Robins Mock Trial team wins state championship

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Robins Mock Trial team, made up of nine students who attend Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, captured the championship at the 35th annual Iowa High School Mock Trial State Tournament held March 27-29 in Des Moines.

Team members are Gwen Cataldo, Sophie Cataldo, Sylvia Clubb, Emily Cunningham, Eva Deegan, Peter Deegan, Lizzie Leu, Ella Schrader and Emma Stadelmann.

They defeated a Valley High School team from West Des Moines in the semifinals and the Marion Home School Association team in the finals to capture the state title. They now go on to compete at the National High School Mock Trial Championship to be held May 11-13 in Hartford, Conn.

Stadelmann is one of 11 students to earn the All-State Outstanding Witness Award during the state tournament.

'What set this team apart was the students' ability to think quickly on their feet and never lose their poise,' said Cedar Rapids attorney Tim Semelroth, who coaches the Robins team along with Emily Anderson, Chad VonKampen and Debbie Neumeyer.

Students in grades 9-12 are eligible to participate in mock trial as an official school team or an approved independent entity. The Robins team is not affiliated with Xavier High School. Students play the roles of attorneys and witnesses as they present both sides of a hypothetical legal problem.

Thirty-two teams competed in this year's state tournament.

'Only two students on this team have ever won a championship before and that was in middle school,' said Semelroth. 'Everyone was excited to send our three seniors out on top. Now, we will get a brand-new case and one month to prepare it before nationals. The students are excited about the challenge.'

Four Iowa teams have won the national tournament — Des Moines Lincoln in 1986, Pocahontas in 2001, West Des Moines Valley in 2006 and Marion Home School Association in 2016.

The Iowa high school and middle school mock trial programs are administered by the Iowa State Bar Association Center for Law & Civic Education, in cooperation with the Young Lawyers Division and with financial support from the Iowa State Bar Foundation.