Kennett High School Mock Trial Team Places Fourth

Kennett High School’s Mock Trial Senior Team placed fourth out of eighteen teams in the Chester County Round of this year’s statewide Mock Trial Competition sponsored by the Pennsylvania Bar Association Young Lawyers Division.

Throughout the month of February, 249 high schools across Pennsylvania will engaged in district and regional levels of competition. Pennsylvania’s mock trial program, now in its thirty-fifth year, is one of the largest in the nation, according to the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s website.​

On November 3, 2017, the students were given information about a realistic yet fictional case to read and prepare. This year’s case involves a civil proceeding to determine whether the plaintiff, Silva Morel, was wrongfully terminated from employment at Tiger Tail Technologies. Morel was let go by Tiger Tail Technologies, a firm based in Chester County, after she “blew the whistle” because she supposedly witnessed a Tiger Tail Technologies officer bribing a foreign official. Tiger Tail Technologies claimed no bribe occurred, and Morel’s employment was terminated for reasons other than “whistle blowing.”​

Kennett High School has two teams contending this month: the Senior Team, comprised of juniors Victoria Freire and Avery Chapman, and seniors Joe Schlitz, Hannah Church, Eli Smith, Kevin Fiss, Quinn Huffaker, Ryley Harris, Jake Kalscheur, Ben Jordan, Ben Gaver, Tyler Bowdoin, and Brice Chapman; and a Junior Team, made up of underclassmen Chase Harris, Evan Sharp, Matt Jordan, Sam Griffin, McKenna Norton, Gustavo Andres Castaneda, Ariatna Ortiz Jasso, Victoria Kelly, Lily Ehren, Tomi Adetayo, Catt Seamon, Katherine Holguin, and Jack Giles.

“All of these students are involved in many clubs, sports, and activities and do an exceptional job managing this difficult extra-curricular activity,” said Mrs. Mary Kay Gaver, an attorney and one of the high school’s Mock Trial team advisors.

Mrs. Gaver added, “Mock Trial is unique because there is no right answer. The cases are intentionally set up to be ambiguous, so both sides have the ability to win. The fact that there is no ‘right’ solution to the problem and the jurors’ decision is somewhat subjective is very frustrating for most high school students. KHS Mock Trial students have shown a remarkable ability to work through that ambiguity to build a persuasive case.”

Kennett’s teams competed on February 6 and February 13 at the Justice Center in West Chester. On February 6, half of each of the KHS teams participated as plaintiffs, while on February 13, the remaining students on Kennett’s two teams vied as defendants. Kennett went 3-1 in its trials, with the Senior Team winning both of its trials with unanimous jury verdicts.

Kennett’s Senior Team won again on Wednesday, February 21, ensuring the team a spot in the next playoff round.

The Mock Trial club is advised by Kennett High School business teacher Mr. Bill Fritsch; Mrs. Mary Kay Gaver, mother of Paul (KHS Class of 2011), Henry (KHS Class of 2014), and Ben (KHS Class of 2018); Lenny Rivera, father of Justin (KHS Class of 2011), Sydney (KHS Class of 2013), and Julia (KHS Class of 2014); Dave Harris, father of Ryley Harris (KHS Class of 2018) and Chase Harris (KHS Class of 2020); and Michelle Barone, an Assistant District Attorney in the Chester County DA’s Office.

KHS Model UN: Impresses at two conferences

On Saturday, January 20, Kennett High School Model UN club members attended a conference at Father Judge High School in Philadelphia. Kennett students participated in a variety of activities as they debated world issues and crises. Best delegate gavels were won by Karma Yang (Security Council I), Ellie Conlin-Day (Security Council II), and Sebastian Kley (DISEC, North Korea). Outstanding and Honorable Mention recognition went to Nate Judd, Mantra Yang, Ian Dargitz, Anna Brunke, Lauren Jackson, and Kara Murphy for their achievements.

More recently, on February 15 and 16, six Kennett Model UN students competed at the 46^th Penn State Harrisburg MUN conference. Kennett students represented delegations from Chile and the Czech Republic in the General Assembly. Sebastian Kley wrote a resolution that was adopted; a significant achievement. Mantra Yang and Lauren Jackson were recognized for the high quality of their debate. Other participants included Ian Dargitz, Kara Murphy, and Karma Yang. This was the first overnight conference for the club in more than a decade.

Kennett’s Model UN advisor is social studies teacher Mr. Michael Waite.

Mr. Waite said, “I believe strongly in Model UN’s mission to help students gain an understanding of the global community through academics and roll play as delegates from other countries. I think the appeal for Kennett students consistently involves an interest in learning about other cultures and global issues through research, dialogue, and debate. Club members also enjoy meeting students from other schools, both public and private, where they can forge bonds of friendship.”

“Victoria Gonzalez, a senior and our club’s secretary general, deserves tremendous credit for initiating mid-year recruitment efforts to bolster our numbers and offering training to improve the quality of our delegations at these conferences,” added Mr. Waite.

The club is looking forward to three more conferences: the University of Delaware, Salesianum School, and Kutztown University.

“Busy year,” beamed Mr. Waite.

A dedicated and enthusiastic group of over two hundred KHS students will remain on their feet from 8 p.m. Friday, February 23, to 6 a.m. on Saturday morning for Mini-THON, an event to raise money for the Four Diamonds Fund to benefit pediatric cancer research and families whose children are battling the disease. Through a variety of events, raffles, generous corporate contributions, donations, and the Wizards basketball game, students have already raised thousands of dollars in pursuit of this year’s goal.

Kennett High School Mini-THON logo

Modeled after Penn State’s Dance Marathon (THON), Kennett High School’s Mini-THON features ten hours packed with fun activities, music, and food. Participants this year will be treated to a luau theme.

Faculty advisors for the event are Lisa Teixeira, KHS librarian and Humanitarian Club moderator, and Shawn Duffy, social studies teacher and Humanitarian Club assistant moderator. Student organizers are led by senior event co-chairs Erin Duffy and Anna Wilson, along with junior chair Jayna Bruno, and committee chairs M.J. Patterson, Allie Taylor, Tyler Bowdoin, Abby Davidson, Ashton Albert, Will Michael, and Ryley Harris and returning alumnus Michael Bellino.

“I am so proud of the KHS Mini-THON team, particularly my co-chair, Shawn Duffy, and this year’s student leaders, Erin Duffy, Anna Wilson, and Jayna Bruno. They are the most dedicated and selfless individuals and have clearly identified a future-forward vision for our Mini-THON. Our group seeks to not only raise money for Four Diamonds but to provide the community, in and out of school, with a framework for unity, inclusiveness, and fun,” said Ms. Teixeira.

New Garden Elementary student Grayson Savery and his mother, Mrs. Jaclyn Savery, speaking at the Kennett High School Mini-THON rally on January 26.

Again this year, a community open house will kick off the evening’s schedule. For a recommended donation of $5 per family, members of the Kennett community are invited to Reynolds Gymnasium from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, February 23, for a sneak peek at the Mini-THON event. Faculty and student organizers are excited to welcome everyone to share in the fun and support a very worthy cause.

Event co-chair Erin Duffy said, “Mini-THONs empower high school students to organize their communities in the fight against childhood cancer – a difficult and daunting task. However, passionate members of the Kennett community have shouldered our cause with us, and they have been my examples of the ideals of leadership, citizenship, and service.”

Co-chair Anna Wilson added, “Every step of the way, we have one thought in our minds — the children. Throughout this process of planning, organizing, and fundraising for our Mini-THON, we have done all that we can to improve the lives of children battling cancer, especially those fighting cancer within our o