The Mock Trial team will compete in the Illinois State Bar Association Invitational via Zoom at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign March 11.

The team, comprised of 10 students in grades 9-11, began competing at the end of February, and since then have participated in two competitions. 

In the state competition, half the members will act as witnesses for the case and the other half will act as attorneys, according to co-captain Lena Stole, who runs the club with juniors Olivia Jessen and Samara Arain. On March 11 the team will present one side of the case, and then on March 12 they will present the other side of the case. The top six teams will advance to finals and the winner will go to the national competition.

According to Lena, the team has met twice a week to practice for about 30 minutes to an hour since the beginning of the school year. During meetings, team members create arguments for both sides, write out scripts for attorneys and witnesses, discuss themes for their case and discuss  objections.

“I think we’re a little bit nervous, but we do it not exactly to win but for the experience and for gaining skills in terms of arguing things and putting together a case,” Lena said, “and it’s more about having fun than the actual outcome.”