Since River Valley Mock Trial rose to prominence in the early 2000s, the talent and dedication of those who toil from October to March (easily the longest season of any competitive high school endeavor) are acknowlegded in the following ways:

Gold Gavel: The Gold Gavel represents the completion of one year of Mock Trial, including scrimmage and/or competition.

Diagonal Bar: The Diagonal Bar represents the completion of two years of Mock Trial, including scrimmage and/or competition.

Large Diagonal Bar: The Large Diagonal represents the completion of three years of Mock Trial, including scrimmage and/or competition.

Scales of Justice: The Scales of Justice represents the completion of four years of Mock Trial, including scrimmage and/or competition.

Black Gavel: The Black Gavel is awarded online to all members of a Championship Team; the Gavel represents dedication, perseverance, and teamwork.

Hawk Talons: The Talons are awarded online to any individual who scores a perfect skill score in Regional and/or State competition; the talons are also collectively awarded to the team at the end of competition. In any given Championship/Yale Tournament year, there are 264 chances for a team to earn a talon, but they are so difficult to achieve that no team has earned more than 48 in one season.