Last week, CCES students and faculty participated in the 2023 Youth In Government (YIG) conference sponsored by the YMCA. Despite a lack of consistent organization within conference leadership, students excelled in both the Model Legislature and Mock Trial sides of the event.
Mock Trial Team 1, made up of Pera Roberts, Dodson Kramer, Linda Rogers, Addie Claire Jones, Annabelle De Brux, Hannah Cwynar, Ginevra Mor, and Chandler Sherman, beat Beaufort in the showcase round on Friday afternoon to win the overall Mock Trial Competition.
Chandler Sherman was named the Susan Hitt Outstanding Attorney based on her exceptional performance as an attorney throughout the competition. She said, “YIG has given me the opportunity to appreciate the inner workings of our government, especially because I’ve gotten a firsthand experience of the impact that I can have through advocacy and leadership even as a teenager.”
Delaney Townsend and Ella Lindley passed their bill, “An Act to Reduce Motorcycle Accidents among Teenagers by Increasing the Motorcycle Legal Driving Age,” and Jacob McCormac, Beau Cheves, and Luca Mezzogori’s bill, “An Act To Place Green Walls on South Carolina Highways to Reduce Co2” also passed.
Hunter Frederick, Adam Brown, and Gibson McDonald’s bill, “South Carolina Air Ambulance Consumer Protection Act of 2023,” was an Outstanding Bill Award winner.
Charlotte Nessmith and Layla Shah’s bill, “Psychological Evaluation for Gun Registration,” passed Committee and Premiere Senate, but did not have time to pass the Premiere House.
Elijah Butcher, who acted as a presiding judge for the Mock Trial competition, was named the Outstanding Servant Leader for his contribution to the overall quality of the conference through leadership. He said, “YIG has been a standout experience of highschool for me and has helped me develop my knowledge and interests in the field of law.”
Dodson Kramer, a member of the winning Mock Trial team, highlighted his experience at YIG. “Yig is a great congregation of smart people looking to have a great time.”
The accomplished chaperones for the trip were Mrs. Gregory, Mr. Kramer, Mr. Miranda, Mr. Bousman, and Mrs. Doggart-Greer.
If you are interested in politics in law, consider going to YIG next year! If you are interested, talk to any of the above students and/or Mr. Miranda, and visit https://www.ymcagreenville.org/programs/outreach-development/sc-youth-government.
