made school history by qualifying for Districts twice in their regional area—in 2024 and 2026—and by winning the Craig Harding Memorial Court Artist Contest in 2025 to qualify for state competition. In three short years, the Warrior Lawyers have earned several individual Outstanding Attorney and Outstanding Witness awards during regional and district competitions.

Two Warrior Lawyers also passed the GHSMT Law Academy exam and were inducted into the Student Bar of Georgia: alumnus Kayden Williams and junior Aniyah K. Junior Emmanuel C. were accepted to attend the Law Academy this fall. Over the summer, two Warrior Lawyer team members, Aniyah K. and Lidia S., were selected through a rigorous and highly competitive application process by the Gate City Bar Association to attend the Justice Robert Benham Summer Law Program, where Aniyah won Best in Cross Examination, and Lidia won Best in Direct Examination and Best Orator. Sophomore Sydney B. was also selected to attend the SBOG Summer Diversity Pipeline program. Over the last three years, Warrior Lawyer alumni have earned multiple scholarships and been accepted to prestigious universities, including the University of Georgia, the Georgia Institute of Technology, Texas A&M University, Columbia University, and the University of Southern California. 

Putting Career Skills to the Test: SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA is a nationally recognized organization that helps students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders, and responsible community members. The NCHS SkillsUSA Chapter is made up of Audio Visual/TV Film, Construction, Culinary, Early Childhood Education, Healthcare/Sports Medicine, Law & Public Safety, Programming & Computer Science, Sports Marketing, and Work-Based Learning. Collectively, the chapter has earned 36 state gold medals, 24 state silver medals, 19 state bronze medals, two national championships, and two national bronze medals. The LPS Pathway at NCHS has produced three SkillsUSA State Champions: two in Criminal Justice and one in Law Display; three silver medalists — one in Criminal Justice and two in Law Display — as well as bronze medalists in Legal Knowledge Service and Job Skills Demonstration. The LPS Pathway has multiple top-ten finishes, including two top-four finishes in Legal Knowledge Service, one top-five finish in Job Skills Demonstration, a top-seven finish in Job Interview, and a top-nine finish in Criminal Justice Quiz Bowl. 

Other notable achievements for the NCHS LPS Pathway include five students receiving the American Bar Association (ABA) Civics & Law Honor Roll from the State Bar of Georgia’s Law Related Education Program in 2025, and the pathway's first student accepted into the FBI Atlanta Teen Academy. Additionally, 17 students were accepted into the Cobb County Juvenile Peer Court program in 2025-26, serving as volunteers to gain an understanding of the justice system while earning valuable community service hours. LPS Pathway students, Mock Trial team members, and SkillsUSA members have also received local scholarships, including from the Acworth Police Community Foundation, American Legion Invictus Fund, 1 for 2 Education Foundation, the Kennesaw Police Foundation, and The Rene Dollar Future Business Leaders Scholarship.

"We’re proud of our students, teachers, and attorney coaches who inspire excellence through collaboration, professional learning, industry networking, and real-world experiences that open doors while building essential 21st-century employability skills and pathways to student success," said Erika Bailey, LPS Instructor at NCHS. "As I begin my fourth year at North Cobb, I am grateful to work alongside exceptional educators, industry professionals, and supportive leaders committed to student success and workforce readiness. We are so grateful for the local law firms that donate their time to coach our Mock Trial team, as well as the financial support and sponsorships that support our programs."

Cobb's Career Education Program Coordinator, Jessica Whitley, also praised Ms. Bailey's LPS Pathway at North Cobb. 

"Their program goes far beyond the classroom, connecting students with authentic experiences in law, public safety, and civic leadership," Ms. Whitley said proudly. "Students are building an extraordinary record of achievement while preparing for college, careers, and service in their communities!"

Erika Bailey is also a recent Georgia's Best graduate, so she knows what it takes to work hard, persevere, and take risks. 

"I want to inspire excellence while leading the way for others," Ms. Bailey said about her own educational and professional journey. "I aspire to continue designing student-centered learning experiences that inspire curiosity, embrace innovation, connect students with industry, and empower every learner to boldly pursue their potential while building the skills, confidence, and resilience to succeed in the classroom, workforce, and beyond. My 'why' is simply the reward I get when I see the smiles on my students’ faces as they take ownership of their learning and their success!"

Well done, NCHS LPS Pathway students! 

The list below includes their many accomplishments and how they embody One Team, One Goal, Student Success: 

•    Two students selected for the Justice Robert Benham Summer Law Program; earned Best in Direct Examination, Best in Cross-Examination and Best Orator honors — July 2026

•    Mock Trial Warrior Lawyers GHSMT Rome Regional district qualifier — 2026

•    SkillsUSA state silver medalist, Law, Public Safety, Security & Corrections Display — 2026

•    17 students accepted into the Cobb County Juvenile Peer Court program — 2025-26

•    Two students inducted into the Student Bar of Georgia — 2025 and 2026

•    Three students accepted into the State Bar of Georgia Law Academy — 2024, 2025, and 2026

•    Three students accepted into the State Bar of Georgia Diversity Pipeline Program — 2025 and 2026

•    100% NOCTI EOPA pass rate — spring 2025, fall 2025, and spring 2026

•    Five students named to the ABA Civics & Law Honor Roll... — 2025

•    One student accepted into the FBI Atlanta Teen Academy — 2025

•    Court artist regional winner and state qualifier — 2025

•    SkillsUSA state champion, Criminal Justice — 2024

•    SkillsUSA State Bronze Medalist in Legal Knowledge Service 11th/12th grade 2025

•    SkillsUSA Region 3 Bronze Medalist in Job Interview 2025

•    GHSMT Cartersville Region District Qualifier 2024

•    SkillsUSA State Champion in Criminal Justice 2024

•    SkillsUSA state silver medalist, Law, Public Safety, Security & Corrections Display

•    SkillsUSA state bronze medalist, Job Skills Demonstration Open — 2024

•    SkillsUSA Region 3 silver medalist, Job Skills Demonstration A — 2024

•    SkillsUSA Region 3 Bronze Medalist in Job Skills Demonstration Open 2024