PVPA students put up good act in mock trial competition

By OWEN BOSS
Staff Writer

SOUTH HADLEY — Students from the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School came one win short of a state championship Friday at the 25th annual Mock Trial Program in the Great Hall of Boston’s Fanueil Hall.

Although PVPA representatives advanced farther than more than 100 other teams from high schools across the state, team members were defeated 2-1 in the final round by students from The Winsor School in Boston.

“They were great they were absolutely great,” said Gary Hugget, team coach. “The case was given out in mid-November and our team has been preparing for this competition since January.”

This year’s civil case involved an individual who loses a large sum of money after investing a daughter’s college fund with a brokerage firm financial advisor. The case focused on whether the firm or the advisor are responsible for the loss.

Teams representing PVPA prepare to win the competition every year, Hugget said, have advanced the finals in five of the last seven years and became the first Western Mass school to win it all in 2005.

“We were there two years ago and lost by a split decision there as well,” Hugget said, adding that while it is disappointing to come in second he is extremely proud of how his team competed.

The competition, presented by the state’s Bar Association, placed high school teams in a simulated courtroom situation, where they take on the roles of plaintiff attorneys, defense attorneys and witnesses. Local attorneys serve as both team coaches and judges of the trials and state champions advance to compete in the national competition in Philadelphia, Pa., in early May.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com