The South Carolina Supreme Court is pleased to provide the following educational opportunities:
South Carolina Judges in Schools
This community outreach and education program is an effort among judges of the South Carolina Judicial Department to engage with local middle and high school students by visiting classrooms to talk about the role of the judicial branch government and give presentations on various civics-related topics. Judges use various civics-based curricula produced iCivics.org and the National Center for State Courts, as well as their own experiences, to create their own unique lessons. For more information about South Carolina Judges in Schools or to request a judge’s visit to your school, contact Lauren Brown at labrown@sccourts.org.
iCivics is a non-profit organization founded by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor in partnership with Georgetown Law and Arizona State University. It is a web-based education project designed to teach middle school students civics and to inspire them to become active citizens. With a unique team of experts in law, history, and technology, iCivics is dedicated to reinvigorating civics learning through interactive resources and online games that teach students about law, public policy, and government. For teachers, iCivics offers free lesson plans, curriculum outlines, worksheets, and other practical classroom tools to increase civic knowledge, literacy, and critical thinking.
This program is designed to bring middle school and high school students to the Supreme Court to hear oral argument. Afterwards, the Court meets with the students for approximately 30 minutes to talk about law-related issues of interest and to answer questions. The Justices do not, however, discuss cases pending before the Court. The students also have an opportunity to interact with the lawyers arguing the case.
This program is designed to allow South Carolina students to gain a first-hand working knowledge of South Carolina's highest court. Each month streaming video of a case argued before the Supreme Court will be posted. Students will be able to review the briefs submitted for a case and watch the proceedings of the Court.
South Carolina Supreme Court Institute
The South Carolina Supreme Court Institute is held each June for public and private secondary social studies teachers. This Institute, which is offered by the Supreme Court of South Carolina in partnership with the South Carolina Bar, focuses on the Supreme Court of South Carolina as well as the state court system, the federal court system and the other branches of government. Attendees learn how to bring South Carolina Courts and the law to life for their students while interacting with educators, attorneys, judges and the justices of the Supreme Court of South Carolina. Teachers are provided with new and interactive tools to be used in teaching students about the Supreme Court of South Carolina. This training includes a visit to the Supreme Court to hear oral arguments and an opportunity to speak with the justices afterward! A reception with the justices is included with the training in addition to complimentary resources. To obtain an application for this Institute, contact the SC Bar Law Related Education Division at (803) 252-5139 or lre@scbar.org.