Mock trial team from Springfield High School places in top 10 at nationals

The Springfield High School Mock Trial Team is closing out the school year with the team’s best performance in school history. 

What happened: At the National High School Mock Trial Competition recently, top teams from each U.S. state, territory, and South Korea competed against one another. After four rounds, Springfield High School finished as the 9th-place team. 

Senior Melissa McMahon was also selected as a “Top 10 Outstanding Attorney” out of the 288 student attorneys in the competition. 

How did they get there?: In March, Springfield High beat out nearly 250 Ohio schools to secure a state championship, the first in school history, and earn their way to the national competition. 

Tell me about the winning team: The members of the national team include seniors Hannah Mattison, Melissa McMahon, Joel Blum, Ben Oehlers, freshmen Caroline Yontz, Emerson Babian and Aria Mills. The team is coached by Katy Osborn, Education Attorney at Bricker Graydon and Megan Farley, Assistant Franklin County Prosecutor, as well as supported by SHS faculty advisor, Keith Fry. 

Why is this important?: Mock Trial offers an innovative approach to learning law and how the legal system functions, where students participate in an original, unscripted simulated trial written by attorneys. High school students argue both sides of the case in real courtrooms.

Source: Springfield City School District