Do you enjoy suspense, intrigue, and very well-dressed Friends students? If you do, Mock Trial is the place for you! Each year, Wilmington Friends sends a team of motivated students to the New Castle County Courthouse to take part in the Delaware’s statewide Mock Trial competition.

While the premise of Mock Trial is always the same, each session brings a new case and a new dynamic to the team. Allie Fulginiti ’17, who has been participating in Mock Trial since her freshman year, explained, “This team is different from other years because, although it’s not a young team, it’s a relatively new team. Remy [Davis-Tinnell ‘17] was a paralegal last year but is now a lawyer for her first year on the team. Nick [Gauthier ‘17] was new to the school last year but now takes on the role of two attorneys.” Although the current team has not been together for long, Fulginiti noted that they work exceptionally well together.

Last year, for the first time in Friends School history, the WFS Mock Trial team beat out all of the other high schools in Delaware to earn themselves a spot in the national competition and the title of Defending Champions. On the effect of last year’s win on the current team, Simone Veale ‘17 reflected, “I think there is definitely some pressure from our coaches to work harder, but honestly I think that as a team we feel more confident than pressured. Now that we know it’s possible that gives us something to work for, but it’s also reassuring.”

Many Mock Trial participants expressed a desire for the WFS community to learn more about the team and the competition itself, due to how much work they put in throughout the school year. When asked if he could tell the WFS community one thing about Mock Trial, Gauthier replied, “I wish people knew how rewarding it is; not only do you learn about the law, but you learn how to be an effective orator, how to be analytical, and most importantly to work with a team indirectly.”

This year, the WFS Mock Trial team was as eager as ever to get back into the competition that was held on February 24th and 25th at the Courthouse in Wilmington. Led by seniors Allie Fulginiti, Katy Shannon, and Simone Veale, the team was extremely positive in their aspirations. Before the competition, Nick Gauthier ’17 added, “Last year was really a unique accomplishment on its own, and one where the recent graduates played a huge role. I hope to come [in the] top 3 this year.”

Thankfully, the hard work and dedication of this team payed off; the WFS Mock Trial team took home another first place trophy this past weekend, winning the State competition for the second year in a row.  As the team celebrates their victory, they also look forward to the National Mock Trial Championship in Hartford, CT., which will be held from May 11th to 13th this year.  Congratulations on an excellent season, Mock Trial, and good luck at Nationals!