Mock Trial is a club that started last year and became an official club this year. Last year the club had 13 members, while today the club has 17 members. Mock Trial is a club about demonstrating court skills, Samantha Sheridan (12) said, “[It’s] good for if you want to go into law, good for public speaking, leadership, and team working.”
Founding members Samah Halim (12), Sheridan, and Sophia Li (12) formed the club. The group started the club because of their shared interest in the topic, with Li wanting to pursue a career in law. Many members of the club originated their interest in the topic from Challenger
The club practices trials letting members be the attorneys and the witnesses. Members of the club can play roles such as the jury, the attorneys for either the plaintiff or defendant, witnesses, and spectators. Megan Smith (12) said, “Attorneys focus a lot more on the legality of the case, like actually asking the questions.”
Participating in the club also provides rewards as the club goes to a state competition every year. Last year they placed second at the state competition, the club is given a certain case and time to review it before they go up and act it out. While they act it out, real judges act as the jury and choose the side that wins. Medals are awarded during the competition, for roles such as being a top witness or a great attorney, Angelique Vuldy (12) said, “I received second place overall as a witness, and I was honestly surprised about it since I wasn’t very confident about my skills going in but it certainly made me more confident about my abilities.”
Aside from public speaking, Mock Trial helps develop other skills. Li said, “Public speaking skills, impromptu extemporaneous speaking on the spot, making up arguments, you can also as a witness get better at acting which would help your theater performances, and probably your future occupation.”
Skills like organization are also important in the club. Playing the attorney requires the members to organize their questions and the file they are given. Improvisation is also another key skill that members learn, the witnesses only have a file they need to remember which has no questions on it. The attorneys could ask any question to the witnesses, which helps the members learn improvisation skills. They will also learn practical ways to ask questions how to be persuasive to the audience and judge. Halim said, “It’s really helped my public speaking, my organization, my on-the-spot thinking, a bunch of stuff really.”
Anyone can join with no previous experience required. Contact Evelyn Platt in room 208 for more information. The club brings snacks to every meeting and provides helpful feedback to new members, Vuldy said, “Initially, I joined it because one of my friends started the club…but I stayed because I had a lot of fun with it”
