Decorah Middle School Mock Trial team advances to state tournament

(clockwise from top): Beirgen Gunhus-Dansdill, Evie Holyoake, Alice Laybourn, Sara Gehling, Mara Frieden, Megan Robinson, Abigail Pedlar, Sarah Mumford, and Erin Dintaman.

Decorah Middle School's eighth grade Mock Trial team has taken second place at regional competition, thus winning a berth to the state tournament.

Beirgen Gunhus-Dansdill, Evie Holyoake, Alice Laybourn, Sara Gehling, Mara Frieden, Megan Robinson, Abigail Pedlar, Sarah Mumford and Erin Dintaman will travel to Des Moines Monday, November 17th for the three-day competition.

Decorah Middle School's two 7th grade Mock Trial teams also did well.  One 7th grade team won its cases on both plaintiff and defense sides, taking fourth place overall. Decorah's other seventh grade team won its first case but lost its second by a small margin to the number one school (teams must win both rounds to be considered for the state tournament).

Many Decorah students earned outstanding witness and attorney awards based on nominations from judges. Outstanding attorneys were Isabel Blanchard, Blake Donlon, Mitchell Leschensky, and Abigail Pedlar. Honorable mention outstanding attorneys were Mara Frieden and Beirgen Gunhus-Dansdill. Outstanding witnesses were Frieden, Annette Leschensky, and Maddie Putnam. Honorable mention outstanding witnesses were Blanchard, Delaynee Frey, Lillie Grouws, and Abigail Pedlar.
           
Decorah attorneys Dale Putnam, Barrett Gipp and Ron Fadness helped the students prepare for the Mock Trial competition, as did retired teacher Peg Beatty, veteran Mock Trial coach Roxann Ryan and high school students Drew Sullivan, Brenna Betts, Simon Cropp, Olivia Dieschbourg, Gara Lonning, Kalle Solberg, and Loden Henning, DHS graduate Brad Suhr and Luther College Mock Trial team members.  Carol Sand serves at the Mock Trial teams' coach.