My kids were so overwhelmed by their short stories, a couple of them were ready to just say no and not write them. And that would’ve been horrible because I had beautiful anthologies printed with all their work in it!
When it came to mock trial, most of my kids were absolutely destroyed by nerves. Destroyed. I had several back up plans in place in case anyone threw up or passed out in court. I wish that were a joke but I am, once again, serious.
When we tried to rehearse mock trial, everyone seemed on the verge of tears. And in the midst of this, we started a new science book a few weeks before trial, because why not add to the stress?!?
But then, it happened. All the logic, all the persuasive writing, all the hours and hours of public speaking practice they’d had all year, all the confidence that had been building from all the work they had accomplished… it came together. It was almost magical.
We arrived at the courthouse on a rainy morning. The kids were extremely quiet compared to normal. At that point blue books were over, short stories had been turned in, Atomos projects had been presented and only one more thing stood in their way–The State vs. Barbara Barrett.
I sat in that courtroom and watched it unfold with tears in my eyes. Because those kids? The extra-terrified kids who wanted nothing more than to wake up that morning and find out I was kidding? They. Did. It. THEY DID IT!
They prosecuted Barbara Barrett. They took the witness stand. They acted as bailiff and swore in witnesses. They submitted evidence to the judge. They objected as needed. Then they switched sides and defended Barbara Barrett and told a different version of the story to try to sway the judge and jury to see that she was just a victim herself.
They did it. Every last one of them.
I have never in my life witnessed anything so incredible. They all stood a lot taller when it was over. The grins on their faces were priceless. They knew they had accomplished something great. They knew they could be proud of themselves. They had more self-respect and more self-confidence and it was EARNED through hard work, perseverance, and courage. They finally knew that they could Do Hard Things.
In a moment, it was all worth it. They were instantly changed human beings when the trial was over. Those kids will never be the same because they learned that they can truly do hard things. It was worth every argument I had to break up between teammates, every call to parents, the sleepless nights… the price seemed so small when I saw the difference in those kids when they walked out of the courtroom that day.
You see, they didn’t just STAND and face the difficulty, like the song says. They stood taller.
So if you find yourself as a Challenge B director or parent and wondering what the point is and if it’s all worth it, know that it is. No matter how hard it gets, it will be worth it. Your kids will reap the benefits of this process for years and years to come. Hang in there, momma. You got this.