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October 22, 2025: Marsh Deane

On the 22nd of October, we welcomed Marsh Deane to Open Forum. Marsh is accomplished photographer who owns his own business, MLNL Media. MLNL Media does all kinds of photography from real estate to nature to weddings. Marsh is also a teacher at TGS. He started out by teaching photography, then branched out to also teach Earth Science and Robotics. Marsh brings lots of knowledge and experience to the school through his job and personal knowledge of the local land and environment. 

Marsh believes in the power of immersing yourself in nature and the necessity of preserving nature for future generations. He spoke to us about a wonderful experience he had in the Congaree National Park photographing the synchronous fireflies that appear there every spring. He went on the Congaree, traveling miles upriver on his kayak to reach the most secluded parts of the swamp. When he arrived, he went deep into the forest to find the fireflies, a twinkling array of beautiful lights in the night.

For Marsh, this experience put a deep focus on how we tend to skip over the little things we see every day, whether it be the trees, the wildlife, the river, or anything else. He reminded us that some other places, like big cities, can’t even see the stars in the night sky due to light pollution. Marsh’s journey into the Congaree Swamp gives us an example of exactly what he hopes people will have the courage to do—he went deep into the wild to capture nature in its purest form. Through this journey, he told us that he conquered his fears and truly “witnessed the Holy Spirit deep in the Carolina night.” 

We thank Mr. Marsh for sharing his inspiring account of his journey in the Congaree National Park and his experience with the beautiful wildlife deep in the pristine forest.

By Nolan

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October 29, 2025: Steve Williams

Mr. Steve Williams came to talk to us today. Mr. Williams is a local author, historian, and former educator who has won awards for his newspaper columns. He graduated from Winyah High School and went on to work as a teacher and educational adminstrator for thirty years in Atlanta, Charlotte, and New York. When his parents died, he retired and decided to move back to Georgetown. He then embarked on a new career as a writer.

Mr. Williams has written fourteen books about black history and today he talked to us about his new children’s book From Slavery to Shipwright. The book details the history of James Mashow, a slave of mixed heritage whose white father sent him up North to become a carpentry apprentice. James found his calling in ship-building and went on to construct 100 ships before the Civil War. He was a very well-known shipwright in New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he was in charge of building many whaling vessels for that booming industry.

Mr. Williams told us that James Mashow’s example should encourage us to do great things. “He was born ordinary,” he said, “and became extraordinary.” Mashow’s inspirational story is now better known, thanks to Mr. Williams’ research. Mr. Williams told us that every day was a chance to learn and better ourselves. “To quote Dr. King,” he concluded, “the way to education is always under construction.”

By Reece

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October 3, 2025: Lani Jumper

“I am so happy to be here and doing what I love,” said Lani Jumper, our Open Forum speaker for today.  Lani Jumper is a part of the nonprofit Wake Up Carolina, and works as a peer support specialist for this program. She dedicates her time to help the individuals and families overcome drug and alcohol abuse. She is also Kipper’s aunt!

Wake Up Carolina is a harm reduction outreach coordinator with multiple programs for mom, dads, teens or for anyone who has had a drug addiction or knows a family that hads a drug addiction. It also offers safe space for teens at schools.

Lani told us that WakeUp Carolina was founded in 2020 by a woman named Nanci Shipman who tragically lost her son to opioid addiction. Since then, the organization has helped thousands of people deal with all aspects of substance abuse. WUC has a non twelve-step program called Creighton’s House which provides a safe space for young adults who are in recovery. It sponsors meetings for those dealing with substance abuse along with support groups for their parents, siblings and friends who suffer the effects of addiction as well. Finally, WUC educates churches, schools, businesses, etc. on what’s out there and what to be aware of.

Lani told us the story of five Lucy Middleton School students who wanted to do well on a test. One of them procured black market Adderall from his brother at college. It turns out that the Adderall was fake, and laced with fentynal. The five boys overdosed in the bathroom of their school. Luckily, they all survived but this story is a real wake-up call about how ordinary kids with good intentions can place themselves in danger.

Lani told us about several problematic drugs easily available in Georgetown County at the moment. One is Benadryl, a commonly-used allergy medication. Another is kratom, a substance in small containers that are sold at the convenience store or vape shop without much regulation. The same goes for tianeptine, also known as “gas station heroin.” Finally, Lani mentioned alcohol, whose sale is regulated. However, advertisements that glamorize it are everywhere and for many kids it’s the first drug they try.

Lani’s talk was packed with information and our students asked a lot of questions. One takeaway we learned about was the Good Samaritan Law: You can call the police or 911 if your friend has overdosed and not be prosecuted, even if you were doing illegal drugs or alcohol with them. Also, you can administer Narcan to someone who has overdosed and not fear any legal repercussions.

Thank you Lani, for a great and extremely informative talk!

By Hannah and staff

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September 24, 2025: Liz Duesing

On September 24, 2025, Ms. Liz Duesing came to speak to us on behalf of the Bunnelle Foundation, where she works as Program and Communication Specialist. Ms. Duesing is originally from upstate New York. She graduated from Stoneybrook University and started a successful career in broadcast journalism. She eventually left that field to become a “nonprofit champion” at the Bunnelle Foundation.

Ms. Duesing told us that the Bunnelle Foundation supports nonprofits in Georgetown County. It was founded by Mrs. Frances P. Bunnelle, a Pawleys woman who wanted her money to do good after her death. The Bunnelle Foundation is headquartered in Pawleys Island, and has been around for the last 25 years. Over the years, the foundation has given 40 million dollars away just in Georgetown County. “We gave two million last year,” Ms. Duesing told us.

Although Mrs. Bunnelle was a discreet person who lived a quiet life, her foundation is famous and as Ms. Duesing said, they “have a big voice in the room.” It was very nice to hear that many of the non-profits in Georgetown are supported by the Bunnelle Foundation, including our school! Thank you, Ms. Liz Duesing for coming to educate us on yet another wonderful organization of Georgetown.  

By Kipper

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August 27, 2025: Sean Cygan, SCAD

Sean Cygan, the South Carolina Representative for Savannah College of Art and Design, visited our school on August 27. He met with seniors then spoke at Open Forum. Sean is a proud SCAD alumnus who graduated two years ago with a degree in animation. Sean shared his experiences as a SCAD student and talked about its many advantages for people who are interested in a successful career in the arts. “Learn now what you need for the future,” he advised, reflecting on how his passion for animation and storytelling shaped his college experience and career path.

Sean told us that SCAD offers a global learning experience with four different locations, including a campus in Savannah and in Atlanta; in Lacoste, a medieval village in France; and an online program. Among them, the Atlanta campus stands out as the most popular, and is referred to as the “Hollywood of the South.” It is also home to the university’s annual AnimationFest. Since its founding in 1978, SCAD has cemented its reputation as one of the leading art and design institutions in the world.   

“Resources we offer are to help you build connections,” Sean explained, emphasizing how networking and collaboration are major parts of the SCAD experience. He also noted that currently Georgia ranks number one in film production in the United States, providing students with unique opportunities to form professional connections and to gain real-world experiences. 

We thank Sean Cygan for taking the time to remind us that college is not just about finding your passion, but making connections that could affect your future career path.

By Eleanor

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April 23, 2025: Marsh Deane

Our Open Forum speaker today was Mr. Marsh Deane. Mr. Marsh is a local videographer and photographer who has his own company MLNL Media. He also teaches Photography at TGS. He studied Landscape Architecture at Clemson University, then at Coastal Carolina, where he finished his undergraduate degree. Mr. Marsh recently visited Japan with two high school friends. He shared an amazing video he made of the trip with us.

Mr. Marsh saw cities, temples, mountains, and cool statues with his friends but seemed to be the most impressed with Japanese food. “You can go into any convenience store,” he said, ” and get fabulous fresh food for not much money.” Japan looks like a wonderful place to visit! Thank you for sharing yet another of your tremendous adventures with us, Mr. Marsh!

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January 8, 2025: Annika Villafranca

Our guest speaker today was hardly a guest—she’s more like a family member! Annika Villafranca graduated from TGS last year and came in to speak to us about her experiences at college so far. She was our first speaker of the new year!

Annika is a forensic science major at the University of New Haven in Connecticut with a minor in criminal justice. She shared with us some key differences between college and high school. College classes are longer and don’t meet every day. For example, Annika’s “Intro to Forensics” course met once a week for two hours and 45 minutes. This different schedule allows more free time but there is no one there telling you to use your time wisely.

Annika advised us to work on our study and time management skills before college. “Pay attention in class now,” she said. “It will help you in the long run, especially in math.” Annika was very far ahead of her peers in Chemistry because she had learned her unit conversions so well at TGS.

Annika’s study techniques include rewriting and summarizing her notes, and using note cards to learn terminology. “Don’t be afraid to email teachers or go to the tutoring center if you need help,” she said. “Take advantage of all the resources.”

College isn’t just studying and taking tests—it’s all about trying new things and branching out. “Find things that interest you,” Annika told us. She herself enjoys attending campus events with her friends and participating in Dance Club and Forensics Club. We thank Annika for her visit and wish her best of luck in the spring semester!

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October 2, 2024: Dr. John Rowan

Dr. John Rowan, Vice President of Enrollment at Francis Marion University, was our guest speaker at Open Forum today. Located near Florence SC, Francis Marion is a small university (4000 students) that has many fine programs. Dr. Rowan visited Dr. Simmons’ College Prep class, then headed downstairs to the Auditorium to talk to all of us about why college is important and how to choose your college.

One reason to attend college is to increase your earning power. “You are likely to make $1,000,000 more over your lifetime if you go to college,” Dr. Rowan told us. Another reason is more and better job options. “Without a college degree,” he said, “your job options are limited.” Dr. Rowan asked us to imagine doing what we love to do every day and getting paid for it. The key to this great situation is a college degree.

Dr. Rowan told us that colleges are still looking at academic performance but they also want to know where students volunteered during high school. Colleges also like to see extra-curricular activities that show you are a well-rounded person. He counseled us to use websites to start the college search, but then to use campus visits and open houses to make the final decision. “Get to know where you want to go to college,” he said.

Dr. Rowan told us that Francis Marion has consistently been rated one of the best colleges to work for and he agrees with this. He loves his job and was happy to come share with us.

By Noah M.

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September 18, 2024: Andrew Birkin

Our speaker today Andrew Birkin came all the way from Wales, England! Andrew is an old friend of Ms. Grippo’s and a noted film maker who was enjoying a short visit to the States and graciously came to talk to us about his career.

“I fell in love with filmmaking for all of the wrong reasons,” said Andrew. The only reason he applied for his first job in the film business was in order to meet his favorite actress! He did end up meeting her, but by then he realized that he enjoyed film making and decided to stay in the business.

Andrew had the privilege of helping in the production of Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 science fiction masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey. One of Andrew’s jobs was photocopying the scripts for the actors. He said that although the script was top secret, he got to read segments of it when the Xerox machine charred the paper. 


One of Andrew’s other jobs was helping to write Omen III: The Final Conflict, and it came with a huge opportunity: while on this project, Andrew was given 48 hours to write, and five days to shoot his own short film Sredni Vashtar. He based it off of the short story of the same title by Saki. Sredni Vashtar was nominated for an Oscar. Andrew laughed, “I shouldn’t win anything for it because it was easy to do.”

Andrew then told us about his recent trip to Africa. There he taught kids in Malawi how to shoot short films on a smartphone. He noted how far technology has come since he was making his first film.

“Any of you can go out and make a movie,” Andrew told us. “Just make it short!”

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September 11, 2024: Captain Mark Smith

Captain Mark Smith, Fire Marshal for the Georgetown City Fire Department, spoke to us today to honor the tragedy of September 11, 2001. Many of us are too young to remember what happened but Capt. Smith will never forget.

He was drinking coffee when his fiancée called with the terrible news of a terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York City. “It was hard to see,” he told us, “but it was a reality we needed to face.” Capt. Smith reminded us that 340 first responders also lost their lives that day. “Everyone else is running out of the building and firefighters run in,” he said.

Capt. Smith got his first training as a volunteer firefighter in West Virginia State and found that he enjoyed the work. He got certified as an EMT, eventually got hired by the City of Georgetown, and became a specialist in hazardous materials, especially chlorine. “Even with 23 years of experience, I still go to school,” he told us. The most difficult calls for him are when there are kids or babies involved.

Capt. Smith told us about some technological innovations in firefighting that make his job safer and easier. For example, communication is much better. The chief can talk to his firefighters from outside the burning structure and manage their movements. A computer keeps track of how much air is in their air packs so they don’t run out of oxygen. They also wear trackers that set off an alarm if the firefighter stops moving for too long. These trackers also notify people on the outside that someone is in trouble. A lot of time is spent at the fire station checking and inspecting the equipment every day.

Capt. Smith reminded us to keep our smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors up-to-date. If you need one, the Fire Department has them for free and will install them. He told us that kitchen fires involving grease are the most common type of home fire. He reminded us never to throw water on a grease fire! “Every family should have an escape plan in case of fire,” Captain Smith concluded.

We thank Capt. Smith for his timely and informative talk.

By Sara