Local Students Win
In Courtroom Drama

LESLEY PEARL STAFF WRITER

PREVIEWS April 6 - 10

PERFORMANCES April 10 - May I

Evening and Matinee Performances

The winning team in court.

I t

may seem like Jason
Lemons can't make up his
mind.
In the morning he was
fighting for, in the afternoon
against.
In reality, the Andover High
School senior is quite focused.
He has to be to play both pros-
ecuting and defense attorney in
the state-wide mock-trial corn-
petition.
Sponsored by the Michigan
Center for Law Related Educa-
tion, Mercy Law School and the
Michigan Bar Association, the
mock trial is an opportunity for
high-school students to hone
their communication and per-
suasion skills in a courtroom
setting.
The equation worked for the
Bloomfield Hills students.

"No matter what
these students
pursue, they will
need the ability to
communicate and
reason."

Stanley Schwartz

Aaron De Roy Theatre

W

Jewish Community Center • 6600 W. Maple Road • West Bloomfield

TICKETS (810) 788-2900 or --=-
77=g - s-4Z-----a
mas7w. (810) 645-6666
Special Senior, Student and Group Discounts Available

Hearing assist devices or signed performances for the hearing impaired available upon request

16

JET Gratefully Acknowledges
The Generous Support Of
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Earlier this month, Andover
took first place in the competi-
tion scored by area judges and
lawyers. The team moves to
State finals on March 26 to pre-
sent the Malice Green-type, po-
lice brutality versus necessary
force, criminal case. If it wins,
the Andover team will compete
nationally.
"I didn't get confused. But the
toughest part was selling a jury
on two sides," Jason said.
The Andover team consisted

of seven team members — Ja-
son, Ryan Fields, Jason Abel,
Jeffrey Lemons, Suzy Blum,
Jenn Seidman and Rick Bhasin
— in the roles of attorneys, wit-
nesses and alternates. Two days
before the competition, the pros-
ecuting lawyer for Andover fell

Andover faculty coach Paul
Dain threw Jason Lemons into
the role because he had the
most experience.
`This was a difficult year for
us. Our top attorneys from last
year had a conflict with the
forensic team, so we started
with almost all new attorneys,"
Mr. Dain said. "It's like groom-
ing an athletic team.
"It worked, though, so I'm not
going to break up a winning

team
Jason
" is quick to credit the
entire team for the success. At-
torney advisers Janet Lemons,
Richard Mintz and Stanley
Schwartz helped add the polish,
suggesting tactics for cross ex-
amination, opening and closing
statements and courtroom lan-
guage.
"They could all be capable
lawyers, but no matter what en-
deavor these students pursue,
they will need the ability to
communicate and reason de-
ductively," Mr. Schwartz said.
"Their use of language and abil-
ity to convey sensibilities was
amazing. I only stepped in at
the last minute to help."
Jason hopes to make a career
in politics. Ryan Fields wants
to be a college professor.
"No matter what I do, this
public speaking experience is
bound to help," Ryan said. "I
learned a lot — about the court-
room, arguing a point, about not
underestimating yourself. We
were a long shot." CI

