Welcome to the All Things Mock Trial podcast! Today, our podcast episode, A New Virtual, features guests from Harding Middle School, the 2020 Iowa Middle School Mock Trial State Champion.

Malick and Lilian who are 8th grade mockers, along with their mock trial coach, Shannon Haas share views on competing in Iowa’s first virtual tournament.

Also, John Wheeler, Director for The Iowa State Bar Association, Center for Law and Civic Education, who leads the Iowa mock trial program. To provide an inside look, he joins the discussion on launching A New Virtual tournament.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What was your initial reaction to A New Virtual middle school mock trial program in Iowa ?
• What skills did you gain from participating in the virtual mock trial tournament that are benefiting you in middle school?
• Assuming that next year, we return to in-person tournaments, what elements from the virtual tournaments are you planning to implement?
• What did you learn from the comments provided by the judging panel of two appellate court judges, a Justice from the Iowa Supreme Court and other attorneys?
• How can students learn more about the mock trial program in their state?

Points to Ponder:

*‘‘It was one of my best performances…I can adapt and change to unfamiliar circumstances’’.

-Student*

*‘‘It [virtual mock trial] was the most normal thing students got to do this Fall…It was still mock trial’’ .

• Coach*

What is Mock Trial in One Word?

“Mock trial is motivational.”