Truman’s Mock Trial Team Wins State, Qualifies for National

In a competition often dominated by St. Louis-area high schools, Truman High School’s Mock Trial Team took the stand- and made a stand. Inside the Jackson County Courthouse, Truman won the 2016 Missouri High School Mock Trial State Championship and qualified for the National Mock Trial Championship in Boise, Idaho May 12-14. It was a historic performance on many levels.

“In competitive mock trial, the last time a Kansas City regional team won the state competition to qualify for Nationals was 1996 and the last time a Kansas City team was in the final round in state was 2001 and that was Truman High School and we took second,” said Christine Adams, Truman’s director of debate and legal communications. “And, for the first time ever, two Kansas City teams (Truman and Rockhurst) were in the finals.”

Inside the courtroom, six teams from the Kansas City regional (Pembroke Hill, Rockhurst, Lee’s Summit North, Liberty, Blue Springs South and Truman) and 10 other Missouri high schools, primarily from St. Louis, argued a fictitious case involving high school cyber-bullying. Acting as the defense, Truman’s Mock Trial Team presented the most compelling case and swayed the jury in their favor.

Here is Truman’s team entering their appearance and giving their opening statement.

Adams and her co-coach, attorney Louis Cohn, thanked the school’s administration and several Truman alumni for their support.

“It’s still rather surreal,” she said.

Truman’s Mock Trial Team (L to R): Nick Guppy, Karly Kinsey, Scott Bower, Maddie Petentler, Lorinda Ruz, Brian Berner, Elijah Rojas, Ethan Williams, Alex Millard, Courtney Thomas, Madison Attaway