Stevensville High School is sending its first mock trial team to the state competition in Helena on March 15 -16th. Mock trial allows students to put on a full simulated legal trial. The competition is organized by the Montana State Bar Association. Eight teams from across the state will be competing, including Florence-Carlton High School.
The students take on the roles of attorneys and witnesses. They give opening arguments, perform direct examination of witnesses and cross-examination, and give closing arguments. “It’s a very real simulation of a trial,” said Greg Overstreet, one of the attorney coaches helping Stevensville High School civics teacher Wes Wells.
The students participating are: Gage Cook, Quinn Rahl, Malia Gunterman, Kam Jones, Sidney McCasland, Ignacio Gomez, Isaac Alford, Bryan Strozyk, Dawsyn Brewer, Holly St. Germain, Nya Seibert. The timekeeper is Makenna Monroe and the courtroom artist is Brooklyn Moore. “These kids are fantastic,” said Will Ferguson, the other attorney coach. “They will be my competition in a few years.”
Mock trial allows students with different aptitudes and interests to compete in a school activity.
“Some of them want to be attorneys while others who are more interested in theater participate as witnesses. We even have a courtroom artist,” said Wells.
“I’m a huge proponent of traditional high school sports,” said Overstreet, who is the Stevensville High School football announcer. Overstreet was also responsible for getting the Stevensville mock trial team started. “But it’s great to see kids with different talents and interests competing in something other than sports.”