Mock Trial Team Wins Spirit of AMTA Award
The nine first-time competitors making up DeSales’ mock trial team weren’t expecting to win big at their first regional tournament. But the team walked away with one of the American Mock Trial Association’s most meaningful prizes.
It won the Spirit of AMTA award, which is given to the team that best exemplifies the ideals of honesty, civility, and fair play.
“The fact that we won this award is amazing,” says Jennifer Moore, professor and mock trial team coach. “Most of the schools we went up against had seniors who have been doing this for four years. What makes it even more prestigious is that the other colleges and universities competing in the tournament selected our team for this award.”
Moore teaches CJ-425, the mock trial class. Students spent the fall semester preparing for the competition. They played the part of both the prosecution and defense in an arson case. Kevin Lenahan ’22, a criminal justice major who’s applying to law school, jumped at the chance to take the course and compete in the tournament.
“It taught me a lot about teamwork, patience, and resilience,” says Lenahan. “You’re thinking on your feet the whole time. No matter what avenue you’re taking, it will help with public speaking, critical thinking, and problem solving.”
The regional tournament was originally supposed to be held in Maryland, but it ended up being moved online. To complicate things more, Lenahan says the AMTA made impactful changes to the case just weeks before the tournament.
“It was nerve-wracking,” he says. “We were all frazzled for a couple of weeks but we pulled it together and we all had a really good time. It was a very fun experience.”
