Huntington High School’s county championship mock trial team is searching for new members to fill out its ranks as it seeks to once again reach the pinnacle in the state.
The Blue Devils won the Suffolk title in only their fourth year of competition and went on to finish No. 3 at the state finals in Albany. Although the team lost some of its brightest stars to graduation last June, a powerhouse squad is set to return. There are spots for newcomers to fill and new faces will be welcomed by the team’s veterans, faculty advisors and legal mentors.
Huntington junior John Panos is one of
the mock trial team's leading returnees.
Now in its fifth year of existence, the Huntington courtroom team is expected to again challenge for top county honors. The mock trial competition is sponsored by the New York State Bar Association Foundation. The initiative seeks to enhance participant’s public speaking skills and inspire some to consider a legal career.
Participating teams have a schedule of four regular season matches before the top 16 enter the Suffolk tournament. Teams across New York follow a similar path along the way to determining a state champion.
The New York State Bar Assn. Foundation believes the mock trial program “teaches students ethics, civility and professionalism; furthers students’ understanding of the law, court procedures and the legal system; improves proficiency in basic life skills, such as listening, speaking, reading and reasoning; promotes better communication and cooperation among the school community, teachers and students and members of the legal profession, and; heightens appreciation for academic studies and stimulate interest in law-related careers.”
Students learn about the rule of law; rules of evidence; proper courtroom decorum; legal terminology and civic responsibility and attitude. Participation fosters respect for the law and the legal system and an ability to view an issue from differing viewpoints.
A team dinner last June celebrated the 2018 season in fine fashion. Blue plaques were presented to the team members by Huntington’s legal advisors, Xavier Palacios and John LoTurco. The Blue Devils expect veteran team members Lena Annunziata, Rory Bocelli, Isabella Floro, Joseph Mead, John Panos, Lia Shechter, Riley Tucker and Claudia Villatoro to return this year.
Mr. Panos garnered the Most Improved Litigator Award last June. Ms. Shechter was named Rookie of the Year. Ms. Villatoro claimed the Most Outstanding Defense Witness Award. Ms. Annunziata was named the Most Outstanding Prosecution Witness.
Messrs. Palacios and LoTurco have already committed to continuing to serve as the team’s legal advisors next winter. (Huntington alum Jack Piana, a practicing attorney, also prepared the team for some of its early season matches last winter. It’s expected he will be coming back, too.
The district is creating a new mock trial courtroom in the School Heritage Museum at the high school. It will serve as the home base for the Blue Devils.
Then Huntington High School senior Justin LoTurco founded Huntington’s mock trial team during the 2014/15 school year. The team’s first victory came in February 2015 when it toppled Mattituck. The Blue Devils have enjoyed remarkable success since then, culminating in this year’s county championship. Mr. LoTurco also continues to be successful in his own right. The Huntington alum is in his senior year at Duke University. He’s interned with Goldman Sachs in Manhattan last summer.
Faculty advisors Sarah Buchalter and Suzie Biagi help coordinate the team’s activities and handle important behind the scenes details.
Interested in learning more about Huntington’s mock trial program or ready to sign-on as a team member? Send an email message to either Ms. Buchalter (sbuchalter@hufsd.edu) or Ms. Biagi (sbiagi@hufsd.edu)to start the ball rolling.