Mock Trial Team Update

Mock Trial Update
By Jay Villagomez

Dear GD Community,

In winning form, the GD Mock Trial defense team won during yesterday's
match versus Oakmont's plaintiff team. It was a close competition with
a score of 96 vs 94 in GD's favor.

In our inaugural year with 2 wins and 1 loss, the team finished second
(along with Oakmont and Lunenburg) in Region 13.  Parker Charter
School will represent the region at the next level.

The learning curve has been steep for our entire team, students and
coaches alike.  But like all things at Groton-Dunstable, we strive
toward excellence in everything we do.

Defense attorney Kate Nash gave a measured, confident opening
statement that outlined the main contentions and delineated the role
of defense witnesses.

Brent Emerle and Collin Donaldson showed their mastery of the Socratic
method of questioning during direct and cross examinations.

Defense witnesses Rebecca Roberts (aviation expert Fran Doolittle),
Colby Reardon (aircraft businessman Corey Shinoda), and Clark Johnson
(expert witness Donald Hamel) played their roles with aplomb and
verisimilitude.

An impassioned closing argument by Sage Mastakouras-Seppala anchored
the defense team's case -- that due to the preponderance of evidence,
pilot error and not product design was the cause of the Caborite Model
2 crash.

 Kudos to the attorney coaches who devoted +30 hours training our
students. The team is grateful to attorneys Christopher Reardon and
Susan Edgett and Police Office Racheal Mead, who shared their time,
skills, and effort to form a winning team.  State Representative
Sheila Harrington was a tremendous help ever since the initial teacher
coach/attorney coach meeting at the Massachusetts Bar Association in
Boston.  She helped me launch the team.

If you know of students, parents and teachers who may be interested in
being a part of our team next year, please send them our way!

Best regards,


J. Villagomez
History, Civics & Economics Teacher
Freshman Class & Crusaders for Conservation Adviser
Mock Trial Coach