Mock trial team heads to state championships

The undefeated team will be making its arguments next week when students travel to Riverside for the state championships.

The students, coached by Hillsdale High humanities and history teacher Greg Jouriles, won the county competition Feb. 27 after defeating five other teams in 10 matches. Now they are facing 31 other teams in their 10th straight attempt at state honors.

Students are gearing up mentally for the three-day event making sure they stay focused on what's important -- doing their best.

"I'm just trying to keep my stress level down and eat healthy," said junior Allie McMurdo.

The California Mock Trial competitions were founded more than 20 years ago by the Constitutional Rights Foundation and have expanded to include more than 8,000 students throughout the state.

During a competition, a team of students prepares and presents a trial from the prosecution and defense. Students also act as pretrial motion witnesses, clerks, bailiffs and courtroom artists. Real judges and attorneys volunteer their time to score the trails.

Mock trial has been an extra-curricular activity at Hillsdale since 1985 when Jouriles decided to create the team. Since then the team has been a powerhouse in the district and spawned some impressive college-level competitors. Hillsdale mock trial alumni have gone on to Stanford University and UCLA and one has even begun coaching at a competing school.

The success of the program only serves to motivate students into being as good as the previous year's team or better. But when it comes down to winning, it takes a little bit of luck, Jouriles said.

"It's a fine line. I don't know if we're at the right line. You never know until you compete," he said.

Competitions are judged based on how well students know the case and play their parts. If a student looks stressed or nervous, they lose points even if they know every fact about the case.

Students spend at lease two hours a week preparing for the trial with each other and their coaches. Hillsdale has an impressive arsenal of coaches including history teacher Ethan Stewart, attorney Melissa Johnson and Jouriles' wife, attorney Robin Seeley.

In the process of practicing for the trial, students learn valuable life lesson like poise, confidence and quick thinking. All necessary for a standard job interview, Jouriles pointed out.

The students agree that learning the facts is only half the challenge.

For Lindsay Pollard, who tried out for the team as "an alternative to acting," the team offers more then she expected.

"It's different than play acting," Pollard said. "Not all of it is scripted. You have to think on your feet.".

The team has managed to stay calm despite the pressure imposed on them by last year's team placing second in the state. While it would be nice to see the team go all the way, Jouriles said it's more important that students do their best and leave the rest up to luck.

"If you focus on how you do, then you can walk away satisfied," he said. "I am never happy -- win or lose -- if I didn't think we did our best."

Dana Yates can be reached by e-mail: dana@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 106. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.<