For the first time in Westerville City School’s history, Westerville North High School’s Mock Trial team won the Ohio Mock Trial State Championship by defeating Ashland High School at the Ohio Statehouse in the televised finals held March 14.
North’s Team Darrow swept the three-day competition by winning cases against Danville, Sylvania Southview (defending state champions), Indian Hill (four-time state champions) and Nordonia high schools.
Following the state win, they will advance to national competition. Forty-five teams will compete from the United States, as well as South Korea and Guam, in the final match-up held May 14-16 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
“It was a true honor to work with these dedicated, talented students. This victory is all about them. They will represent Ohio well in the national competition,” said North advisor Zach Wilkerson.
Under Wilkerson’s tutelage, the students advanced for the fifth time in five years to the state level of competition and to the semi-finals for the fourth time, as one of Ohio’s top teams.
“Mr. Wilkerson has devoted countless hours to his students. He has provided constant motivation and support for the teams, and we would be nowhere without him,” said senior Jacqueline Kloos.
The legal advisor for the past 19 years at Westerville North is Ken Donchatz. North has advanced to the state competition in 18 of those years. He was awarded the Great Educator Mentor award for WNHS in 2014. “So many excellent students have come through this program, and this year’s team honored that legacy. These students worked ridiculous hours and put everything they had into the team. Their victory is well-deserved,” he said.
This year, Wilkerson and Donchatz were assisted by attorney Scott Longo and community volunteer Dr. Tom Peet, a retired social studies teacher from Westerville North who has helped the team for a number of years.
To qualify, North’s team defeated Delaware Hayes and Northland high schools at the district level on January 30. A month later at regionals, they won against Thomas Worthington and Olivia Davidson Washington high schools before being named one of the state’s elite 32 teams.
Along with team accolades, two individual awards are given during each trial. North’s team members took 18 individual awards in their nine trials this season.
These include Jacqueline Kloos’s four Outstanding Attorney awards; senior Matt Spadaro’s four Outstanding Witness awards; senior Tristan Justice’s four Outstanding Attorney awards; senior Amy Cox’s two Outstanding Witness Awards; senior Jennifer Finklestein’s two Outstanding Witness Awards; and junior Diana Asta’s two Outstanding Witness awards. “Receiving personal awards is fantastic, but it’s the entire team that determines whether we win or lose. In that sense, it’s absolutely a group effort, and I’m so proud of everyone involved,” Kloos said. Other Team Darrow members include senior Jacob Waldruff, junior Tiffany McCutcheon, junior Jeffrey Rhoades and freshman Amanda Lam.
Sponsored by the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education (OCLRE), Mock Trial is the state’s largest high school academic competition with more than 3,500 student participants, 329 teams and over 1,000 volunteers who serve as judges, legal counsel and advisers.
For the annual competition, students assume the roles of witnesses, prosecuting attorneys and defense attorneys, who then argue a fictitious case provided by OCLRE. This year’s case focused on the Eighth Amendment’s stand against cruel and unusual punishment. In it, a juvenile filed suit against a corrections institution claiming the facility used excessive force to contain a cafeteria fight and that the medical staff failed to provide proper care and treatment for the youth.
According to the OCLRE, Ohio Mock Trial is designed to educate students about the U.S. Constitution and judicial system, while developing critical thinking, reading, writing, public speaking and listening skills. Students learn and practice analytical skills, as well as advanced research techniques as they explore basic legal theory and align evidence to the law.
“Of course, winning is really great, and I’m immensely proud of my team for that accomplishment, but the biggest thing I’ve gotten out of Mock Trial is confidence. I’m a better writer and speaker because of the amazing experience we’ve had,” Waldruff said. A three-year member of the team, Waldruff serves as one of the attorneys.
The road to the top began earlier in the school year when North’s team began preparing both plaintiff and defense cases for the fictional legal dispute. Students assume the roles of attorneys and witnesses as they argue the constitutional issue before a panel of judges, who provide written feedback at the end of each competition.
McCutcheon, the team’s captain and an attorney on North’s team, said, “I am so glad we are walking away with a victory. We have put in so much time and effort, and it is nice to see it all pay off. I’m excited to see how far our team will go in Nationals.”