Undefeated in the preliminary rounds of the New York State Bar Association’s High School Mock Trial Tournament, the Roslyn High School mock trial team was victorious over George W. Hewlett High School in the sweet sixteen round, advancing to the quarter-finals.

In the prior rounds, the team collected victories against W.T. Clarke, Manhasset and Great Neck South.

This is the second year in a row that the team has advanced to the Nassau County quarter-finals.

“I’m really proud of these kids,” faculty advisor Ms. Elorriaga said. “They’ve put so much hard work into this case over the past three months, and are really very supportive of each other.”

The Roslyn High School mock trial team members include Co-captains Sayem Kamal, Max Lerner and Shrimoyee Sen; Sheilly Benlevi, Mitchell Berger, Sasha Berman, Matthew Clarke, Jordan Kaplan, Eli Klein, Emily Krejci, Tanishka Kumar, Nathaniel Rubin, Jacob Silverman and Dana Wang.

The mock trial team is an extracurricular activity offered by Roslyn High School. Members are chosen via a tryout at the beginning of each school year. Students compete in trial simulations that offer them the opportunity to take on the roles of prosecution and defense attorney, witness and paralegal, helping them develop acting, public speaking and critical thinking skills.

They meet regularly with Ms. Elorriaga and Ms. Lisa Rossi Esq., an experienced local attorney, to practice making objections and carrying out persuading opening and closing statements.

“Congratulations to the Roslyn mock trial team!” Ms. Rossi said. “The professionalism, dedication and the level of expertise demonstrated by these kids rival the finest trial attorneys I have seen in my 33 years of practice.”