The YMCA hosts the State Mock Trial Tournament. Mock trial is a blend of law, debate, and drama that demands critical thinking and public speaking skills as students argue current issues facing the legal system.
Competition among the 24 invited teams statewide begins March 10-12th.
After competing in the regional competition before the mid-winter break, the MSHS Mock Trial Team had to wait until after the break to learn their fate.
The first-year team faced stiff competition in their District and hoped that the points they accumulated in four separate trials would earn them an at-large invitation to the State Tournament as one of the 24 teams selected from throughout the State.
During their District Tournament, students Vlad Fedonkin and Jack Meisberger received nominations as Best Attorney. Students Vlad Fedonkin, Annie Li and Feiza Agoes-Adenan, received nominations as Best Witness.
The long wait has paid off. The YMCA State Office in Olympia notified the team that it had earned the much-coveted invitation.
It is extremely rare for a first-year team to advance to the State Tournament, and once they do, they are likely to face teams with well-established mock trial pedigrees, some that have been national champions in the past.
The team had roughly a week to study the scores and comments from raters in their District Tournament to refine its legal arguments and witness presentations.
If they have learned anything this year, it is that there is never a perfect trial, and there is always a different way to present evidence that is most likely to convince the jury that your side is right!
