LOS ANGELES - Court is now in session for the case of People vs. Smith.  The jury is sworn in, and lawyers begin delivering their statements. 

The over-sized coats and fake ties, a sign that the fifth-graders at Union Avenue Elementary School in Los Angeles, who are re-enacting this trial, are here to confront very grown up things.

“Smith carried the gun with intent to harm and that is a crime,” said one of the student who was acting as the prosecutor.

The children are taking part in a mock trial as part of Project LEAD. This case, is about a girl that brought a gun to an area with kids. For 11-year-old Nathan Ibarra and this elementary school, it hits close to home. 

“There are some people around here that have guns, like the shooting at Sal Castro,” said Nathan. 

He’s referring to the February, 2018 shooting at their neighboring middle school. At the time, charges were filed against a 12-year-old; emphasizing the fact that these 10- and 11-year old kids are not too young to learn about the impact of their decisions.

“One of the things we talk about during the course is the consequences that happen to kids when they commit crimes, specifically theft, robbery, vandalism, but also having a gun when they’re not supposed to have a gun,” said Guillermo Santiso, a Deputy DA and Project LEAD facilitator.

The re-enactment is the culmination of a 20-week course called Project LEAD, in which representatives from the DA’s office teach 3,000 students a year across 55 public schools in L.A. county.

“This course is about making good decisions that lead you down a good path to a good college,” said one of the facilitators.

And although the other schools might not have the example of a shooting next-door to bring it close to home, it’s still a learning opportunity for everyone.

“It’s important because it brings role-models into the classroom to help them make good decisions,” said Santiso.

Project LEAD may have started in 1993, but in an era when even elementary schools are having to face the realities of school shootings, it may be more relevant today than when it began. 

“To make the right decisions and the right choices and if you do it, it’ll take you down a good path,” said Nathan.

The jury’s verdict: not guilty. And with that, the fifth-graders complete their course and learn lessons that will serve them a great deal more than any single homework or assignment.

For more information on Project LEAD, click here.