Article by Phoenix writer Justin McKenzie ’24:
On Wednesday, March 29th, the Firebird mock trial traveled to Old Bethpage-Plainview High School for the Moot Court competition. The moot court competition is a series of tournaments consisting of a team representing their school, including two Firebird teams who participated in the competition.
In each round, each team is given fifteen minutes to formulate an opening, closing, direct, and cross-examination based on a plaintiff and defendant’s case. Since there is no prior knowledge of the case, this adds complexity to the competition. After intense examination, the Firebird trio of seniors Lynn Frederick, Mikayla Smith, and Theresa Scorola advanced through the tournament and won second place overall.
Senior Oscar Monge had this to say about the tournament, “It was a great experience that fueled me and my team to push further. Whether as an attorney or witness, everyone’s part was crucial. Even though we didn’t get first place, seeing new faces and arguments helps me garner more confidence for next time.”
Overall, the team did an amazing job and everyone was grateful for the experience and knowledge they learned.