South Carolina S 473: A SENATE RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR WALLINGFORD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH FOR ITS DEEP HERITAGE IN CHARLESTON AND TO COMMEND THE LEADERSHIP AND CONGREGATION FOR THEIR YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 473 Text of Previous Version (Mar. 20, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 473

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A senate RESOLUTION

TO CONGRATULATE THE Forest Creek Middle SCHOOL mock trial 
TEAM, COACHES, AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS for WINNING THE SOUTH CAROLINA bar's 2024 
State Middle School Mock Trial championship.

Whereas, the South 
Carolina Senate is proud to recognize the Forest Creek Middle School mock trial 
team for winning the South Carolina Bar's 2024 State Middle School Mock Trial Championship; 
and

Whereas, the Forest 
Creek Middle School team competed against eleven other middle schools from 
across the State for the title. JET Middle School of Johnston was the first 
runner-up; and

Whereas, the teams 
presented the prosecution and defense sides of a fictitious criminal case, State 
of South Carolina v. Dorian Delaney. Each team was judged on its 
presentation skills rather than the legal merits of the case; and

Whereas, mock trial 
develops critical thinking during high-pressure circumstances and helps 
students hone other key skills such as collaboration, adapting to different 
audiences, reading critically and matching material facts with elements of the 
law, cultivating an understanding of the legal system, critical thinking skills, 
problem analysis, and teamwork; and

Whereas, mock trial is 
a flagship program of the SC Bar's Law Related Education Division (LRE), which 
was developed in 1976 to improve the ability of teachers to instruct on law 
related education. The program is supported by the Bar's volunteer LRE 
committee and made possible through the SC Bar Foundation's Interest on Lawyer 
Trust Accounts grant program; and

Whereas, the student 
members of the Forest Creek Middle School mock trial team are Matthew Cardona, Davis 
Jones, Jacob Knight, Shravni Kumbhar, Siddney Lanter, Annabel Le, Olivia 
Lollio, Jaclyn MacVittie, Brayden Maynard, Chloe Maynard, Mya Milestone, 
Elizabeth Park, Alia Ray, Aahil Raza, Ayaan Raza, Samantha Roelandts, Gianna 
Stavrinou, Zachary Wilcox, and Quint Burke; and

Whereas, the Forest 
Creek Middle School team has flourished under the leadership and guidance of 
teachers Michelle Engstrom and Amanda VanValkenburgh and attorney coach Gary 
Lemel; and

Whereas, the members of 
the South Carolina Senate appreciate the pride and recognition that the Forest 
Creek Middle School mock trial team has brought to its school and community and 
look forward to a future filled with further accomplishments by the team. Now, 
therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, congratulate the Forest 
Creek Middle School mock trial team, coaches, and school officials for winning 
the South Carolina Bar's 2024 State Middle School Mock Trial Championship.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this 
resolution be presented to the Forest Creek Middle School mock trial team; teachers 
Michelle Engstrom and Amanda VanValkenburgh; attorney coach Gary Lemel; and 
Principal Christine McNeil.

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