Spartanburg Day School

Spartanburg Day School students joined over fourteen hundred of their peers from across South Carolina in Columbia last week to participate in the YMCA’s Model Legislature and Court Conference, known by its nickname, YIG (Youth in Government). Thirty-four students spent two and a half days in the Senate and House chambers of the Capitol, debating bills that they had written before the conference in hopes of seeing them signed into youth law while seven other students served in leadership roles that they had applied for in the spring. 

 The primary goal of the Model Legislature is to pass legislation that does not already exist in South Carolina.  By that measure, Spartanburg Day School students were very successful.  A record eight legislative pairs had bills signed into law by the Youth Governor at the conference.  This means that their bills were heavily debated before ultimately passing through the committee and both chambers of Congress.

Some of the ideas signed into youth law were “An Act To Waive State Park Fees For Veterans,”  “An Act To Prohibit The Use Of Harmful Food Additives In Hospital-Served Meals,” and An Act To Make Vets Mandatory Reporters Of Animal Cruelty.”   

Although not a competition, the conference recognizes a few students in each chamber who excel in their roles.   We are proud to announce that SDS students received the following awards:

• Senior Charley Wilson received an Outstanding Statesman Award for his work in the Senate
• Seniors Samuel Kitchen and Cameron Brown received an Outstanding Bill Award for their Senate bill entitled, “An Act To Phase Out PFAs In Manufacturing.” 
• Junior Adelyn Stroud received the Terry Haskins Christian Leadership Award, which comes with a full scholarship to next year’s conference.

The Youth In Government Conference is the culmination of months of preparation led by Amanda McGrath, Tim Fisher, Chris Duncan, and Margaret Sullivan, who would like to thank the students for another wonderful year.         

View more photos from the conference