Central Academy Competes at Mediation Tournament
Update from Dr. Jessica Gogerty:
I am pleased to announce that Kathleen Loder is the National High School Mediation Champion as Mediator! Esra Noor and Fardowsa Mohamed placed 3rd as the advocate/client pair. Honorable mentions went to: Trey Jackson and Hannah Hayes as Advocate/client pair and to Hannah Hayes for Mediator and Trey Jackson for Mediator.
The host of the tournament commented, “We were so impressed by the students preparedness, professionalism and poise. I particularly loved hearing the enthusiasm and engagement among the students when everyone was on the Zoom calls together at different times. Even though we weren’t in person, it certainly felt like connections were being made and students were learning and enjoying interacting with each other.”
This past weekend, Central Academy sent 7 students to the National Mediation Tournament after two teams won our local tournament. Competing was:
Team 1: Dairen Castro, Fardowsa Mohamed, and Esra Noor (Roosevelt) coached by local attorney and experienced mediator, Kaitlyn Dudding
Team 2: Hannah Hayes, Trey Jackson, and Kathleen Loder (Roosevelt), coached by Roosevelt teacher and trained mediator, Abra Nichols.
All-around go-to Lizzea Wright (North) who filled out several teams at the National competition and coached by David Goldman, local retired mediator.
National Results:
Finals- Top A/C pairs:
- Quinna McCarty and Wylie Walters– Principia – Team 1
- Charlotte Haas and Elissa Klotz- Seaforth – Team 10
- Fardowsa Mohamed and Esra Noor-Central-Team 11
- Marly Dorsey and Alexis Stone- Steam- Team 8
Honorable Mention- A/C pairs
Aria Jones and Vikram Ganes Principia – Team 4
Quinna McCarty and Rhiannon Lewis- Principia 1
Trey Jackson and Hannah Hayes- Central – Team 12
Jesse Gathungu and Nina Okike- Principia – Team 3
Top Mediators- Final Results
- Kathleen Loder -Central -Team 12
- Victoria M. – Fort Zumalt- Team 5
- Molly Ray– Tanque Verde- Team 6
- Alex Qunityne – Seaforth- Team 10
Honorable Mention- Mediators
Hannah Hays -Central- Team 12
Quinna McCarty – Principia – Team 1
Trey Jackson- Central- Team 12
Hadley M. – Tanque Verde- Team 6
Courtesy of Dr. Jessica Gogerty…
Central Academy did very well in the first-in-Iowa High School Mediation Tournament. We have two teams that are advancing to Nationals!
Like Mock Trial, students are assigned roles to play out a legal conflict. In Mediation they rotate through the roles of Mediator, Advocate, and Client. Unlike Mock Trial, The Mediation Tournament challenges students to find solutions to disputes that all the parties in conflict will accept.
The top team was: Esra Noor, Dairen Castro, and Fardowsa Mohamed. Fardowsa was the top student, winning every round she competed in.
The second-place team was: Hannah Hayes, Trey Jackson, and Kathleen Loder
We had several community partners helping all of our teams. Most are practicing mediators or lawyers. We also had the top college Mediation team in the nation zoom in to conference with each team as they prepared. The man who invented the Mock Trial Tournament and the Mediation Tournament, Dick Calkins, 91-year-old former Dean of Drake Law trained our students and helped us make the connections to get our tournament off the ground.
View the photo gallery for great pictures of the event.