Mock Trial Team New This Year to AHS

Katie Herrmann, an English department staff member at Arrowhead High School, started a Mock Trial Team for Arrowhead students. This is Hermann’s first year teaching at Arrowhead.

Herrmann says, “I think it’s important to allow students the opportunity to improve their public speaking, argumentation, and critical thinking skills, and a Mock Trial is such an engaging way to allow students to delve right in and become active participants. Watching students pore over a case and then passionately, eloquently argue their points is the most gratifying part for me as a teacher [and] coach.” The team will compete against other Mock Trial Teams. If students are interested in joining they still can; interested students should email Herrmann at [email protected] to join or find out more information.

Herrmann says the team will study, case, and prepare to present the trial at a Regional tournament.

Herrmann says, “[We will compete] at local scrimmages and the Regional Tournament at the Waukesha County Courthouse on Feb. 9th, 2018. If we make it to the State Semifinal competition, our season would extend into March.”

Emma Mihas, a junior at Arrowhead High School is one of the team’s co-captains. She says, “I think having this team is important because not only is it something many people can look forward to every week because of how fun it is, but it helps people develop crucial speaking skills such as public speaking and the ability of correlate your thoughts into developed sentences that are coherent. These types of skills are extremely important for many types of professions including a lawyer, politician to even working in theater as an actor.”

Herrmann says, “I think our students and community can greatly benefit from the opportunity to learn more about the law. Furthermore, speaking and argumentation skills are—at their core—the most basic of survival skills that students can benefit greatly from, regardless of the career path they choose.”

Mihas says, “My goal this year for the club is for it to grow. So far, we are very small and I think if we had more kids others would be able to enjoy the club and all the things that it can offer just like I do. Of course, doing well in regionals and making it to state is also a huge goal of mine for the year.”

As of November 16, 2018, there are 12 members.

Mihas says, “I think Mock Trial will impact the Arrowhead community because it is another way for students to get involved. Through Mock Trial, I have already made new friends which is always important, especially in high school. I’ve become much more confident in my speaking and comprehension skills too. These are all things that any student here at Arrowhead could benefit from. Not many schools near us are as fortunate as we are to have a Mock Trial program so it is something that I feel can and should be taken advantage of.”