Westhill’s Mock Trial team has been in existence for about 15 years, and was first coached by both Mr. Mazza and Mrs. Loesch. The club, which is now run solely by Mrs. Loesch in room 417, meets every Thursday night from 6-8pm and focuses on trial procedures and then competes against each other as well as other schools. The 2016 team is made up of many who are just starting out. The team recently placed 3rd at states. “This season was a first for most of the team members. They were amazing!” said Mrs. Loesch.
Many may be wondering, “what is mock trial?” After speaking with Mrs. Loesch, she explained that “the state of Connecticut selects a case and that is what we work with the whole year.” Each Connecticut Mock Trial team then goes on to compete and see who draws out the case in the best manner. Each mock trial team is made up of attorneys, witnesses and a bailiff. The team looks for 9th-12th graders who would make a beneficial contribution. There are about 40 CT teams, each made up of about 12 people.
This year’s team is made up of 6 attorneys: Andy Putterman, Rebecca Siegal, Maeve Ronan, Leah Schwartz, Jordan Benzaken, and Ben Freedman. Dylan Morgan, Jaimie Ashman, Corey Saccharin, Alex Langdorf, Terri Good and Lori Sanders serve as witnesses, and the team bailiff is Gil Daniels. Andy Putterman and Leah Schwartz serve as co-captains of the club.
For next year, the team is “shooting to beat Weston (the team that beat us this year) and win the title so we can go to the nationals,” said Mrs. Loesch. The team is very proud of their third place finish this year and feels as though they will continue to prevail at following competitions.
The club challenges students’ critical thinking skills and allows them to understand court laws and rules, which may be helpful in the near future for students who are interested in pursuing a career in law. Mock Trial is made up of very bright and dedicated individuals that continue to make us Westhill and proud.
