A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR STELLA GRACE BURROUGHS, A STUDENT AT THE FAIRFIELD MAGNET SCHOOL FOR MATH AND SCIENCE, AND TO CONGRATULATE HER FOR BEING THE STATE WINNER OF THE 2026 SOUTH CAROLINA CHILDREN'S BOOK CHALLENGE.
Summary
H5517 is a concurrent resolution honoring Stella Grace Burroughs, a student at Fairfield Magnet School for Math and Science, for winning the 2026 South Carolina Children's Book Challenge. The resolution highlights her book, *The Day That Power Took a Vacation*, which was selected as the state grand prize winner after first being chosen as Fairfield Electric’s local finalist. It also recognizes the role of her visual arts teacher, Kimberly Daly, in supporting her through the competition.
The resolution explains that the contest, sponsored by Fairfield Electric Cooperative and the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, asked students to write and illustrate a children’s book about a day in the life of a line worker. Burroughs’ story focuses on a power outage after Hurricane Helene and the workers who restored service, and the winning book will be printed and distributed to elementary schools across South Carolina. The resolution also notes the prizes awarded to Burroughs, her teacher, and the local cooperative, and frames the contest as part of a broader effort to encourage student learning about energy and critical thinking.
Impact
H5517 does not change state law or amend any statutes; it is a ceremonial concurrent resolution. Its practical effect is to formally commend an individual student, acknowledge the educational role of the contest, and direct that a copy of the resolution be presented to Burroughs. The resolution also publicly recognizes the work of electric cooperatives in rural communities and the educational outreach associated with the Children's Book Challenge.
Sentiment
The sentiment around the resolution is strongly positive and celebratory. The text praises Burroughs for her creativity, dedication, and contribution to the state, and it extends best wishes for her future success. The framing of the contest as educational, community-oriented, and tied to service restoration after Hurricane Helene reinforces a favorable tone, with no indication of opposition in the available record.
Contention
There is no apparent contention in the bill text, and no committee transcripts or votes are available showing disagreement. Because the measure is a recognition resolution rather than a policy bill, it appears to have been noncontroversial. Any discussion implied by the text is supportive of student achievement, electric cooperative outreach, and the role of line workers in restoring power after storms.