Article by Danielle Santevecchi, Class of 2016:
On August 20, 2014, the Kellenberg Mock Trial team made their long awaited field trip to New York City for lunch and a play. The day started early at around 9 AM at Mineola train station. After an entire summer of distance, the team was excited to reunite with each other and discuss future competitions and what they had accomplished over the past months. After taking the train and arriving in Penn Station, Mr. Cartier first led the group to St. Francis Church on West 35th Street. The beautiful church was adorned with statues, elegant columns, intricate paintings of Jesus on the Cross and many saints. The church also owned a piece of steel from the World Trade Center as a sign of prayer and respect for those who passed on September 11th, 2001.
After a period of silent worship that left all feeling calm and refreshed, everybody left St. Francis Church and began to walk around the city to discover historic areas in Manhattan including a speakeasy from the prohibition era. We also learned of the transformation of Times Square from the early twentieth century to the present; from a crime and sin-filled area to the bustling, tourist filled heart of Manhattan it is today. From Times Square, the team made their way towards Capizzi’s, an Italian restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen known for delicious personal pizzas with numerous toppings and fresh ingredients. Inside the eatery were atmospheric decorations that allowed everyone to escape from the notoriously busy Manhattan streets and enter into a piece of Italy right in the middle of the city. After seeing fresh pepper and basil hanging from the ceiling of the kitchen, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that lunch would be anything less than delicious.
After a team picture, the adventure continued towards Broadway for the play, ‘Bullets Over Broadway’, at about 2 PM. Written by Woody Allen, it followed the dream of a young writer (Zach Braff) to make his play known to the artistic world. To accomplish this, he would need help from comical yet intimidating mobsters in New York City who cast a ditzy and inexperienced young woman as the lead. The main character’s play underwent dramatic changes, revisions, and of course, mob interferences. The musical was filled with vibrant characters and portrayals of life in theater and on the streets during the roaring twenties, setting the tone for a day filled with excitement and elation. Following the musical, the team walked back to Penn Station to make their way back to Long Island.
The field trip served as a reward for hard work completed during the 2013-2014 season and a reminder of a new season waiting around the corner. The New York City field trip was a lively and memorable experience for all who attended and there is much anticipation for what the future will bring to the Mock Trial team’s time during competition season in court.
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