Truman High School’s Law and Mock Trial Team. (Photo submitted)
NEW YORK, NY – It may look like an episode of “Law and Order” but these Truman High School Students are getting a taste of what the real-world justice system is all about. This year they have risen to become one of the top competitive programs in New York City, thanks- in part- to the leadership of Law teacher Marc Zanoni.
“None of the success would have been possible without his dedication and guidance,” according to Assistant Principal Jordana Bell. She credits the teams growth and success to Zanoni’s tireless hours of work to coach and prepare them.
Sarah Ramsumair and Sheldon Yawson take a break between rounds of the Mock Trial competition in Manhattan. (Photo submitted)
Every year Truman competes in the New York State Bar Association High School Mock Trial Competition. This is a statewide competition open to any high school, public, private or parochial. The State is broken into 8 Regions, with the Bronx and Manhattan in one region. Over 90 high schools from the five boroughs compete each year. The Bronx-Manhattan region includes the three specialized schools and numerous prestigious private schools such as Fordham Prep, Horace Mann, Loyola and Columbia Prep. The two New York City regions merge in the later rounds. The best team of each region advances to the state competition in Albany.
As the name suggests, the competition involves each school preparing both sides of a case invented by the Bar association, using manufactured affidavits and evidence, and then enacting a mock trial of the case against another school. The teams are judges based on a rubric for different tasks, such as Opening Arguments, or Direct Examination, and obtain points. The winning team advances the next round.
This year’s Truman team included 12 members, mostly from the law program, including 7 seniors, and 3 students from outside the program. They were coached by Keelin Kavangh, Esq., a partner of the law firm of Greenspoon Marder. The students came in on Saturdays and Wednesday afternoons, working around and through their other activities and obligations inside and outside of Truman. Their hard work and practice paid off. Truman was among the final 8 schools in the entire city, defeating Hunter College High School, High School for American Studies at Lehman College, High School for Law and Community Service, and Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School, finally losing a close match to Hillcrest High School.