MHS Students 'Outstanding' at UC Mock Trial; Mason White Finishes in Top 5 at Mock Trial Regional Tournament
Mason High School students achieved outstanding results at the 11th Annual University of Cincinnati High School Mock Trial Invitationals. The two Comet teams each went 2-0, winning both of their trials.
Every year, the Ohio Center for Law Related Education (OCLRE) publishes a case that has been litigated, or is under appeal in an Ohio court of law. The case includes witness testimony given for the defense or the prosecution of the case, as well as exhibits that can be entered into evidence and pertinent case law argued before an appellate court or the US Supreme Court.
Danielle Lyons is the MHS Mock Trial head coach and Pat George is the assistant for the five Mason High School Mock Trial teams - Black, White, Green, Grey, and Green and White.
MHS students won the following titles:
Outstanding Attorney: Alishaan Ali and Rachel Zhan
Outstanding Witness: Claire Hu, Priyanka Paradkar, and Grace Zhang.
Our Tournament MVP was Shreya Gundavarpu who was also awarded two Outstanding Attorney awards.
“I congratulate our students on their hard work during winter break and on their continued success. I want to personally thank our dedicated local attorneys Jeff Rollman and Sallie Conyers with Rollman, Handorf, and Conyers, LLC. Their uncanny passion for law translates to our students. We could not have done it without them.”
The UC Invitational is important because it gives teams a chance to try their case with relatively little pressure as their performance doesn't determine whether they advance to the next level.
Just a couple weeks later, MHS completed another outstanding performance at the OCLRE High School Mock Trial Regional Tournament in Batavia.. Members of the MHS Mock Trial White Team who placed fourth overall in the tournament include Shreya Gundavarpu, Claire Hu, Judi Hu, Shruthi Rajaram, Anusha Vadlamani, Annie Zhang, and Grace Zhang.
In the morning trial, Vadlamani won Best Attorney and in the afternoon trial, Rajaram won Best Witness. Gundavarpu doubled up as a defense and prosecuting attorney in the morning and afternoon trials, a major undertaking.
Members of the Mason Black team who also participated in the Regional Tournament are Alishaan Ali, Katherine Gao, Matthew Gong, Megan Li, Aadit Mukherjee, Priyanka Paradkar, Tejas Srinivasan, and Rachel Zhan.
In the morning trial, Zhan won Best Attorney and in the afternoon trial, Paradkar won Best Witness.
"Many thanks go to our legal advisors, Jeff Rollman and Sallie Conyers, of Rollman, Handorf, and Conyers, a Mason law firm, for giving generously of their time and expertise to ensure students knew the ins and outs of courtroom procedure," shared MHS English teacher and Mock Trial Advisor Patricia George.
"Danielle Lyons and I are proud of the critical thinking and dedication these students demonstrated," added George.