With many students rushing to strengthen their college resume and prepare for their futures, the members of Mock Trial are on the right track to graduate with strong credentials and knowledge of how a common court operates.
“Colleges value mock trial because it demonstrates initiative, intellectual engagement and resilience. It also prepares students for the interview process. Mock Trial teaches students the value of preparation and to think critically, speak persuasively and increases confidence,” says Mr. Thomas Steele, attorney for Peacock Keller Law Firm and advisor for Mock Trial.
Mock Trial is a club that simulates a court case trial, complete with life-like witnesses and evidence. The students of Mock Trial act as attorneys or witnesses, with one school being the defense and one being the prosecution. Both sides then will compile and present their evidence in the courtroom.
In order to prepare for this case, the members first read through a lengthy packet describing the case and dissecting the information in it. They then step into the attorney role and start to draft questions to ask witnesses, and practice these lines over and over again in order to prepare for the actual trial.
These trials take place at the Washington County Courthouse. The first trial took place on February 6, 2026, against Frazier High School and ended with a Hiller win. The second trial took place on February 14, 2026, against Peters Township, where they faced a loss.
The team’s members are composed of Seniors Morgan Layhue, Caden Miller, Katherine Drezewski, Cadi Wright, Dakota Lloyd and Micha Mariana, as well as Junior Brooke Lindsay and Sophomore Deborah Oyedemi. The advisors are Mr. Komula and Steele.
The Trinity team competes against other schools that also participate in Mock Trial, such as Peters Township and Frazier High School. The jury that listens to the case and eventually decides which side wins is formed by various attorneys from the Washington area.
Along with being a club that will make student’s college lists stand out, it is beneficial in other ways as well.
Layhue comments, “Mock trial prepares us for future endeavors in several ways. First, I think being a part of this group has taught me the importance of balancing my extracurriculars. Mock trials meet outside of school hours a lot, and it’s important for everyone to be at the meetings so we can work together and build our case as a team. Additionally, Mock Trial has taught me how to think more analytically. We focus on small details that are crucial to our arguments, and we also form these arguments for both sides of the case.”
Those who would like to participate in Mock Trial next year should reach out to Komula at [email protected]
