The Verdict is In

A hush falls over the courtroom as the sound of spirited debate fills the air between members of the best Mock Trial team JA has ever seen.

Mock Trial has been an extracurricular at JA for quite a few years now. However, this year the team went all the way to state and won - they even had to go against each other to advance!

“Leading up to the competition, it's been a lot of reading and working with the team as a whole,” junior Hunter Hobbs explained. “We all gathered up certain ideas and theories of the case to put into one.”

The dedication each student puts into Mock Trial contributes greatly to a successful season. Despite this, sometimes it can be difficult to juggle the many aspects being on the Mock Trial team brings.

“[Mock Trial is] very rigorous,” sophomore Grace Kingen admitted. “It’s a lot of work and a big commitment. I put in about eight hours every week into it.”

Mock Trial is not something that can be taken too lightly; it requires a lot of prep work and time outside of meetings. Despite the numerous responsibilities, team advisor Mr. Truta loves watching the kids grow.

“My favorite part of [Mock Trial] is the kids,” advisor Mr. Truta said. “I don't get a chance to teach high school, and I also don't really coach any sports here, so I miss competition a lot. Some of the kids in Mock Trial were some of my favorite kids I ever had in class, so it was a chance to reconnect with them.”

While Mr. Truta enjoys watching the team develop, the students themselves really enjoy the process of Mock Trial.

“My favorite part is the competition itself,” junior Katie Proctor commented. “It's really fun to go in and not know what to expect, but also know you've spent so much time preparing and now you get to show it all off.”

While Mock Trial has its exciting aspects, it can also come with some obstacles.

“[One of my biggest challenges is] I know a lot of the information in my witness statement, but I need to be more lively,” freshman Hayden Sorice stated. “You need to connect with people when you are on the stand, and so I need to make an impression on the jury,”

While the team prepares and competes, they aren’t just having fun or putting something on a college application. Mock Trial can teach people different skills that are applicable to everyday life.

“I've definitely gained better speaking skills and the ability to think on my feet,” Hobbs admitted. “I think there's just so many things you gain from doing the preparation and then being able to stand up there, memorize it, and be confident.”

At the end of February, JA’s Mock Trial team traveled to Brighton to compete in the state competition. Usually the team operates as a whole, but this time the A and B Team were pitted against each other.

“I personally wasn’t participating, but I was shocked when they had to go up against each other,” Proctor revealed. “We've been doing a bit of sparring, but I was nervous because I've worked on those people's examinations and helped my team. So it was a little weird to see my work going up against my own team, but at the same time we go to the same school and we're all one big team.”

The B Team ultimately beat the A Team, and they went on to win the regional title. This victory has attracted some interest in joining the team, so its existing members have some advice for any prospective members.

“[Joining Mock Trial] is a big time commitment, but it's a big payoff,” Mr. Truta stated. “Mrs. Sorice [one of the Mock Trial Coaches] said it's like running a marathon, and that's a good analogy because it doesn't happen rapidly. There's no gratification until the very, very end. So it takes a lot of discipline and time, but the payoff is really profound. It’s truly a special thing to do.”