The Mock Trial team had a massive challenge ahead of them, the Circuit Court final against Park School. To get ready, the team didn’t just look over their notes for an hour after school or facetime with each other. Instead, they spent an entire day on the case, proving that winning a championship takes more than just knowing the law. It takes serious dedication and teamwork.
Our principal kindly allowed the team to skip their regular classes, except for A1, to focus entirely on the trial. To keep the energy up during the long hours of rehearsal, the school provided a pizza party. There is something about sharing a few boxes of pepperoni pizza that really helps a team bond before a high stakes competition.
The team knew that to beat a tough team like Park School, every word had to be perfect. They spent the morning going over their questions one by one. In a courtroom, you can’t just ask whatever you want; your questions must be sharp, strategic, and designed to get the right answer out of a witness but to also make sure it does not look rehearsed.
Anna Newman spent a large chunk of the day practicing her opening. The opening is the first thing the jury hears, so it must be strong. Anna worked on her opening until she could say it with total confidence, making sure she set the right tone for the rest of the trial.
Cole McCumbers focused on the ending. Cole worked hard on memorizing his closing argument. This is one of the hardest parts of Mock Trial because you have to remember a long speech while also being ready to change it based on what happens during the actual trial.
The most important part of the day was when the team did a full run through or a “mock” mock trial. This wasn’t just about saying the lines; it was also about timing. By practicing the entire trial from start to finish, the team learned exactly how to move around the room and how to react when the other side yelled different Objection. It helped them get all the jitters out before the real thing.
Whether they won or lost in the eyes of the judge, the day of preparation was a total success. It gave them the edge they needed to walk into that courtroom against Park School with their heads held high, ready to fight for Fallston and for all of Hartford County.
