Keen preparation and dynamic thinking. That’s what Stratford District Secondary School (SDSS) teacher Stuart Wilson said is why the school’s law team went undefeated at a recent mock-trial competition.
In early May, the SDSS law team, consisting students Sydney Taylor, Norah Kevill, Henry Tuer, Laura Sheldon, Christian O'Hearn, Stephanie Tsaltas, Alex Mueller, Atticus Haslam, Ava Cappie and Logan Brein, attended the Ontario Justice Education Network's mock-trial competition at the Ontario Court of Justice in London, winning all three of the cases they prepared for.
“That’s quite an accomplishment, to put in that work under such pressure,” said Wilson, who heads up the law team. “It’s tense, and to perform in the way that they did just speaks to their level of preparation and the confidence that they derive from their preparation.
“It's such a rich experience for the students. They love it.”
At the mock trial, all the students play a role. Some play defence lawyers or Crown attorneys and others play witnesses. All of the students who participated took their roles very seriously and did a tremendous job.
As a coach, Wilson said he helps the team during practice and rehearsal through mock trials they put together in their classrooms by shifting and moving the desks around to create the facsimile of a courtroom in school, but when it comes to the actual competition, he lets the students do their own work.
Although the students refined and created different iterations of arguments and strategies again and again, the preparation they did was only a piece of their success. Their dynamism was the other key part of their success.
“Things change,” Wilson explained. “Like Mike Tyson’s coach (said), ‘Everyone’s got a plan until they get punched in the face.’ And that happens, right? Things come up and they have to be dynamic thinkers and resilient in that way.”
Wilson has been bringing a team to the mock-trial competition since he was back at Stratford Central Secondary School.
In his opinion, these mock trials held in an Ontario Court of Justice give students a tremendous opportunity. The law team comes from SDSS’ grades 11 and 12 law classes. These big competitions are a way for them to test out the role during such a pivotal time when they are looking at applying to college and university and considering what to do with their respective careers.
Wilson thanked Kirsten Van Drunen, the law team’s lawyer coach. Van Drunen offered her expertise and hours of her time to work with the students and advise them on matters of the court.
“That’s a fantastic opportunity,” Wilson said. “I'm not a lawyer and I didn't go to law school, but I try and teach them how to analyze and think analytically, make clear, concise and compelling arguments. But she's the expert, so to have that kind of one-on-one experience is great.”
The mock trial was the last event for the law team this school year, but some students are already thinking of next year’s competition. Though the team went undefeated, because of how points were scored during the competition, they did not qualify for the finals, which Wilson said the team was very courteous about.
“Yes, it’s about winning,” Wilson said. “But it’s also about providing a learning experience for as many kids as I can.”
Connor Luczka is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with the Stratford Times. The LJI is a federally-funded program.
