Schools
Thomas mock trial team battles way to state competition
 |
| Thomas Worthington High
School mock trial team members and advisers
include (from left): row one-Robert Moormann,
assistant attorney general and legal adviser;
Paul Nick, Ohio Ethics Commission attorney,
coach and legal adviser; Robert Hart, assistant
attorney general and legal advisor; row
two-students Mimi Ganzfried, Amy Mo, Andrew
Paik, Lianna Havel, Megan Lawson and Jesse Hart. |
* Members of both Thomas and Kilbourne teams earned individual awards in regional competition last week.
By PAMELA WILLIS
Worthington's mock trial teams donned attorney and expert
witness personas and won a number of individual awards in
the regional Ohio Mock Trial competition, with one team
advancing to the state competition.
Adviser and attorney Paul Nick said teams from Thomas Worthington and Worthington Kilbourne high schools competed in a regional mock trial competition Feb. 26 at the Ohio Supreme Court building and the Federal Courthouse in Columbus.
Thomas Worthington's team won both its rounds and will advance to the state contest, which will be held March 11-13 at the Franklin County Courthouse.
"I'm very proud of the team's hard work and performance at the competition," Nick said. "Between the district and regional competitions, all six members of the team have won at least one award."
Nick said the defense team competed against Miami Trace High School. Senior Megan Lawson won Best Attorney and senior Jesse Hart won Best Witness.
The plaintiff team competed against Mason High School. Senior Lianna Havel won Best Attorney and junior Mimi Ganzfried won Best Witness.
Other members of the Thomas team are senior Andrew Paik and sophomore Amy Mo.
Worthington Kilbourne's team, coached by attorney Tom Novack, did not advance to the state contest, but won several awards, including Best Attorney, junior Lexie Wurm; and Best Witness, freshman Jacob Wurm.
Other members of the team include Jedidiah Bressman, Morgan Novack, Jared Bressman, Heather Boortz, Karam Dhillon, Paras Shah, Rachael Hudson and Lexie Bond.
"Despite a strong performance by our team, we did not advance to state competition, but all 10 members of our team are expected to return next year," Novack said. "Regional competition has been a valuable experience for both our rookie and veteran team members, which should enable us to have a very seasoned team next year."
Nick said his team will prepare for the state competition with lots of practice.
"We will practice several nights over the next few weeks to prepare the team by refining performances and reviewing legal evidentiary objections such as the Hearsay Rule," he said.
He said the team from Ohio that wins the state competition will advance to a national round, to be held in May in Philadelphia.
Nick said the high quality of education supplied by Worthington schools helped to prepared the mock trial students, along with the help of several legal advisers.
"The team's success is a credit to the teachers and administrators at Thomas Worthington," he said. "However, without the hard work and professional insights of the volunteer legal advisers, the team would not have achieved the high level of legal knowledge required to succeed in the mock trial competition."
Adviser and attorney Paul Nick said teams from Thomas Worthington and Worthington Kilbourne high schools competed in a regional mock trial competition Feb. 26 at the Ohio Supreme Court building and the Federal Courthouse in Columbus.
Thomas Worthington's team won both its rounds and will advance to the state contest, which will be held March 11-13 at the Franklin County Courthouse.
"I'm very proud of the team's hard work and performance at the competition," Nick said. "Between the district and regional competitions, all six members of the team have won at least one award."
Nick said the defense team competed against Miami Trace High School. Senior Megan Lawson won Best Attorney and senior Jesse Hart won Best Witness.
The plaintiff team competed against Mason High School. Senior Lianna Havel won Best Attorney and junior Mimi Ganzfried won Best Witness.
Other members of the Thomas team are senior Andrew Paik and sophomore Amy Mo.
Worthington Kilbourne's team, coached by attorney Tom Novack, did not advance to the state contest, but won several awards, including Best Attorney, junior Lexie Wurm; and Best Witness, freshman Jacob Wurm.
Other members of the team include Jedidiah Bressman, Morgan Novack, Jared Bressman, Heather Boortz, Karam Dhillon, Paras Shah, Rachael Hudson and Lexie Bond.
"Despite a strong performance by our team, we did not advance to state competition, but all 10 members of our team are expected to return next year," Novack said. "Regional competition has been a valuable experience for both our rookie and veteran team members, which should enable us to have a very seasoned team next year."
Nick said his team will prepare for the state competition with lots of practice.
"We will practice several nights over the next few weeks to prepare the team by refining performances and reviewing legal evidentiary objections such as the Hearsay Rule," he said.
He said the team from Ohio that wins the state competition will advance to a national round, to be held in May in Philadelphia.
Nick said the high quality of education supplied by Worthington schools helped to prepared the mock trial students, along with the help of several legal advisers.
"The team's success is a credit to the teachers and administrators at Thomas Worthington," he said. "However, without the hard work and professional insights of the volunteer legal advisers, the team would not have achieved the high level of legal knowledge required to succeed in the mock trial competition."
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