Montoursville Mock Trial Team Receives Support from Foundation

The Montoursville Area High School Mock Trial team has been active in the local mock trial competition for many years. The team is always competitive and has won the district event and competed statewide on several occasions.

Recently the team applied for a LLA Foundation grant to pay the costs of advanced training for the team members. The Foundation awarded $2000 to cover part of the costs to be incurred. The team raised additional costs with various fundraisers, including Fort Muncy Garden Center certificates, Wal-Mart Burger burn, and a rummage sale. The team will have a bounce house at the Montoursville Fall Festival and cotton candy stand to earn additional funds.

In November, the team will travel to New England to attend the Harvard Seminar for High School Mock Trial. This is a weekend long seminar on Mock Trial skill building run by the Harvard Mock Trial Association.

The seminar is focused upon developing opening and closing statements, directs, crosses, and enhancing witness performances. The weekend culminates with a scrimmage against other teams. The workshop is divided between novice teams and experienced teams. Montoursville qualifies for the advanced seminar due to the number of years they have been competing.

The LLA and its membership has supported the Mock Trial program for many years. The program encourages interest by high school students in the legal field and promotes the positive aspects of our profession. Montoursville's program has promoted the legal field and instilled in its students logical thinking and taught methods that will serve the students well, whether or not they enter the legal field.