GSSM students shine at SC Capitol during Youth In Government Conference
Seven students from the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics (GSSM) participated in the South Carolina YMCA Youth in Government’s Model Legislature & Court Conference, November 17-20, 2017.
Participating GSSM students were: Emilee Daniel, daughter of Tamara and Jonathan Johnson of Easley; Joshua Geden, son of Chelle and Matt Geden of Simpsonville; Shirley Mathur, daughter of Anuradha Verma and Sharad Mathur of Tega Cay; Collen Mims, son of Michelle Mims of Estill; Nicholas Orlando, son of Melissa and Louis Orlando of Bluffton; Shashaank Rajaraman, son of Sunitha Venugopal and Rajaraman Sundaram of Greenville; and Cameron Walker, son of Nicole and Jimmy Walker of West Columbia.
Mims won Outstanding Statesman for Premier House of Representatives. Mathur, Rajaraman, and Daniel held Conference Leadership positions. Orlando’s bill, which would increase the state’s funding for autistic students, was signed into law at the conference.
“We had a small group of seven, but as usual, our students took this seriously and they worked hard,” said Dr. Karl Rohr, GSSM History Instructor and YIG Advisor.
“I am extremely proud of our students and the way they represented themselves at this year’s Youth in Government conference,” said Dr. Hector Flores, GSSM President. “They continue to shine both inside and outside the classroom.”
The South Carolina YMCA Youth in Government’s Model Legislature & Court Conference has been the state’s premier youth leadership and civic development program for the past 30 years. HSML&C creates a semester-long learn-by-doing experience that teaches the values of democracy by bringing together high school students from across the state. The conference provides delegates an opportunity to learn how to solve community problems through the democratic process as well as debate and discuss issues with their peers from throughout South Carolina. Over 1,400 students participate in the conference.
