Mock Trial team formed at Westfield High School
For the first time ever, Westfield Area High School formed a Mock Trial team this year. The team was coached by Judge Chad Hendee and high school social studies teacher Mrs. Becky Nemitz-Walters. Ethan Nemitz also helped coach on his breaks from college and Carmen Hendee helped at practices as a middle school member when there were spots to fill.
The team was composed of freshmen through seniors, and the eleven members that were able to carve time out of their already busy schedules competed at a regional tournament at the Dane County Courthouse on Feb. 3rd. They were up against schools like Madison West, Sun Prairie, and DeForest. The team held their own against those bigger schools and the coaches and parents who came to watch were extremely proud of their performance.
Team members learned the roles of lawyers and witnesses and studied a civil suit. They learned how to make an opening statement, a closing argument, and how to be a star witness. The team worked many nights after their sports practices and on weekends whenever they could carve out
time. Next school year a Mock Trial class will be taught by Mrs. Walters to give the team members even more time to learn about mock trials.