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March 11, 2010
Staff Report
Associate Principal Kevin Hillery is an unimaginative jerk and a [expletive deleted].
If a Hoban student wrote these words in a blog at home, could he be suspended? Even though he has freedom of speech? This is the question similar to the one that Hoban’s six mock trial teams have been arguing over for months…and it’s finally paying off.
In reality, Kevin Hillery is the moderator for Hoban’s top team, Team Sotomayor, who placed first at both the district competition and last week’s regional competition, earning them a $500 stipend from the Akron Bar Association and qualifying them for the state competition. Hoban’s Team Scalia also qualified for states.
Mock trial is one of the most unique and successful clubs at Hoban. Each year, the Ohio Center for Law Related Education (OCLRE) comes up with a complicated case for the teams to argue. Each team has a plaintiff and defense side, and each side has two lawyers and two witnesses who learn the case inside and out.
“This year, the case is about a girl, Alex Leslie, who writes a blog bashing her AP European History teacher. Her school finds out about it and suspends her, but she sues for her First Amendment right to freedom of speech,” said senior attorney Shannon Davey. “Half of our team argues Alex’s side and the other half argues the school’s side.”
While much of Mock Trial requires learning about the law and studying case materials, for the students who act as witnesses, acting ability is also a crucial component. Witnesses like senior Brian Gibbons, who acts as the Professor the blog is about, are extremely dedicated to their roles.
“Since I found out I was a witness in Mock Trial I haven’t broken character once,” Gibbons said. “Teachers get annoyed with my character Professor G. Lee because every day I come into class and claim I have 18 years of teaching experience and am more qualified to teach the class than them.”
Gibbons, along with seniors Monica Gutbrod and Cara Leach and junior Jenna Decker are all members of Team Sotomayor who received individual awards for their performances at the regional competition. Members of Team Scalia who won awards at Regionals are Samantha Brown, Connor Morrissey, Sarah Masica and Brian Woods.
Both the district and regional competitions were held in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas. To advance, each side of the team must win their trial. Judges also award points to the teams, which is how Team Sotomayor won first place.
Moderator Hillery is looking forward to competing again at the state competition on March 11-13. Hoban has had 18 teams advance to state in the past 19 years, and placed second out of over 350 teams last year.
“I think we have an excellent chance of success at the state competition. We have last year’s experience in the state final and a good balance of strong attorneys and witnesses,” said Hillery.
Junior attorney Decker feels confident in the team for other reasons.
“As long as I’m wearing my lucky underwear, we’ll definitely go to nationals,” the superstitious Decker said.
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