Features
March 2022
The Voyager 5
Mock trial’s successful season in the courtroom By JORDAN KRAMER ‘24 Staff Reporter
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astern’s mock trial team has had a very successful year thus far. Once the casebook was released in November of 2021, captains Maiya Little and Anika Kapoor got to work reading through it all, and putting together their directs, crosses, and everything that goes into a trial. There are many components that make up a trial, so here’s a simple guide to how things work! Prosecution vs Defense This year, the city of Metropolitan (the prosecution) is accusing Perry Jordan (the defense) of being involved in the trafficking of stolen luxury goods. Both sides have two attorneys; the prosecution’s are Maiya Little and Claire Sklar, and the defense’s are Anika Kapoor and Claire Sklar/Giovanni Ciro. Along with the attorneys, each side has three witnesses to help their side win. On the prosecution, Officer Parris Jewel is played by Micheal DiPascale, expert Jules Thompson is played by Riya Nandakumar, and clerk Cameron Clark (say that ten times fast!) is played by Paige Huber. The defense has the accused Perry Jordan being played by Tiana Cyrelson, rover driver Blair Overland played by Thomas Alexander/Jordan Kramer, and expert Kaden Keller played by Faith Lee. How does a trial run? Understanding how a mock trial proceeds is difficult at first, but the more you watch, the easier it’ll be. Both prosecution and defense sides start with their opening, where they explain why they’re in court today, and what they will prove (in this case, if Jordan is guilty or innocent). Next, the prosecution witnesses will
be brought to the stand. The prosecution attorneys will question them, which is called a direct, and it’s practiced before the trial. They’ll ask questions about their jobs, their relevance to the case, and anything to paint Jordan as guilty. After their time is up, the defense side questions the prosecution witnesses in the cross, which the witness will have to answer on the spot. Once all the prosecution witnesses go, the defense witnesses take the stand. Same as the prosecution, they’ll go through their directs and crosses. The opposing sides’ attorneys can object to the questions the other sides ask if they believe they are improper questions. For example, if the defense asks a prosecution witness about an event that has nothing to do with the case, the prosecution can object on the count of relevance. Both attorneys will state either why or why not it is relevant, and the judge will decide to either overrule the objection, or sustain it. The trial ends with both sides’ closing statements, which summarizes what was discovered in court, and how that proves Jordan’s innocence or guilt (depending on what side is going). The judges will discuss privately who they think performed better, and after a short recess will declare the winner. South Jersey Champions After preparing for 3 months, the first trial was on February 5th. The prosecution side went, and they won the trial. Next week on February 12th, the defense went twice in two separate trials, and defeated the other teams. With the record of 3-0 Eastern advanced to the county finals and came out victorious! The first two regional trials fell on March 1st, and the team ran into some problems. One of the defense attorneys, along with two witnesses, were absent. Substitutions had to be made, but that didn’t stop the
Staying professional, but having fun, allowed cooperation on both sides.
From Left to Right: Sam Lee, Riya Nandakumar, Faith Lee, Jordan Kramer, Anika Kapoor, Maiya Little, Claire Sklar, Thomas Alexander, Michael DiPascale, Paige Huber, Aarav Jain, Tiana Cyrelson, Kevin Farrow (Supervisor) Photo supplied by Maiya Little ‘22 defense side from winning both trials. AnStaying professional, but having fun, ika Kapoor and fill-in Claire Sklar manallowed cooperation on both sides, and aged to snag a win against very talented Little mentions how that helped Sklar fill teams, despite all the substitutions. in for the opposing side’s attorney with The South Jersey Championship was little problem. the closest trial the team had seen yet, Both captains prefer trials pre-Zoom, and, once again, Eastern’s team was able where the teams face off in a real-life to clinch another victory. Officially the courtroom. Sadly, this wasn’t made posSouth Jersey Champs, the next trial on sible with COVID, but they were happy March 10th was the Semi-Regional Finals that the Zooms could at least be all tofor the state! Unfortunately, the team lost gether at school, and not at each memin a very impressive trial, but Eastern’s ber’s individual homes. mock trial team ended third in the state! When asked about how much time is put What the captains have to say into Mock Trial, Little says she thinks it The two captains, Anika Kapoor and might be 10 hours a day, and Kapoor jokes Maiya Little, joined the club as freshmen that she “breathes Perry Jordan.” The efand started out as witnesses. fort put into the club is clearly shown beWhen asked how past team leaders influcause all the witnesses and attorneys felt enced their way of leadership, they both prepared for each trial. said how they wanted to create a more With their skills learned from Mock friendly environment. Prior years, the Trial, both Kapoor and Little plan to team was very professional but not as fun, study law in college. Little said that now and this year Kapoor said she “wants us “everything I do is through a Mock Trial all to be friends.”A new tradition of doing lense,” so it’s clear that the club has left a a Power-Point night was started, and they big impact. hope that the underclassmen will carry on The team is sad to see their great senior with it, and keep the unity that they crecaptains go, but they can’t wait for all ated this year with the team. they will accomplish in the future!
Eastern Model UN team continues its tradition of success
win an award at the end of the conference. The awards range from Best Position Paper (a position paper outlines your country’s position, as well as offering a or many years, the Model Unitsolution to the committee’s topic) to Best ed Nations club at Eastern was Novice (the best-performing delegate barely even a thought to most stuwho has attended no more than 2 conferdents. But it actually has a terrific ences) to Honorable Mention (normally history of success, with numerous best one or two delegates who performed well, delegation wins at collegiate conferences. but not at a Best Delegate level), with the And now that it’s open to all students, the most coveted award being Best Delegate. Model UN team has not only expanded, The Eastern Model United Nations team but thrived. attended two conferences in February, run Model United Nations is essentially a by Moorestown High School and Clearsimulation of a United Nations departview Regional High School. The Moorement or international organizations like stown conference, held the European Union. It follows all United The team enjoyed much on February 5, was remote, which provides success despite the Nations procedures (also known as parliachallenges of a remote specific challenges to the delegates, as it’s mentary procedure), conference, as six far different from a where delegates sugdelegates would come normal in-person congest moderated cauhome with awards. ference. cuses (a moderated Team captain Kartik debate on a specific isVijayapuri describes them as a new exsue) or unmoderated caucuses (delegates perience. “I’m sure many delegates actucan freely roam the room to understand ally found remote easier, as it took a lot the positions of other delegates and form of stress away from speaking. However, blocs, which are large groups of countries in terms of technical issues and such, we with similar positions that aim to solve the learned to stay patient and had good traincommittee’s problem in a beneficial way) ing which helped us seamlessly transfer to tackle their committee’s main issue, from in person conferences to remote which can range from the financial crisis and back to in person. If anything, reof 2008 to the execution of Marie Antoimote conferences were a time to hone our nette. The main goal of each committee MUN skills to do really well as we switch is to write a resolution paper (through the back to in person.” blocs mentioned earlier) to solve the issue The team enjoyed much success despite at hand, although a crisis will be thrown the challenges of a remote conference, in to shake up country positions. as six delegates would come home with If a delegate does especially well, they’ll By JOSEPH LOVERDI ‘22 Sports Editor
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The SJMUN (Eastern Conference) team concluded their February delegation performance ahead of the March conference. awards, three of them winning the Best Delegate gavel — team leader Vijayapuri, and siblings Ajay and Anita Raj. Their performance through such a tough format should be commended, and Their next conference would be at Clearview on February 26, with a return to the normal in-person conference schedule. The smaller Eastern delegation again shined, as four students would win awards, two for Best Position Paper (senior Ethan Levy and freshman Jack Bracchi) and two for Best Delegate (sophomore Ajay Raj and junior Anita Raj). The final conference of the year will be held at Haddonfield Memorial High
Photo supplied by Kartik Vijayapuri ‘22
School on March 26. It’ll be the final conference for long-time delegates like Vijayapuri. “I’ll miss the tight knit team we developed as well as the community as a whole. The weekly meetings, team bus rides, and friendships made the MUN atmosphere not only educational but also fun,” he said. The Model United Nations team has continued to be successful year after year, and February was no different for them. Here’s to hoping they can continue their tremendous success at the Haddonfield conference, and that the seniors can go out with a bang.
