Mock Trial’s Denver competition: a simulated trial that brings real success
By Addison Welborn
Photo of Owasso competitors provided by Olivia Kerber
The Owasso High School mock trial team traveled to Denver over fall break, and it was a stunning success. At this competition, the Owasso team presented their trained witnesses and attorneys in front of both jurors and a judge, fighting against teams from high schools around the country to win the case. The Owasso team worked together for months to prepare to take on the (mock) court of law. This work resulted in victory for both the team as a whole and for two individual members, Olivia Kerber and Parker Baskerville.
In the mock trial world, placements are determined by scores that are awarded by three judges, consisting of two jurors and one courtroom judge. These judges rank the witnesses, attorneys and team as a whole out of ten, with the final score (that determines placement) being an average of the thre
The Owasso team's four stellar performances earned them seventh place out of 46 teams from across the country. Seniors Kerber and Baskerville earned their own personal awards, with Baskerville placing seventh for her performance as a witness and Kerber placing first in the competition for Best Attorney.
As one of the witnesses, Baskerville played the role of the grieving mother in the case.
“She did a really incredible job,” said mock trial member Ty Elias. “She was making people … tear up.”
Baskerville’s praises were also being sung behind closed doors. Mock trial sponsor Daman Cantrell told Elias about a conversation regarding Baskerville in the judge's meeting.
“[He] said that at the judge’s meeting, they were talking about [Baskerville] and how good of a job she was doing,” explained Elias.
Specific praise like this is evidence of Baskerville’s true talent and hardwork in preparing her character for this competition.
Kerber’s first place award was quite a win for Owasso, and it was not anticipated. When asked if she expected to win this award, Kerber simply laughed and said, “No, not at all. I was so surprised.”
Part of the reason that Kerber was so surprised is because she felt as if she had a rough start.
“I was kind of disappointed, especially the first day,” she explained. “I didn’t think I did the best I could’ve done.”
While Kerber may have doubted herself, she clearly had no need to. The months of preparation and heaps of talent that the Owasso team brought to the table overcame any obstacle. Baskerville and Kerber both showed up for their teams and proved the incredible feats that can be accomplished through Owasso Mock Trial.