Bemidji High School Mock Trial honored at celebratory reception
Mar. 25—BEMIDJI — There are times when a team's victory necessitates public recognition.
Such was the case for the
Bemidji High School
Mock Trial team, whose seventh-place finish at the Minnesota Mock Trial State Tournament led to a celebratory reception on Thursday at the Beltrami County Judicial Center.
With the team, its coaches, district court judges and community members in attendance, the reception focused on BHS Mock Trial's work throughout its entire season leading up to the March 6-7 state competition in St. Paul.
"The Bemidji High School Mock Trial team has been in existence for almost two decades, 18 years," Judge Annie Claesson-Huseby said in opening, "and you have had a significant amount of success over those 18 years. This year, 2025, marked the team's eighth return to the state tournament and this year, your team placed higher in the state tournament than you ever have before."
Run by the Minnesota State Bar Association, Mock Trial is a statewide competition in which teams of 8-14 high school students simulate a real trial. During the competition, students learn about the Judicial Branch and the complexities judges, lawyers and juries face when presenting and considering a case.
The team kicked off its 2024-2025 season in October when presented with this year's case about a fictitious murder in the Boundary Waters. Students are tasked with analyzing the case from both the prosecution and defense perspectives and portraying attorneys as well as witnesses during the trial.
BHS maintained a 4-0 record throughout the preliminary rounds and was victorious at its regional championship, securing a state invite. Overall, the team earned second place in the Northern Division — one of 16 regions across the state that include over 100 teams.
Guaranteed three rounds at state, the team was challenged by 2023 state champion Nova Classical Academy in its first round, narrowly losing by nine points. BHS found success in its next two rounds against Eden Prairie and Cambridge-Isanti, respectively, after which the team finished seventh out of 16 teams.
"The top 16 teams made it to state and we've never, in the history of BHS Mock Trial, finished that high," Coach Jeff Aas said, "so that's pretty exciting."
In addition to its success as a group, team member Addyson Yanish clinched the State Attorney Award, while Jesse Quick walked away with the State Witness Award for Region 2.
Claesson-Huseby credited another award won by junior Wren Burrow for the planning of Thursday's reception. Only offered for a second year, Burrow participated in a courtroom artist portion of the competition where she was tasked with illustrating a court scene.
Claesson-Huseby said she received an email from fellow Judge Matti Adam, who came across Burrow's art work when judging a competition.
"It happened to be (a competition) that BHS Mock Trial was participating in," Claesson-Huseby recalled, "and the artist from Bemidji High School was selected as one of the top artists in the state of Minnesota. Only the top eight got to that point, and she was one of them.
"Judge Adam attached this drawing to the email and it was fantastic. Immediately, I responded and said, 'That is incredible. We need to do a formal unveiling. We should invite the high school Mock Trial team here to celebrate their success.'"
Burrow is in her second year in Mock Trial and did not expect such accolades, considering the stiff competition.
"I was very surprised because there were a lot of good artists and it was my first year doing the courtroom artist competition," Burrow said, "so I was really honored."
While Burrow has one more year of eligibility before graduating in 2026, Quick looks back fondly on his four-year tenure in Mock Trial as he prepares for life after high school. Though he doesn't plan to work in the legal field, Quick noted an increase in his confidence and public speaking ability since the start of his Mock Trial career.
"My favorite part of being involved is all the experiences you gain," Quick said. "Being able to go to real courthouses and going to the Warren E. Burger Federal Building in St. Paul is a really cool experience."
Aas commended not only the work of each Mock Trial member but also their character.
"We have three seniors this year that were in Mock Trial their freshman year and have just gotten better and better," Aas said. "Along with the wins and losses, they're just really good kids."
He also credited the work of Mock Trial coaches Tom Kuesel, Bill Joyce and Katie Nolting, along with assistance from BSU student and former Mock Trial member Garrett Frazer.
"Those guys make our Mock Trial program," Aas added, "and there's no way we would've made it to state without them."
Reflecting on her own experiences as a former Mock Trial member, Claesson-Huseby encouraged the team to take their memories with them no matter which career path they take.
"I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be a lawyer and it was because of the people in my community — a small town in northern Minnesota — that were willing to coach my team that I was able to participate in the program known as Mock Trial," she left off. "That ignited a flame in me. Those are memories that will stay with you for a lifetime.
"We hope that those memories and your interest in the Mock Trial program will be the spark that will ignite a career within the legal system."
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