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The 2024 Richland One Hall of Fame Gala Photo Gallery
The Richland One Hall of Fame Induction Gala was held on Saturday, April 13, 2024 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. The Richland One Hall of Fame was created to recognize Richland One alumni and other persons throughout the district’s history who have made significant contributions to Richland One, their communities, their professions and society as a whole.
Induction into the Hall of Fame is the highest honor bestowed upon individuals by the Richland One Board of School Commissioners. 101 men and women have been inducted since the Hall of Fame was established in 2004.
The five members of the 2024 Hall of Fame induction class who were honored during this year’s gala were:
Robert T. Bockman
A longtime Richland One volunteer, Mr. Bockman has been instrumental in the Richland One Hall of Fame selection process through his 20 years of service on the Selection Committee and the Advisory Board. His distinguished legal career includes practicing for 29 years with McNair Law Firm before joining the University of South Carolina School of Law faculty in 2011. He still teaches one course at the Law School and serves as a volunteer advisor to law students on the issues of integrity and character. Mr. Bockman is a native of Atlanta, Georgia.
Dr. Percy A. Mack, Jr.
Dr. Mack served as Richland One superintendent from 2008 to 2014. Programs and initiatives launched during his tenure include the C.A. Johnson High School Health Sciences Magnet, the Paideia Model School at Meadowfield Elementary School and the annual Principal for a Day community engagement initiative. His honors and awards include being named Superintendent of the Year by the National Association of Black School Educators while he was superintendent of the Dayton (Ohio) Public Schools. He was also named the South Carolina School Improvement Council Advocate of the Year. Dr. Mack is a native of Savannah, Georgia.
Bernice G. Scott
Ms. Scott is a 1962 graduate of Webber High School. She served as a member of Richland County Council for 20 years. As a Council member, Ms. Scott advocated for all schools within Richland County, but especially the schools in the Lower Richland area of Richland One. She has also worked tirelessly on critical issues in the rural areas of Richland County including health care, sewer service, fire protection, and economic development. In 2023, President Joe Biden appointed her to serve on the Presidential Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans.
Senator John L. Scott, Jr.
Senator Scott was a 1971 graduate of C.A. Johnson High School. He served on Richland County Council and in the South Carolina House of Representatives before he was elected to the State Senate in 2008. Senator Scott was a strong proponent for education. He led the fight in securing funding for deteriorating buildings for K-12 education and worked to secure millions of dollars in funding for historically black colleges and universities. He was a recipient of The Order of the Palmetto, the state’s highest civilian honor. Senator Scott passed away on August 13, 2023.
Martha Scott Smith
Mrs. Smith is a 1967 graduate of C.A. Johnson High School. She is a former Richland One teacher who was instrumental in establishing the district’s Gifted and Talented Program during her tenure. During her corporate career with AT&T, Mrs. Smith helped to create and direct AT&T’s African-American History Calendar project, which was the first of its kind in the country. She is a member of the South Carolina Black Hall of Fame, and she was the first African-American woman to receive the United Way of the Midlands’ Humanitarian of the Year award.