On February 6, 19 members of Linganore’s mock trial team, including co-advisors Jamie Hendi and Susan Peterson, set out for the Frederick County Courthouse in their fourth competition of this year’s season. After three consecutive wins over the past several weeks, the team had every right to be confident in the February 6th trial, but with these three wins coming very close in score to their competitors, there was certainly tension.

Their hard work paid off, though–after strong defenses from both Linganore and their opponent, Tuscarora, Linganore prevailed with a score of 48 to 38, taking another step towards the possibility of reaching the semifinals.

The students began preparing in October, reviewing their case book, writing statements, and for some, even taking up the character of a witness, lawyer, or bailiff.

“It’s a lot of work,” said co-advisor English teacher Susan Peterson, “But it’s fun to watch it all come together. A lot of kids can’t perform because of the size of the team, but they put so much work into their arguments and it’s great to see everyone developing their confidence.”

Students who are new to the team shadow the experienced participants.  The success of the team and the drive of their advisers has helped the group to grow.

A former lawyer herself, this is Peterson’s second year of running mock trial alongside Jamie Hendi.  Hendi, social studies teacher and self-described “recovering lawyer,”  had advised the team for two years prior to Peterson, but says she is extremely glad Peterson is there to help and agrees with Peterson about watching the growth of the students of the team.

“They go from being timid to being bulldogs,” said Hendi. “And I love using my skills as a former lawyer to work with them and give them a piece of what the legal world is about.”

“It builds our problem solving skills and we learn how to speak in a very clear, persuasive way. We also learn how to handle pressure because when you’re in the court room, anything and everything can happen,” said Class of 2020 member Alyson Sniffen, who plays the role of a defense attorney on the team.

“Mock trial helps build teamwork. I really enjoy working with my fellow students breaking down the case, and it’s a great feeling when you get something good on the witnesses [of the opposing side],” said Emily Albertson, a member of the Class of 2019 who plays the role of a witness for the plaintiff.

There are two more competitions left for the regular season, the next one occurring on Tuesday, February 21st at 5:00 PM at the Frederick County Courthouse. Come out and support the team, but don’t get there late, or the doors of the courthouse will be locked!