February 2020

The Delaware High School Mock Trial Competition took place on February 21 and 22, 2020 at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center (formerly the New Castle County Courthouse). Archmere Academy competed in 4 rounds, winning 3 rounds and ultimately coming in 7th in the state, continuing a long tradition of excellence in the competition.  

Lauren Wilson (‘20) and Maura Smeader (‘21) both earned Most Effective Witness gavels, and Christian Miller (‘21) was awarded a Most Effective Attorney gavel. The entire team, including senior attorneys Jessica Pei and Anh Ho, senior witnesses Lauren Simpson and Melina Reilly, junior attorneys Camron Kaiser and Lily Sabine, junior witnesses Margaret Atkins and Norah Prendergast, freshman attorney Helen Qi, freshman timekeepers Amelia Gattuso and Sydney Vakili, and alternates Clare O’Dwyer (‘23) and Brendan Sullivan (‘22), all demonstrated outstanding knowledge of legal and evidentiary rules and a thorough understanding of the case, which dealt with 2nd degree murder at a rodeo at the Delaware State Fair.

The Delaware Law-Related Education Center also held a Courtroom Artist Competition for the second year in a row, rewarding the artist who created the best drawing throughout the course of a two hour round of competition. They specifically rewarded artists who showed the drama and action of the courtroom, with a focus on composition, perspective and detail. Lauren Wilson (‘20) was the winner of the 2020 competition and received an award of $250. She will be invited to participate in the national high school Courtroom Artist competition in Indiana in May.