Glenbard South High School has won its second consecutive state mock trial competition, the school’s fifth title in the competition’s 11-year history, as Du Page County teams swept the top three places.
The high school mock trial contests teach students how the legal process works in court, said Thomas Murray, a co-adviser to the Glenbard South team and a social studies teacher at the school.
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Students receive details of a mock case, including affidavits of witnesses, and must prepare to argue the case of the plaintiff or the defendant, then battle against another high school taking the opposing side. A drawing is held to determine who takes what position.
“It’s exciting because something different comes up every time,” said Amanda Fortini, one of Glenbard South’s eight team members. The others are Victor Song, Mark Santillan, Jenny Zlotow, Karna Johnson, Monica Logan, Eboo Patel and Carolyn O’Mara.
Two other Du Page high schools, Timothy Christian in Elmhurst and Hinsdale Central, finished second and third, respectively, in the state competition Saturday in Springfield.
All teams had to prepare both sides of a fictitious case in which a mother and daughter filed suit against a divorced father seeking an order to compel him to pay for the girl’s education at the Julliard School of Music in New York City. Some team members were attorneys and others were witnesses.
In the championship match against Timothy Christian, Glenbard South had to take the father’s side.
“We argued that if the father had to pay, he would be $11,000 in debt and that the daughter could get just as good an education at a state college,” Song said.
“I enjoy the competition and thinking fast on my feet,” said Santillan.
Winning the state title qualifies the team to compete in the national competition May 6-9 in Atlanta.