Marin Voice: High school courtroom journalist intrigued by state mock trial competition

Since joining the Pony Express newspaper staff at San Marin High School, I have learned delegation, collaboration, and how to network – not to mention improving my writing and conversational skills.

I learned how to chase a story and aid others in their writing. Now, as a co-editor-in-chief, I am taking on a new challenge. I branched out from my role on the Pony Express to become a courtroom journalist for San Marin’s mock trial team.

Initially, I was just watching scrimmage trials to learn the case and courtroom jargon, but as my team participated in our county competition, I was able to apply my journalistic skills to the court and write a news article regarding the verdict of the case. During this time, I learned how to properly format news articles before covering my first state competition.

Following the Marin County Mock Trial Competition earlier this year, I am ready to cover my second state competition with the Marin-champion Tamalpais High mock trial team.

“Tam High mock trial is honored to represent Marin County in the state competition this month,” senior and co-captain Natalia Betzler said. “We are working hard with our coaches and teammates to uphold the excellence of the county’s mock trial program. Our team, like many others, has worked to overcome several obstacles this year with a transition to in-person practices, in trials, and hours of tense competition.”

The state competition begins Thursday. I am excited to interact with the other journalists and workshop leaders because, as a high school reporter, I know this is an amazing opportunity to improve my journalistic writing.

Going to the state competition not only allows me to watch the best teams in the state, but to work with professional journalists in workshops. They read the students’ articles and assist us in any way they can.

This is valuable to someone who wants to become a journalist in the future. By the end of the competition, I hope to improve my writing and take the newfound knowledge from the competition. I plan to share it with my members of my journalism class.

For someone who is more interested in the law and communicative aspects of mock trial, the competition brings a time to improve the multitude of skills needed in the courtroom and to educate the rising mock trial students.

“The team is working really hard right now and we’re lucky to have such great and dedicated coaches,” senior co-captain Nelly Thomas said. “They have worked with us tirelessly to improve our ‘Zoom etiquette,’ case theory, crosses, directs and more. We are confident that their help, alongside our hard-working (junior varsity) team, will propel us to exceed at the state competition and I can’t wait to finish off the season with this amazing group of kids.”

The best part of mock trial for most is the atmosphere that is created by the students themselves as teams turn into families. The work contributed by coaches, judges, teachers and school district staff and parents makes it possible for student teams to succeed.

“The best part of the mock trial is the team spirit, energy and how such a large group of people are all working together to achieve the same goal,” senior co-captain Aura Terrell said. “I know that no matter what happens at (the state finals) I am so proud of this team.”

Stefania Bitton is the Marin County Courtroom journalist for the Marin County California state mock trial competition team. She is co-editor-in-chief of the Pony Express newspaper at San Marin High School.