H 5520

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
Bill 5520
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)
A concurrent RESOLUTION
TO COMMEND
PALMETTO MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR ITS INSTITUTION OF "YOU MATTER DAY" IN MEMORY OF
AUSTIN SMITH, A FORMER SEVENTH GRADE STUDENT AT PALMETTO MIDDLE, IN ORDER TO
RAISE SUICIDE AWARENESS AMONG STUDENTS AND ASSURE THEM THAT THEIR LIVES MATTER
IN THIS WORLD.
Whereas, the South
Carolina General Assembly is pleased to learn that Palmetto Middle School has
partnered with the family of former student Austin Smith to turn loss into
legacy; and
Whereas, Austin Smith,
a seventh grade student at Palmetto Middle, died by suicide on March 30, 2020.
His teachers saw him as an amazing young man with a quirky sense of humor, a
bright mind, and a maturity that set him apart from others. His classmates recognized
Austin as a kind-hearted kid who was always making others laugh; and
Whereas, in March 2025,
on the fifth anniversary of Austin's passing, the school began to remember
Austin formally by hosting the inaugural "You Matter Day." For the occasion,
students and staff wore teal and purple, the colors for suicide awareness; and
Whereas, on March 26,
2026, the school held its second-annual "You Matter Day," and Austin's mother,
Chrissy Davis, joined the commemoration. Students and staff again wore teal and
purple, and staff members lined the hallways and greeted students as they
entered the building. Each student received a teal and purple ribbon and a
cardstock message that read, "You Matter"; and
Whereas, so that the
loss of Austin can be turned into a legacy of reminding teenagers that they
matter, Palmetto Middle will continue to host "You Matter Day" every March near
the anniversary date of Austin's passing. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House
of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
That the members of the
South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, commend Palmetto Middle
School for its institution of "You Matter Day" in memory of Austin Smith, a
former seventh grade student at Palmetto Middle, in order to raise suicide
awareness among students and assure them that their lives matter in this world.
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This web page was last updated on May 15, 2026 at 01:24 PM