Wenatchee High students describe mock trial program and its impact at school board meeting

Members of Wenatchee High School’s mock trial team spoke to the Wenatchee School District School Board on April 1 about how the program has affected their academic and postsecondary plans.

Maisie McKenzie, mock trial president, described a three-year participation that helped her public speaking and clarified career goals: “I found more confidence in myself,” she said, and credited mock trial with opening opportunities and helping her plan to study criminology at Washington State University.

Senior Lizzie Pitzinger said mock trial taught courtroom procedure and broader skills, recounted team success at state competitions and thanked coaches and volunteers. “I spent the past 3 years on the mock trial team and I've loved every minute of it,” Pitzinger said; she also noted she received a Robert J. Bridle Inn of Court Scholarship for ethics, professionalism and civility at the state competition.

Students explained the structure of mock trial competitions — witness statements, exhibits, pretrial arguments, opening statements and closing statements — and described the experience of preparing cases and performing in simulated trials. The board and audience thanked the students, their teacher-coach Reuben Hart and community volunteer coaches, and invited the group to stay or leave as they preferred.

The remarks were given at the start of the meeting as part of the board’s practice of inviting students and program participants to share experiences; the board did not take formal action on the presentations.