As if earning their first state mock trial championship wasn’t memorable enough, Talawanda High School did so against arguably Ohio’s most dominant program.

The southwest Ohio school, located in Oxford, defeated Cincinnati’s Indian Hill High School in last week’s event, held virtually. It was redemption from last year after Talawanda fell short against Indian Hill in the state semifinal.

“Winning still hasn’t registered with me,” said Talawanda student Muhammed Khan.

This was Talawanda’s first appearance in the state final. Indian Hill, a six-time champion, has been a finalist nine times in the past 20 years.

Three rounds of competition whittled down 260 students representing 31 teams at the state level. All those opportunities provided participants with the practice and confidence necessary to perform at the highest level.

“I was probably the least nervous in the final because we had gotten so comfortable with our routine,” said Talawanda student Julia Peter.

Mock trial is the state’s largest high school academic competition featuring more than 3,500 students annually. The Ohio Center for Law-Related Education program is sponsored by the Supreme Court of Ohio, and includes approximately 1,000 legal professionals who volunteer to serve as judges, competition coordinators, and team advisers.

“It means the world to all the people who participate,” said Amanda Weatherwax, Talwanda’s coach. “Mock trial has been a touchstone for us to get through the difficulties of the pandemic, and to allow us into something bigger than ourselves.”

The 2022 Ohio Mock Trial case asked students to examine the limits of governmental regulation specified in the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The Fifth Amendment is among those referred to as the Bill of Rights. It creates civil liberties for citizens including a right to a jury trial, protection against double jeopardy, safeguards against self-incrimination, a right to fair trial, and a prohibition against the government taking property without fair compensation. The debate explored the intricacies of governmental restrictions and its impacts on people during COVID-19. The case was a valuable exercise for students to grow academically and personally.

“It’s a really good activity for increasing your work ethic and to be able focus on things for a long time,” said Eliza Sullivan, a Talawanda student.

The sense of community remains a constant for participants. While many join mock trial because of friends or teachers, other connections run deeper. Shr-Shiang Moore wasn’t hesitant to add hours of extra work on top of his course load after his older brother took part.

“Now, I’m trying to convince my younger sister to be a part of this,” Moore said.

The season isn’t over yet for Talawanda. They’ll represent Ohio in the National High School Mock Trial Championship in May.

Many of the students say their time spent studying cases and preparing arguments has them considering a future in the legal profession. As much as they’ve enjoyed that process and the accompanying success, Eliot Berberich knows bigger goals await those who become attorneys.

“The more driven people we have working in the legal system, the better it will be,” he said.