Scotia-Glenville Team, Newcomers to Mock Trial, Embraces Underdog Status as State Tournament Nears
5.12.2025
In just two short years, the mock trial team at Scotia-Glenville High School in Schenectady County has taken Region III by storm. This year, the novice team beat out dozens of other teams in the capital region and the north country to secure a seat in the state tournament.
The statewide Mock Trial program and tournament is sponsored by the New York State Bar Association and funded in part by a grant from The New York Bar Foundation. It brings thousands of high school students together each year to learn about the law, practice public speaking and develop life skills. The state tournament with eight regional teams takes place in Albany each May.
Founded in 2023, the Scotia-Glenville team did not have enough students to play all of the roles, and so many doubled up. Both students and the faculty advisers were new to the program. Attorney adviser, Jason Frament, a former mock trial judge, returned to the program to coach the team, which includes his teenage son. He says teaching the team about legal principles from the beginning has its advantages.
“Making the states has been absolutely incredible,” he said. “To see their growth! Now they understand what speculation is, they understand what hearsay is. They understand what it means to object and how to fight for their arguments. It’s a pleasure to watch.”
“We haven’t had a team in over a decade, and we really knew nothing about it,” said Maggie Healy, a health science teacher and coach. “We were all learning together, which was actually a really good thing.”
The team knows they are up against fierce competition and are realistic about their chances.
“It was a hard case this year, but also very relevant. It’s very like applicable to our current social climate,” said Nicole Fernandez, the team founder and captain. “We have some new members this year and we are one step further than we were last year. So that’s also very exciting.”
“I think of us as the unexpected underdogs,” says Andrea DeMento, the faculty adviser. “We’re so new that people probably discount us and our abilities, and that is where we shine the most. We preach that professionalism is number one. Everyone is treated with respect, and I think that goes a long way.”
