Mock Trial Team Places Fourth in Delaware Competition
The Delaware High School Mock Trial Competition took place on February 24 and 25, 2023 at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center (formerly the New Castle County Courthouse). This was the first year back in person at the Courthouse after two years of virtual competition. Archmere Academy competed with Varsity and JV teams in 4 rounds. The Varsity team won 3 rounds, ultimately coming 4th in the state, continuing a long tradition of excellence in the competition. The JV team won 2 rounds, scoring very well in all rounds.
Varsity Team Captain Clare O’Dwyer (‘23) was awarded two Most Effective Attorney gavels and Team Captain Helen Qi (‘23) also received a Most Effective Attorney gavel. Grace Chen (‘24) and Victoria Eastment (‘24) each earned two Most Effective Witness gavels (one for each round they competed in). On the JV team, witnesses CC Kittila (‘26) and Sarah Eastment (‘26) were each awarded Most Effective Witness gavels, and Chloe Li (‘26) received a Most Effective Attorney gavel.
The Varsity team members, including senior attorneys Clare O’Dwyer and Helen Qi, senior witnesses Mia Gattuso and Sydney Vakili, junior attorneys Noah Marino, Grace Koch, and Alicia Chu, junior witnesses Grace Chen, Victoria Eastment and Sammy Gordon, sophomore attorney Brianna Yang and sophomore witness Charlie Ramsey, and senior timekeeper Ava Courtney, all demonstrated outstanding knowledge of legal and evidentiary rules and a thorough understanding of the case, which dealt with insurance claims after a murder at a zombie 5K at the Wilmington Riverfront.
The JV team, aside from Team Captain and attorney Gavin Nguyen (‘24), were all first year students and new to the competition this year. Attorneys Chloe Li, Brandon Paregian, Daniel Qi, Ruby Ryan, Rebecca Wang and witnesses Sarah Eastment, Meredith Finger, CC Kittila, Claudia Koch, Darren Luo, Angela Zhang were excited to compete in person at the courthouse for the first time
The team is coached by Delaware attorneys and former/current Archmere parents Neilli Walsh, Kristin Giakas, Karen Bifferato and Bob Whetzel, along with Archmere Spanish teacher Janna Scheflen.
The Delaware Law-Related Education Center also held competitions for Courtroom Artist and Courtroom Journalist, rewarding the artist who created the best drawing throughout the course of a two hour round of competition and journalist who best reported on the course of a two hour trial. They specifically rewarded artists who showed the drama and action of the courtroom, with a focus on composition, perspective and detail. Jace Walker (‘25) was the winner of the 2023 Courtroom Artist competition. Other participants were artist Grace Yang (‘25) and journalist Isabelle Ferris (‘24).
Archmere Academy is a private, Catholic, college preparatory co-educational academy,
grades 9-12 founded in 1932 by the Norbertine Fathers.
grades 9-12 founded in 1932 by the Norbertine Fathers.
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