2025-2026 marked another successful season for the Clarkstown High School North Mock Trial Team, with the team going undefeated in the county and beating their long-time Mock Trial rival, Nyack High School. This big win marked the third time in the past four years that the Clarkstown North Mock Trial Team made it to Regionals. This year, it was in Westchester on April 18th, 2026. Although Clarkstown North did not advance to Mock Trial States in Albany, it was nonetheless a very successful run for the team. As the season comes to the close, The Ram’s Horn conducted an interview with team captain Bishesta Lama and long-time advisor Mr. Turner to talk about the 2025-2026 season and team as a whole.
Interview with Team Captain Bishesta Lama
Iliana Deftereos: What was your initial reaction when you found out that the Mock Trial team won County Finals and would be moving on to regionals?
Bishesta Lama: I was honestly shocked when I found out because I thought that Nyack had won, but when the winner was announced, I was overjoyed.
Deftereos: What is the most challenging part of being Mock Trial captain?
Lama: I’d say the most challenging part was shifting from being a friend to a captain. At times it would be awkward when correcting my peers when it came to objections, making sure everyone got every detail down in affidavits, and perfecting impeachments, especially because I am close friends with the team.
Deftereos: What was your favorite part of county finals or regionals (other than winning County Finals)?
Lama: My favorite part of the county finals was actually the dinner that we [the whole team] went to after at Burger Loft. I was glad to be able to celebrate with the people I love most.
Deftereos: For you, what is the best part of being on the Mock Trial team?
Lama: I’d say the best part of being on the Mock Trial team is getting closer to my team, especially with team bonding through prepping for trials. Whether it was at Panera or the [New City] library, I was just glad to have my team with me every step of the way.
Interview with Advisor Mr. Turner
Iliana Deftereos: What drew you to become the Mock Trial advisor and stay on for so many years?
Mr. Turner: Well, the club was defunct for many years, and I was the [Social Studies] Department Chair. I got a couple of different teachers to advise the team to restart it, and when those teachers wound up leaving, nobody was doing it, and I wanted to see it continue. So, I became the advisor, and I enjoyed it. I’ve always enjoyed the students in Mock Trial, as they’ve always been a good group, and we were able to build a successful program.
Deftereos: For you, what is the most challenging part of being the Mock Trial advisor?
Mr. Turner: Like coaching anything, and I’ve coached sports for years, the most challenging thing is slotting people into different parts and balancing people. Everyone wants to compete, everyone wants to start. Everyone wants the x position or y position, and those things have to be balanced.
Deftereos: What advice would you give to the Mock Trial team for the future?
Mr. Turner: Just keep working hard and be willing to put in the time outside of school, outside of regular meetings. As long as they do that, they will be successful.
Deftereos: What was your favorite part of the season?
Mr. Turner: Seeing people gain confidence, learn about the law, and all of the skills students learn, from public speaking, to research, and working as a team.
Deftereos: As this is your last year, what do you want your legacy as Mock Trial advisor for eleven years to be?
Mr. Turner: I’d like to see the team continue and have more strong students join the team. I believe that we’ve always had one of the most meaningful and rewarding clubs.
