The newly-formed ACS Mock Trial Team faced off against teams from Mainland High School and Egg Harbor Township High School on February 3 and 10, and while the ACS team lost both matches, they received high marks and praise from judges and coaches who were impressed with their performance as a first-year team. ACS was one of nine high schools in Atlantic County to compete in the first two rounds of the Vincent J. Apruzzese High School Mock Trial Competition, which is sponsored in cooperation with the New Jersey State Bar Association and New Jersey’s county bar associations.

“We are very proud of our team,” said teacher coach Rhapsody Hahn-Chaney. “We put up a really good fight in both matches, and both the judges and other team coaches were very surprised at how well we did as a first-year team.” Hahn-Chaney noted that ACS competed against the two strongest teams in the county. Mainland has won at the state level several times and Egg Harbor Township has won the county.

“Our team is young and the students are excited that they have established a name for ACS in the Mock Trial Competition,” said Hahn-Chaney.  “Every member of this year’s team is planning to return next year and they are encouraging their friends to join as well.”  Hahn-Chaney said she also plans to offer Mock Trial as a high school elective class in the fall of 2022, which will continue building the program and give more students an opportunity to get involved.

“Participating in mock trial has so many benefits for our students — it increases critical thinking skills, sharpens public speaking skills, and creates an understanding of the American criminal justice system,” Hahn-Chaney said. “The elective class in the fall is open to any student, whether or not they choose to join the ACS Mock Trial team.”

The six members of this year’s team were, from left: 11th grader Jason Herrera; 10th grader Ryleigh Martin; 11th grader Evan Power; 9th grader Joshua Kinch; 9th grader James Papanikolauo; and 10th grader Vera Huff. Also pictured is teacher coach Rhapsody Hahn-Chaney.  Robin Tolg, Esq. served as the Attorney Coach and ACS alumni parent Gary Griffith, Esq. served as a team mentor. Griffith is a former mock trial attorney-coach and has also served as a mock trial judge at the college level.

The team has been meeting after school three to four days a week since late November to learn about the criminal case of the State of Metropolitan vs. Perry Jordan.  Because of the small size of the team, the team members switched off to play the different roles of lawyers and witnesses. Herrera served as the time-keeper. A team typically consists of 10 members plus alternates.

Both matches took place virtually, rather than in a courtroom, due to the COVID pandemic.  ACS team members were located in the ACS computer lab and in the school library, where they participated via Zoom using laptops. The parents of team members and various teachers gathered in a nearby classroom to remotely watch the proceedings, which each lasted over three hours.

In the February 3 match against Mainland High School, ACS played the side of the defense representing the defendant. In the February 10 match against Egg Harbor Township High School, ACS switched sides to be the prosecution representing the state.