Yorktown Justice League Students Soar to the Final Four
The Justice League of Yorktown High School is heading to the Final Four, not the March Madness basketball championships in Texas, but at the Westchester County Supreme Court in White Plains.
The team of seniors, juniors and sophomores recently won its third round of competition in the 2014 New York Statewide High School Mock Trial Tournament in Westchester. On April 3, the Justice League will flex its muscles against three other area high schools with the hopes of advancing and ultimately competing in the semifinals in Albany.
The tournament is sponsored by the New York State Bar Association with the objective of teaching students about trial basics and learning about professionalism and civility in a court of law. This year, the students have to demonstrate their knowledge in a mock trial with a criminal case about fracking. The students are divided into two teams, the prosecution and defense, and each team consists of three attorneys and three witnesses.
The team has been preparing with guidance from Steve Rome, Yorktown High School teacher advisor, and attorney advisors Linda and Robert Gironda and Donna Cook, along with advice from Yorktown town justices Sal Lagonia and Gary Raniolo, who have served as judges during dress rehearsals.
Seniors Cameron Cushner and Megan Metz are co-presidents of the Justice League Mock Trial Club. Other student members are Joe Bisaccia, Arbina Camaj, Daniel DelBene, Jesse Horowitz, Emma Kaishian, Gabriella Landicino, Brendan Lawlor, Sahil Mohan, Jesse Sloane, Jordan Tessler and Anthony White, along with alternates Rich Campanaro, Tim Forbes, and Michael Resko.
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