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Maeve O'Brien (Adams '26): Cheryl Moody coached our team for all four years of high school. Our freshman year she provided us with the knowledge and support to make it to state, and we would go on to make it to state every year we competed, placing top ten in the next two state competitions. In 2026 we won our regional competition in Hammond by significant margins.
Our stats and records mean so much less to me than the environment Mrs Moody provided for us each year of coaching. Every student has felt comfortable, supported, and appreciated by Mrs Moody. This allowed me to ask questions when I was confused, reach out to her outside of practice times when I needed advice, and lean on her for support through hard times. At the conclusion of every year we go to her house for an annual burning of the case, and we reflect on everyones performance, confidence levels, growth, and setbacks. This tradition, and many others has become a key memory for my high school journey.
I can confidently say that Mrs Moody has shaped the person I am today, teaching me accountability, self-respect, confidence, analytical thinking, legal literacy, and so much more. In the times that I cant find the motivation to do my work, I find myself thinking of Mrs Moody, and her devotion to the team year round. This pushes me so much farther, because I respect and adore our coach so much.
She has told us numerous stories of her waking up at three in the morning in a frenzy, writing out suggestions for witnesses, and lawyers. She constantly judges mock trial with the intention of making herself a better coach, and understanding how to perform best in a trial. Without Mrs Moody, and her constant devotion to the team, I know we would never have tapped into our true potential.
I am looking forward to continue our relationship, and mentorship after I graduate. She has not only shaped my dedication to mock trial, but my work ethic that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
Amy Elliott (10th grade English teacher at Adams): I first met Cheryl Moody in 2017, as I was beginning my role as the sponsor of the John Adams High School mock trial program. Cheryl's son had been part of the mock trial team and had gone to nationals, and she decided to coach a mock trial team at Adams.
At the time, our program was very competitive, with many coaches who were attorneys and several others with years (even decades) of experience in mock trial. At the time, some of those coaches looked down on Cheryl for her relative inexperience. She persevered despite the obstacles, throwing herself into the task.
Eight years later, she is still dedicated to the program. She coached while pregnant, and she continued after delivering her last baby. She seeks out professional development opportunities, works diligently to prepare her team, and coached the team to a first-place finish at the Hammond regional competition in 2026.
We are lucky to have her and, thus, with gratitude for her commitment, I have nominated her for the Dennis Woods Dedication Award as we believe that she exudes the qualities of enthusiasm, dedication, and mentorship indicative of the award.
Xanthippe Higgins (Adams '26): Mrs. Cheryl Moody has been a coach for mock trial for more than 8 years, and has coached my team for the last 4. She has committed to our team and put in effort to be at every single practice. Outside of coaching, she judges high school and college mock trial competitions all over Indiana. She is a committed coach who truly cares about not just her team but also the quality of the mock trial program as a whole.
Caroline Dawson (Adams '26):
Cheryl Moody's dedication to the mock trial program is immense. Her first year coaching at Adams, she coached two teams simultaneously, while having no previous coaching experience. She then picked up a team, and successfully coached them to the state finals in 2022. In my first year at Adams she began coaching my team, and she has coached us for the past 4 years. Her willingness to begin coaching a team with a completely new group of kids shows her dedication to the mock trial program at Adams, and mock trial as a whole.
She attends every meeting given by the Bar Foundation to further her knowledge within mock trial, and is always willing to help other teams learn the ropes. She has become an excellent role model for my teammates and me, as her kindness and enthusiasm always keeps us positive and allows us to feel comfortable and be successful. She is also very active member in college mock trial, as she judges college competitions whenever she is able to, typically once or twice a month. Her enthusiasm for the program has seeped out onto me and my teammates, and she has encouraged us to help coach teams ourselves and be involved in the middle school mock trial scene in South Bend.
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