New Year, New Mock Trial Team

News
By Sara Jex
Husky Herald Reporter

  The Mock Trial team this year at Port Huron Northern High School is full of new faces: only one student is a returning member and there is a new teacher advisor. In spite of these seemingly difficult setbacks, the students are working hard to make the team as successful as it has been in previous years.
  For aspiring lawyers and government workers, Mock Trial is the ideal program. “You see a new side to the workings of a court,” said new member, Madeleine Frank (‘17).  

  During the first meeting, the group was split up into two teams: The Blue Team and the Gold Team. Unlike Varsity teams and Junior Varsity teams, however, these groups were set on an equal playing-field with an even distribution of  skills.

  Mrs. Desjardins, the new teacher advisor for the team, said “I’m really excited to see the students interact and think critically.”

  When asked why she was interested in becoming an advisor for Mock Trial, Desjardins said “I wanted to become involved in the Northern community.” With practices for each team once a week, she is definitely becoming invested in students’ successes.

  Each team was set up with three prosecuting attorneys, three defense attorneys, and six witnesses. Students were able to pick which role they would like to play, as each role is extremely important to the accomplishment of the team.

  Samantha Jex (‘18) is playing the role of Dr. Avery Atkinson, a witness that presents valuable information on the case. “To get prepared, I’m memorizing my character,” said Jex.

  The case assigned to every Michigan High School Mock Trial team this year involves the prosecution of Casey Campbell, who allegedly placed a bomb in the lunchroom trash can at his school. However, Sawyer Simpson, the school bully, may have framed Casey.                   

  As common with most things, there are two sides to the story. It is the Mock Trial members’ jobs to convince a jury of practicing lawyers and officials and a judge with facts and good presentation that either Casey should have a reduced sentence or no sentence at all, or that Casey was a troubled teen that took his anger too far.