Posted by Sudbury Northern Life
Lockerby Composite School captured top honours at the seventh annual Mock Trial Competition.
The mock trial process is closely aligned with the Grade 12 law curriculum. In addition to meeting curriculum expectations, mock trials develop other skills in students, including public speaking, teamwork, presentation, preparation and critical thinking skills.
Nine teams competed in the competition from seven secondary
schools, including students from Chelmsford Valley District
Composite School, Lasalle Secondary School, Lockerby Composite
School, Manitoulin Secondary School and Sudbury Secondary
School.
The team of Mathieu Labonte, Zachary Courtemanche, Anthony Maki, James Sylvestre, Anthony Richer and Spencer Lee, won the coveted Hennessy Cup at the Sudbury Courthouse on Monday.
Grade 12 Law teacher Shari Blasutti, as well as lawyers Jennifer Madott and John Recoskie from the local law firm of Weaver Simmons, coached the team to victory.
The Lockerby team will represent the Sudbury area at the Northeastern Mock Trial Competition, to be held in Sudbury in early March. Students will, once again, prosecute and defend the case of Her Majesty the Queen vs. Edvard Nosferatu (also known as Howard Stunned), who is charged with willfully promoting hatred against the Floman ethnic group.
The Mock Trial Competition is a joint effort of the Sudbury and Manitoulin legal communities, Rainbow District School Board and the Sudbury Catholic District School Board.
Judy Hunda, chair of Rainbow District School Board, commended Sudbury's legal community for their ongoing support of student success through their generous contribution of time and expertise.
"Mock trials bring learning to life. What better place to learn about the justice system than in a courtroom prosecuting and defending a case before a judge," she said. "Our local legal community is helping to mentor the next generation of lawyers, enhancing what's taught in the classroom."
In addition to the Hennessy Cup, presented by Lise Poratto-Mason of the law firm Poratto, Poratto-Mason LLP, a number of individual awards were presented, including:
- The Miller Maki Best Witness Award - Vanessa Hering of
Sudbury Secondary School;
- The Lacroix, Forest Best Advocate Crown Award - Courtney
Murdock of Manitoulin Secondary School and Zach Courtemanche of
Lockerby Composite School;
- The Weaver Simmons Best Advocate Defence Award - Jason
Brisebois, St. Benedict; and
- The Edward J. Conroy Civility Award - Kelsey Collins, Austin
Roy, Jason Brisebois, Kayla Jacob, Cody Schmidt and Michael
Vettoretti of St. Benedict.
