Accelerated Learning Laboratory
Tucson, AZ
An attorney for 17 years, David Johnson decided to switch careers in 2007 and go into education to work with youth. After moving to the Phoenix area and studying Special Education at Arizona State University he eventually found a home at BASIS Chandler. Since 2014, Mr. Johnson has been the Special Education Coordinator at BASIS Chandler, as well as the Mock Trial Coach and Swimming Coach. Mr. Johnson got into Mock Trial when one of his students found out that he had a law background and strongly urged him to set up a Mock Trial program. Since then, BASIS Chandler’s Mock Trial program has grown to the point that they have four Mock Trial teams each year at regionals. Additionally, they often host a Mock Trial Invitational Tournament to which they invite other local schools. Mr. Johnson has also recruited friends in the legal field and enlisted other teachers to help coach his teams. In 2021, BASIS Chandler’s hard work paid off when one of their teams was invited to the State Tournament. Mr. Johnson has also worked with art teachers and art classes at BASIS Chandler to raise awareness about the Mock Trial Courtroom Artist Contest, and the school has been wildly successful in that competition. Since 2014 they have had four artists participate in the Court Artist contest—two of which have won the statewide Courtroom Artist Contest a total of six times, and both of those winning artists have represented Arizona at the National High School Mock Trial Championships Courtroom Artist Contest.