July 22, 2025 | Program Update
We hosted our 5th annual Pathfinder Immersion Program mock trial event at Charleston’s Historic Courthouse on July 18th, and the kids absolutely blew us away!
Generous local attorneys, Steve Smith, Tim Flowers, and Jeff Kuykendall, have been practicing with our Pathfinder participants all summer in preparation for two cases—the State vs. Gold E. Locks and the State vs. Jack Robinson (of Jack and the Beanstalk).
First-year Pathfinders (rising sixth graders) prosecuted and defended Jack, who was standing trial for giant murder charges, while our second and third-year participants (rising seventh and eighth graders) prosecuted and defended Gold E. Locks, who stood accused of bear burglary.
Officer Rice and Officer Capers of the Mt. Pleasant Police Department participated as bailiffs, and Solicitor Scarlett Wilson presided as our judge.
All of our Pathfinders presented persuasive arguments, but the jury, comprised of our 9th and 10th grade students, reached unanimous verdicts in both cases. Gold E. Locks was found guilty of bad manners and trespassing, and Jack Robinson was found not guilty of second degree murder.
Special thanks to Amanda Perry, Esq. for bringing this event to life in 2021, to Jessica Smith (Charleston County) who helped us reserve the courtroom this year, and to all of our mock trial volunteers.
We look forward to adding a new class of rising 6th grade students to this event next summer! Join our email list for alerts about Pathfinder Immersion Program enrollment for 2026.
To learn more about how you can play a part the continued growth of our Pathfinder Immersion Program and educational enrichment opportunities, please contact Conor O’Rourke.