On Saturday, February 22 and Sunday, February 23, Mock Trial’s Varsity Team secured first place to semi-finals. With their hard work and dedication throughout the year, each team member performed spectacularly to secure a spot to be champions. Going to semi-finals has only been done twice before in Highlander history, this year being done by winning 11/12 ballots. This is an incredible achievement for the Mock Trial team, showing the true under-dog nature of the Kingdom.
Taking place in the Ventura County Court Room, all the Mock Trial teams in Ventura arrived prepared to simulate a kidnapping case, People v. Gold. The real competition for the Highlanders was to finally showcase what they have worked for. Mock Trial, that was once a club but is now a class, meets up to prepare for court Tuesdays and Thursdays after school from 6-8 p.m. and is considered an 8th period. Mock Trial has also prepared for the competition days by participating in a multitude of scrimmages against other schools, to truly immerse themselves and practice as much as they can for the real deal. It is clear their preparation has paid off with their amazing work during competition.
During the competition, parents were encouraged to attend to watch their kids shine. Although many parents attended, there was strict orders to not use any mobile devices, leave the silenced, and to not record or take photos of their children at any time. This shows the professional environment of the courtroom, making this simulation as real as possible.
By sharing her thoughts about this year’s competition, junior Ivy Roessell shared, “I am so proud of our team this year and I think we all had so much fun going against other schools and meeting new people.” Freshmen Ishaan Choudhary shared, “I tried to prepare as much as I could before the competition due to being nervous, but at the end of it, I felt really accomplished and proud of what I did.” The Highlanders could not have shined this bright if it weren’t for their brilliant coaches, Emily Doss, Nadia Aboujawah, and Bryan Doss. However, Mock Trial has more to go, which semi-finals taking place Saturday and Sunday, March 1-2. Go Highlanders!
