On June 5, 2024, the CHS mock trial hosted their annual banquet that concluded the season. During the 2023-2024 mock trial season, the CHS mock trial A team won the mock trial state championship and advanced to the national high school mock trial championship. To conclude the season, a banquet is hosted in the CHS craft theater.
“This mock trial banquet sure was a bittersweet one for me. I have a lot of senior friends, and this was the last school event I had with them. I’m going to miss these graduates a lot,” Charlotte Rotenberg, a CHS mock trial member, said. “Due to the fact that I’ve made friends with so many of them through mock trials, it definitely hit me hard. At least the food was plentiful and delicious.”
The banquet started with serving side dishes and then proceeded to the main dishes brought by students and parents. After the food was served, all members of the CHS mock trial team received a paper plate award that demonstrated their presence on the team. Lina Bailey, Abigail Bachman, Serena O’Brien and Isabella Jacob introduced the awards to the team members. The room was soon filled with laughter and cheers as each award was announced.
Following the paper award, each senior on the team delivered a speech to another senior that they’d known for at least four years in high school. The speeches were heartfelt and filled with anecdotes. The speeches reflected seniors’ shared experiences, personal growth and memorable moments inside and outside of mock trial. The speeches included describing the unique impact each individual had on the group and expressing gratitude for each other’s support.
“That team is a part of me that makes me better, and wherever I go, I will carry the love and things they taught me with me until the end of time,” Moose Gultekin, a senior graduating CHS (2024), said. “Mock trial changed me for the better, and though saying goodbye was bittersweet, I will forever be thankful for the experiences and time they gave me.”
The 2023–2024 mock trial season ended with a bittersweet moment. It is also time to look into the prospects of the new season. The CHS mock trial team will be competing in the Mock Trial Empire competition in Philadelphia the following September, as well as the regional (state-qualifying) championship in February and March of 2025. As always, new members are always welcome to join the team.
“I think I wouldn’t have to convince them very hard,” Eliam Rosenberg, a CHS mock trial member, said. “Come to the first meeting; you have nothing to lose. And after that, you can decide for yourself, and I guarantee they’ll probably stay around.
It was a night of celebration, where each team member’s role was acknowledged and appreciated, leaving everyone with fond memories. It was a joyful moment to celebrate the success of the CHS mock trial team this season, but also a bittersweet one to send off the senior members of the team. The banquet served as a perfect conclusion to the 2023–2024 mock trial, and the team is now anticipated to have a bright and successful season next year.
