This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.

OLM Shoreline Students Win CT Mock Trial Crown

Our Lady of Mercy School, a National Blue Ribbon School serving students grades pre-k through 8 in Madison, Connecticut, was declared the winner at the Appellate Court in Hartford on Wednesday, March 12, 2014 for the Connecticut State Mock Trial Championship against contender Weston Middle School of Weston, Connecticut. The rigorous simulated trial experience was presided over by Judges F. Herbert Gruendel, Robert E. Beach, Jr. and Bethany J. Alvord. The event was the final round of competitions that began in January, involving 40 schools throughout Connecticut.

The Mock Trial Program is an extra-curricular, interscholastic program promoted by Civics First (civicsfirstct.org) that strives to incorporate citizen education in all private and public schools, as it teaches students about the American legal system in a competitive manner, utilizing an actual tried court case. The students assume the roles of attorneys and witnesses and compete formally before Connecticut judges that volunteer their time and expertise of the legal system. All members of both teams were presented with a Certificate of Recognition from the State of Connecticut's Judicial Branch, signed by Chief Justice Chase T. Rogers, in recognition of the excellence required to reach the final round of the state-wide competition.

Since Nancy Addorisio, the eighth grade teacher at Our Lady of Mercy School, spearheaded the Mock Trial Program at the school in 2002, the school has won 10 out of 14 annual statewide competitions. In addition to Addorisio, the students were coached by Attorney Peter McShane, Attorney Shari Murphy, and Mrs. Lily Molloy under the supportive school principal, Sister Carol Sansone.

The 2014 winning team is comprised of students Jessica Abel (East Haven), Colin Call (Guilford), Clemen Cheung (Madison), Emily Connelly (Madison), William Dowler (Madison), Nicholas Ericson (Madison), Katherine Hall (Clinton), Margaret King (Clinton), Jackson Martin (Madison), Isabella Merlini (Chester), Tessa Molloy (Branford), Jaime Murphy (North Branford), Amanda Savona (North Branford), Meghan Tilton (Madison), and Amy Ziobron (Westbrook).