After a sixteen year hiatus, Belpre City Schools sent a mock trial team to compete in this year's district competition hosted by the Ohio Center for Law Related Education. This year's case revolved around whether the fictitious State of Buckeye should be compelled to purchase a restaurant owned by a citizen who was forced to close due to harsh economic restrictions in response to a world-wide pandemic (sound familiar?) Our team competed against Archibald High School and Hilliard Darby High School and swayed enough judges to advance to the regional competition.
Students recreated an entire trial. Freshmen Jasmine Wright and Senior Ethan Coyner as well as Freshmen Summer Colvin and Sophomore Connor Elder served as attorneys and prepared an opening and closing statement as well as direct examination and cross examination of four witnesses. Senior Halee Williams, and Freshmen Eric Sinnett, Riley Brumbaugh, Macy Collins and Sophomore Connor Elder all served as witnesses. These students had to memorize witness statements and respond fluently and believably to questions posed by the attorneys. Freshmen Haley Hatcher and Junior Wyatt Whitehouse served as Timekeeper and Bailiff. Our students worked hard for an entire semester and performed exceptionally!
Special thanks go to the Warren Warriors and their Coach Jason Johnson who have a successful Mock Trial program for all of their support and guidance and for letting us scrimmage and learn from them while we relaunched our program. Debbie Edgar and Jeff Greenley served as coaches and legal advisors to the student teams.
We are so proud of our students and look forward to seeing them compete on February 18, 2022!