The New York State Mock Trial Region 4 Tournament Brings Out the Best in Local High School Students Interested in Law

Through collaboration with local students, high schools, and legal experts Orange-Ulster BOCES supports legal education through a mock trial program.  Orange-Ulster BOCES would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of all of the New York State Mock Trial Region 4 Tournament students, advisors, attorney coaches, and local judges who participated in the 2022 New York State Mock Trial Region 4 Tournament. Students worked countless hours with their teammates, teacher adviser, and attorney coach since the fall of 2021. This year students from eight local high schools (Goshen High School, James I. O’ Neill High School, Middletown High School, Minisink Valley High School, Monroe-Woodbury High School, Port Jervis High School, Warwick Valley High School, and Washingtonville High School) participated. Students competed in two rounds of trials before the final trials held on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. The first place winner of the 2022 New York State Mock Trial Region 4 Tournament is the team from Monroe-Woodbury High School in the Monroe-Woodbury Central School District. Second place winner is the team from James I. O’Neill High School in the Highland Falls-Fort Montgomery Central School District. The team from Monroe-Woodbury High School will compete in a regional competition in April. The New York State High School Mock Tournament will be held May 22-24, 2022.

The New York State High School Mock Trial Program is a joint venture of The New York Bar Foundation, the New York State Bar Association’s Law, Youth and Citizenship Program, and Orange-Ulster BOCES. In this educational program, high school students gain first-hand knowledge of civil/criminal law and courtroom procedures. Through the partnership of Orange-Ulster BOCES and the Orange County Bar Association, students participate in the New York State Mock Trial Program annually. Objectives of the tournament are to teach students ethics, civility, and professionalism; further students’ understanding of the law, court procedures and the legal system; improve proficiency in basic life skills, such as listening, speaking, reading and reasoning; promote better communication and cooperation among the school community, teachers and students and members of the legal profession; and heighten appreciation for academic studies and stimulate interest in law-related careers. Nancy Faddis-DeCerbo, the tournament coordinator stated, “It was amazing to see the teams present their cases to the judges. It is a fantastic way to learn about courtroom procedures. We are indebted to Judges Steven W. Brockett, Victoria Campbell, Richard Clarino, John Goldsmith, Christine Krahulik, Anika Mohammed, Timothy P. McElduff, James McKnight, Bruce Schonberg, Christopher Turpin, and Matthew D. Witherow for their investment in the program and the youth of our region.” Kimberly Hooper, Orange-Ulster BOCES Coordinator of Library Services, said, “We were thrilled to be able to collaborate again this year with the Orange County Bar Association. We are also thankful for the investment of Orange County Court Judge Craig Brown and Chief Assistant County Attorney, Family Law Unit, Kimberly VanHaaster for the success of the tournament and legal education in our region.”

2022 New York State Mock Trial Region 4 Tournament participants from regional high schools include:

Goshen CSD: Fred Miles (Advisor), David Fish (Attorney Coach), Mia Colangelo, Rachel Seo, Damaris Rodriguez, Judah Gordon, Naima Puertas, Jacqueline Garcia, Dezmin Colon, Jolina Dong, Michelle Gukhman, and Gigi Gahra.

Highland Falls-Fort Montgomery CSD: Amy Patino (Advisor), Randy Siper (Attorney Coach), Lee Conklin, Lydia Terry, Amber Wojciechowski, Nora Nowicki, Anna Bellocchio, Gavin Wickeremasuriya, Kayla Terry, Caleb Hagemaster, Eleanor Sullivan, Hunter Mallory, Evan Maasik, Jeremy Stoll, and Tykhon Rudenok.

Middletown ECSD: Luis Garcia (Advisor), Alex Smith (Attorney Coach), Summer Elrefaei, Madeline Moran, Oluwasayo Kumapayi, Mariam Bah, Kianna Aguilar, Patricia Mejia Magallon, Joshua Leake, Jenell Matuszewski, Ashleigh Wheeler, and Kara Abiodun.

Minisink Valley CSD: Ezra Clementson (Advisor), Morgan Torres (Advisor), Len Kessler (Attorney Coach), Mike Wolfe (Attorney Coach), Alexis Montgomery, Elijah McDonald, Rose Phillips, Eric Bautista, Wesley Mardyniak, Kate Lukasik, Ella Gonzalez, Emily Bartels, Dan Guido, and Maria Ricca.

Monroe-Woodbury CSD: Anthony Verboys (Advisor), Mark Gordon (Attorney Coach), Eric Parker (Attorney Coach), Latrice Campbell (Attorney Coach), Peter Phelan, Emma Malabanan, Anushree Buragohain, Jenna Rowen-Delson, Ethan Laderman, Matthew Ocasio, Azure Bolling, Alexandra Butkevich, Zachary Rowen-Delson, Matthew Ebenhoe, Jude Farrell, Anthony Grueiro, Cristal Jimenez, Grayson Joseph, Revathi Kalavakuri, Matthew Kuchar, Anya Malhotra, Anne Mangatt, Mia Montevirgen, Reyanna Moralez, Kria Thabet, and Victoria Sharmine-Gloria.

Port Jervis CSD: Michael Dunleavy (Advisor), Tracy West-Barnes (Advisor), Joshua Mursalin, Michael Fedrizzi, Lukasz Husson, Logan Hoffman, Olivia Trotta, and Eric Durkins III.

Warwick Valley CSD: Eduardo Avila (Advisor), Evan Zucker (Attorney Coach), Azia Bey, Morgan Chabut, Sydney Pascullo, Arianna Cruz, Matthew Doherty, Chance Wilson-James, John Rivera,  Alyese Garner, Jason Rowe, Andrew Cimino, Christian Katsabanis, and Noah Conley.

Washingtonville CSD: Peter Sale (Advisor), Scott Lerner (Advisor), Michael Ohm (Attorney Coach), Rebecca Ferrigno-Ohm (Attorney Coach), Alex Rosen (Attorney Coach), Emma Rudzinski, Alayah Fernandez, Aryanna Wongsing, DeLisa Harper, John Kerwan IV, Kathryn Kerwan, Steven Tripodianos, Fiona Duffy, Madison Brown, Karl Tedaldi, Noah Scopteuolo-Rosen, Jade Sampson, Bryan Babcock, Miranda Frisbee, Juliet Adams, Isabella Cuadrado, and Jamelis German.

Orange-Ulster BOCES Mission Statement:

The mission of the Orange-Ulster BOCES is to serve our component districts and community in the development of continuous learners who will be successful in meeting the challenges of living in our society today and in the future. We will accomplish this mission in a cost-effective manner with a dedicated, skilled, caring staff providing quality educational services in a safe, nurturing and accessible environment.