Tag Archives: Mock trial

Wheatley’s Mock Trial Team Competes in the State Finals!

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Last month, Wheatley’s Mock Trial Team captured the Nassau County Championship—the first time in our school’s history! As part of this victory, the team was celebrated (along with finalist Locust Valley High School) by the Nassau Bar Association with a lovely dinner during which the championship trophy was presented to the team and school.

This past Sunday, the team departed for the State Finals Competition. They were accompanied by Mr. Ronald Roaldsen, the Mock Trial Advisor, and Ms. Melinda Gomez, who accompanied the team as a chaperone. Mr. David Schwartz, the team’s legal advisor, also took the trip to Albany.

Going up against the best teams in New York State, the students performed admirably. Although they just missed advancing to the final round, they had a great experience and are proud of their work!

Congratulations to the team members:

ATTORNEYS

  • Jacob Ribotsky
  • Rebecca Sparacio
  • Ashley Vincenzo
  • Emily Yagoda
  • Brenda Zhong

WITNESSES

  • Maggie Caroddo
  • James Li
  • Brooke Schwartz
  • Rebecca Zeltsman

The students were led by our Mock Trial Advisor, Mr. Ron Roaldsen, and have been supported throughout the season by Mr. David Schwartz, who has served as the team’s legal counsel.

Thank you to Mr. Roaldsen for the team photo at the State Competition. Thanks as well to Melinda Gomez for the wonderful courtroom sketches from today’s action!

Wheatley’s Mock Trial Team is Headed to Albany!!

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Earlier today, Wheatley’s Mock Trial Team defeated Locust Valley High School’s team in the Nassau County Mock Trial Competition Finals! With this victory, the team advances to the State Finals in Albany at the end of May! This

Congratulations to the team members:

Attorneys

  • Jacob Ribotsky
  • Rebecca Sparacio
  • Ashley Vincenzo
  • Emily Yagoda
  • Brenda Zhong

Witnesses

  • Maggie Caroddo
  • Brooke Schwartz
  • Rebecca Zeltsman

Alternate

  • Skylar Ribotsky

The students are led by our Mock Trial Advisor, Mr. Ron Roaldsen, and have been supported by Pat Shanahan! Special thanks to Mr. David Schwartz, who has served as the team’s legal counsel.

Congratulations to the entire team as students prepare for next month’s State Competition!

[Thanks to Mr. Roaldsen for the photos!]

 

Wheatley’s Mock Trial Team is Heading to the Finals!

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Earlier today, Wheatley’s Mock Trial Team defeated a tenacious Massapequa High School team in the semifinal round of the Nassau County Mock Trial Competition. With this victory, the team advances to the county finals!

Congratulations to the team members:

Attorneys

  • Jacob Ribotsky
  • Rebecca Sparacio
  • Ashley Vincenzo
  • Emily Yagoda
  • Brenda Zhong

Witnesses

  • Maggie Caroddo
  • Derek Gilbert
  • James Li
  • Mahesh Pitchayan
  • Brooke Schwartz
  • Rebecca Zeltsman

Alternate

  • Skylar Ribotsky

The students are led by our Mock Trial Advisor, Mr. Ron Roaldsen and have been supported by Pat Shanahan!

Congratulations to the entire team as students prepare for the finals!

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Wheatley’s Mock Trial Team Makes it to the Final Four!

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Earlier today, Wheatley’s Mock Trial Team defeated a strong Hebrew Academy of Five Towns and East Rockaway team in the Elite Eight round of the Nassau County Mock Trial Competition. With this victory, the team advances to the final four!

Congratulations to the team members:

Attorneys

  • Jacob Ribotsky
  • Rebecca Sparacio
  • Ashley Vincenzo
  • Emily Yagoda
  • Brenda Zhong

Witnesses

  • Maggie Caroddo
  • Derek Gilbert
  • James Li
  • Mahesh Pitchayan
  • Brooke Schwartz
  • Rebecca Zeltsman

Alternate

  • Skylar Ribotsky

The students are led by our Mock Trial Advisor, Mr. Ron Roaldsen and supported by Pat Shanahan!

Congratulations to the entire team as students advance to the next round!

Robert Bernstein Honored at SWS Mock Trial Competition!

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Before yesterday’s 35th Annual SWS Mock Trial Competition, Patrick Clarke (SWS Moderator) led participants in a special ceremony recognizing the contributions made by Robert J. Bernstein to the education at the Wheatley School.

Bob Bernstein, known by generations of Wheatley students as “Bullet,’ was a social studies teacher at Wheatley from 1968 until 1997. Some of the highlights of his five-decade Wheatley career include:

  • Advising the School Within A School (SWS) program
  • Creating the law program and the courtroom in Room 205
  • Starting the SWS Mock Trial Tournament
  • Being a founding member of the Nassau County Mock Trial Competition
  • Mentoring generations of Wheatley teachers

Even after retirement, Bullet has continued to be a part of the school community. A number of years ago, the Mock Trial club adviser position was vacant and Bullet, as usual, stepped up. Not only did he come out of retirement to help our students, he led them to semi-final and finalist finishes in the Nassau County State Mock Trial Tournament.

After reading a proclamation referencing Bob’s many contributions,  Mr. Clarke declared that the SWS Mock Trial Tournament would henceforth be called the “Robert J. Bernstein SWS Mock Trial Tournament.”

Thank you to Bob for all of his wonderful work for Wheatley!

[Thanks to Mr. Clarke for some of this write-up.]

 

35th Annual SWS Mock Trial a Success!

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On 6 December 2017, the 35th Annual SWS Mock Trial Tournament was held at Wheatley. As part of this tournament, seven schools and two Wheatley teams competed. The field included Roslyn, Manhasset, Great Neck North, Syosset, Baldwin, Glen Cove and Kellenberg. Wheatley had one team representing SWS and one team from our co-curricular program. Over 100 students participated!

The SWS Mock Trial tournament has always been an opportunity for teams to get ready for the mock trial season which focuses on the New York State competition. For many of the participants, they are experiencing their first mock trial.

For this competition, we were fortunate to have five wonderful attorneys serving as judges: Robert Greco, Mark Cohen, Steve Barnwell, Nicholas Moyne (son of former social studies teacher Claudia Moyne) and Allison Sealove Laskowitz (Wheatley Class of 1990, a former member of SWS and Mock Trial).

Each team participated in two rounds of competition to determine who would meet in the finals. The final matchup started in the Wheatley auditorium at 1:30 with Great Neck North’s defense team taking on Wheatley’s club prosecution team. It was a close contest, with the Wheatley team winning on points.
Congratulation to Mr. Bernstein who was instrumental in getting this team on the road toward mock trial success and to Mr. Ronald Roaldsen who now serves as the adviser to the Mock Trial Club!
[Thanks to Patrick Clarke for the write-up!]

Mock Trial Team’s Wonderful Season Ends with a Tough Loss…

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On Wednesday, 5 April, Wheatley’s Mock Trial team competed against the team from W.T. Clarke High School in the regional finals of this wonderful competition. Although the team did not win the match, they should all be proud of their accomplishments over these past few months. 

Congratulations, once again, to our Mock Trial Team members: Sam Avila-Frank,  Maggie Carrodo, Jacob Chimerine, Caroline Crimmins, Derek Gilbert, Jakob Gilbert, Lianna Golden, Andrew Hirsch, Brett Katz, Mahesh Pitchayan, Michelle Raja, Jacob Ribotsky, Adam Rosenzweig, Brooke Schwartz,  Rebecca Sparacio, Emily Wang and Emily Yagoda.

Thanks as well to our Mock Trial Advisor, Wheatley English teacher Theryn Gibbons.

In recognition of their wonderful accomplishments, the Nassau County winner and the runner-up finalist, our outstanding Wheatley team, will be recognized for their accomplishments at the 2017 Mock Trial Tournament Awards Reception to be held on Thursday, May 18 at 5:30 PM at the Nassau County Bar Association.

[Thanks to Ms. Gibbons for the photos from the competitions.]