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CLARKS SUMMIT — Faith Bennett, an Abington Heights senior, received the Jeanne Lutz High School Speaker of the Year Award at the Pennsylvania Communication Association’s 82nd annual convention banquet called “Revitalization,” which was held in East Stroudsburg recently.
The award recognizes her excellence in communication skills with her high school’s mock trial team, of which she is a co-captain.
“It was definitely a very rewarding feeling to show how I was selected for the award out of so many really great speakers on the team,” she said.
Faith was nominated by Abington Heights’ social studies teacher Len Romanowski, who is the mock trial team’s coach. Len received an email during the summer from Cem Zeytinoglu, editor of the Pennsylvania Communication Association. The email Len read told him that the Abington Heights High School was being nominated for the William S. Tacey School of the Year Award for the mock trial team’s success of winning the state finals.
“He (Cem) asked me if I can nominate a student on the team for the High School Speaker of the Year Award,” Len said. “I immediately thought of nominating Faith because Faith has been on the team for four years now. She’s a co-captain of the team. Generally, she would be the spokesperson from the team if something needs to be said.”
Len was also impressed by Faith’s expression of passion for mock trial when she didn’t make the cut as starting competing team member in a competition. Faith wanted to showcase her drive and prove her readiness.
“I took it upon myself to email Mr. Romanowski and state my case and argue why I think I deserved a spot on the team,” she said. “And to Mr. Romanowski, I think that just showed him how passionate and how driven I was to have this spot.”
Faith’s first time competing was the state competition. She also took part in the state finals, in which Abington Heights High School won for the first time ever.
“It was definitely a fulfilling opportunity for me to have,” Faith said. “I’m really thankful Mr. Romanowski gave me that opportunity.”
“She is an incredible speaker,” Len added. “Her confidence and her ability really shine.”
In both 2021 and 2022, Abington Heights’ mock trial team won a Pennsylvania state championship. During both of the trials, Faith was a defense attorney. She delivered opening statements, direct examinations and cross examinations.
For this year’s case, Faith and her team will be doing a gross negligence case involving a dangerous obstacle course. The plaintiff is the person who died on the course, and the defendant is the company who made the obstacle course.
Besides mock trial, Faith does many extracurricular activities at the high school. She is the president of the German Club, treasurer of Interact and member of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). She is also a Girl Scout with Troop 50797 and has a face-painting business.
Besides mock trial, Faith does many extracurricular activities at the high school. She is the president of the German Club, treasurer of Interact, and member of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). She is also a girl scout of Troop 50797 and has a face-painting business. She aspires to become a lawyer. She believes that the confidence she built from mock trial will help her not only in college but every aspect of her future.
“Not all might want to be a lawyer someday, but it just shows there are other skills in life,” she said. “Nevertheless, it (mock trial) teaches you great speaking, confidence and reaction skills.”
Len concurred that mock trial gives students interpersonal skills students needed later in life.
“Mock trial is probably the best thing you can do in high school to prepare yourself for college,” he said. “Because you have to read and analyze a case. You have to write your case on the plaintiff’s side and the defense side. You have to speak in a high-pressured situation in front of a judge and lawyers who are your jurors. You have to be able to present yourself. You also have to listen to the other side’s case and react to it. Those are all skills you need to be successful in college and in life.
The Abington Heights mock trial team hopes to make it to state finals for the third time in a row.
“But to move on to state finals and hopefully nationals again, it’s going to be a large stride for us.”
