Trust, Community, Family Propels Ward Melville High School Mock Trial Team to Regional Title
5.1.2024
“What is really special about our team is how much trust we have in one another,” says Ward Melville High School Mock Trial captain Ella O’Connor. “We always trust each other to show up to practice, ready to work. We always trust each other during trials to do our best work. We became like family and it’s one of the biggest things that helped us win.”
Co-captain Anna Potehkin agrees, saying the team cohesion was key to its success.
“I think by the time we got to finals, we had put in so much effort creating a winning strategy, that Mr. Elliot told us the win would be ‘just gravy’ on top of an already great season. It was that family that we created that put in 110%.”
The building of that tight knit community helped the East Setauket team beat out recent two-time regional winner Huntington High School to take the Region VIII Mock Trial title. Region VIII, which includes dozens of teams in Suffolk County, is one of the largest and most competitive regions in the state. The eight regional champions will compete for the state title in Albany May 19-22. This will be the team’s first visit back to the states since 2016.
The Ward Melville team is coached by English teacher Doug Elliot and local attorney Joseph Prokop. Coach Elliot says this year’s team is a unique mix of new members and veterans in which every person can play to their strengths.
“We have a real culture of learning with a mantra that we want to learn a lot about each other and about the law,” he said. “I think that’s why we are able to attract a lot of volunteers to work with the team because the kids are so interested.”
The students are not shy about praising the commitment of these two men to the team.
“Mr. Elliot puts in more time and effort than I know someone could. He always reads the case 1,000 times and he gives everything to this team,” Potehkin said. “We’re really excited to hear Mr. Prokop’s criticism. There’s something really exciting about the fact that an adult in a profession that we all aspire to would care enough about just a bunch of high school kids. He really digs in to help us make our case better and elevate everybody. He’s awesome.”
