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Senior Speeches and Senior Ring Ceremony

Being able to think and talk about both sides of a controversial issue as objectively as possible is an important skill for any citizen. When people can’t engage in civil discourse, there is no exchange of ideas. That’s why senior speeches are a graduation requirement at TGS. Our seniors must prepare a short talk about an issue, then deliver it to faculty, friends, and family in order to receive their diplomas. After the speech, they must also answer questions from people in the audience. Senior Speech Day is a major milestone towards proving that seniors are ready to go out into the world.

Our assembly began on a very high note, when Dr. Gates passed out TGS rings to all the seniors. These rings are a gift from Sonny and Lori Burgoon of Diamond Collection who want to honor all the graduates with a lasting and beautiful memento of their years at The Georgetown School. Thank you so much!

Then, the Class of 2026 did a great job presenting and defending their positions on a variety of issues.

Baryck Jackson heads to U. S. C. this fall. He argued that companies are overstepping their bounds by installing overly complicated electronics in cars and farm equipment. Given the difficulty of finding and training qualified technicians, these electronics place an undue financial burden on the owner when things go wrong. The reputation of the company suffers when it can’t keep its machinery running. Some (John Deere) are being sued by angry customers. Companies are doing a disservice to their customers and themselves through over-use of complicated electronic systems.

Bryan Amerson will also study at U. S. C. Bryan took on the topic of AI, arguing that its use should be limited to small and specific applications, such as in medicine. The way AI acquires data from unconsenting people is leading to a massive invasion of privacy. Biometric data has already been stolen and sold after data breaches; it is time for the government to reign in and narrowly define the uses of AI.

Hannah Bridges will attend Horry-Georgetown Technical College. She argued that social media is dangerous to children under 15 because their brains are still developing and there is too much noxious material that can influence them for the worse, even driving them to suicide. She said it was the social media companies’ responsibility to keep minors away from inappropriate content.

Larson Lee is heading to the College of Charleston. He believes that the energy future of America lies in developing low-cost and safe nuclear plants. Unlike other fuels, nuclear is relatively clean and can be obtained domestically, reducing both pollution and our dependence on foreign sources of energy. Larson noted that very safe methods of either disposing of or reprocessing spent fuel rods already exist. He maintained that disasters such as Three Mile Island and Chernobyl were due to mismanagement of sites, not nuclear energy itself.

Noah Miller is attending Horry-Georgetown Technical College this fall. He spoke from his experience as a home-schooled student and argued that traditional (whether public or private) schools do a better job of producing well-educated, well-adjusted graduates. Homeschoolers often do not have adequate time for socializing with their peers, and the longer they are home-schooled, the more difficult their classes become and the more they will need certified teachers to educate them.

Gracin Farwell will go to Wingate College next fall. Gracin’s topic was surveillance overreach through technologies such as the Flock Safety camera. The Flock scans license plates and creates a huge data set of pervasive, long-term tracking of people’s movements. Many see this as a search without a warrant and an invasion of the privacy guaranteed by the 4th Amendment. Gracin believes that surveillance technology should be used to pursue criminals (all proper legal channels being followed) but must be severely curtailed in the case of private citizens going about their business.

Corrin Anderson is accepted at Southern New Hampshire University. He argued that the words of our national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” should be updated. The words, he said, are difficult to memorize and many citizens do not really know them well enough to sing. The verses refer to the War of 1812 and many people find them archaic and overly militaristic. Corrin argued that warlike lyrics are not relevant and should be replaced by words which reflect the values of modern Americans: freedom, equality, progress.

Kipper Saliaris will attend Lander College this fall. Kipper argued that there are too many hormones in the foods we buy at the grocery store. He explained that there are mainly two types of hormones in use: growth hormones to promote bigger animals and hormones that are sprayed on food when it is harvested to keep it fresh longer. These hormones are harmful: there are studies that point to an increased chance of slow metabolism and gynacomastia in children. Kipper pointed out that such hormones are already banned in many parts of Europe and should be banned in the U. S. In the meantime, he recommends buying organic food and preserving it by freezing, canning, or drying.

The faculty will choose one senior to receive the Senior Speech Award at Awards Day.

Photos: courtesy of Marsh Deane (MLNL Media), Nolan, and Christine Anderson

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Atomic Adventures in Appalachia: High Risk, High Reward!

Every year in the spring, Kingfishers go on a school-wide trip to an unknown destination. This year, we went west to Tennessee. Our bus driver, Ms. Sherry, picked us up at school around 8:00 on March 3. After good-byes and phone collection, we were on our way! The first point of interest was the town of Kingstree, where Richard got to see the train station, but (sadly) no train. For our first lunch, we brought bagged lunches into a Hardees south of Columbia, where kids could order drinks or dessert and visit the convenience store next door.

After many hours on the bus ride heading west on the interstate, we finally got off onto smaller roads and arrived at Roan State Park, just over the border in Tennessee. We were all eager to check out our cabins, the area, and to simply get out of the bus. As we stepped out, we were in awe of the towering pine trees, rugged landscape, and picturesque cabins situated on a hilly horseshoe road surrounded by the woods. We grabbed our luggage and toiled up the steep hill to our cabins, which were clean and spacious. They had A/C as well! 

Just as we began to settle in, we were all informed that we would all have to meet back up at the bus, ready for a hike. Everybody was a bit drowsy from the bus ride, so we needed a good way to stretch our legs and wake ourselves up. What better way than to climb a mountain? Before boarding, the teachers divided everyone into four groups: the Chickens, the Horses, the Rabbits, and the Snakes. Each group had to find its members by silently doing its animal’s “dance.” Next, we re-boarded the bus by groups and took a quick trip to Carver’s Gap (elevation 5512 feet).

Up here, it was 20° colder, with 30 mph wind gusts. Everybody got out of the bus and began to hike up the path, slowly making their way up the slope covered in a layer of grass akin to that of a hay field. As we ascended, we soon entered a forest filled with a vast amount of spruce trees, blocking out the wind we had previously been facing. The trees also shielded us and some small patches of snow from the sunlight. As we got close to the peak of our hike, we exited the forest and came to a large rock on the slope. Many of us climbed on top of it, to better appreciate the beautiful view of the mountain range and the sun as it began to dip down behind the horizon. When the sun finally disappeared, we realized it was time to go, so we all took our final looks, returning back down the trail to our bus. Soon we were back at the cabins, ready for our dinner of hamburgers and potato salad.

Roan State Park was really nice. Each cabin had two beds upstairs, a couch, and a suite room for the teacher. One cabin ended up with six high school boys. “We spent much of our down time playing card games and hide-and-seek,” Reece said. Their favorite day was when they got to make ramen with leftovers and “pie” from a “prison” recipe. The middle-schoolers spent evenings outside searching for monsters they called “skinwalkers.” High-schoolers joined in to scare them. The stars were amazing in all that darkness.

The next day, we were back in the bus early so we could drive to Oak Ridge, a town outside of Knoxville. There, we visited The American Museum of Science and Energy (AMSE). This museum, located in a strip mall, is dedicated to showing the vital importance of science and engineering in our past, present and future. Before we were let loose to explore the museum, our knowledgeable docent led us into a conference room to show us a very “shocking” device. The device she pulled out of a broom closet was a vintage Van der Graaf generator, used to create static electricity on a large scale. She demonstrated its power: with one hand on the machine, she lit up fluorescent bulbs in the ceiling by gesturing at them. The most exciting part was when she had us put our hand on the dome of the device and the static electricity caused any hair we had to stand up. This wonderful machine even caused Dr. Gates’s arm hair to frizz and Jamie’s braids to curl up at the ends. You can see from the photo of Elizabeth how surprising the experience was!

When we showed up at Chik-Fil-A for lunch, we were greeted with a nasty surprise: the Oak Ridge warning siren began blasting and continued for three solid minutes. It turns out that the local emergency alert system is tested on the first Wednesday of every month! We were “lucky” to experience this aspect of local culture.

After Chik-Fil-A, we went to the Ice Chalet, a skating rink in Knoxville. Ice skating has become a tradition after last year’s unforgettable experience in Williamsburg. This rink was a lot nicer, with some really talented skaters zipping around. Energy filled us as soon as we stepped inside, the cold air buzzing with our excitement and anticipation.

Students took to the ice, creating a scene that was both chaotic and joyful. Some wobbled along the edge of the rink before inevitably slipping and falling, only to burst into laughter as their friends tried to help them back up. A few high-schoolers showed off, or at least attempted to, spinning, racing, and joking around with a confidence that didn’t always match their balance. Despite the falls, the atmosphere remained lighthearted and full of fun.

On the third day of our trip, we took another long but lively bus ride to the University of Tennessee in downtown Knoxville. UT is a massive campus, home to more than 30,000 students. Stepping off the bus, we could immediately feel the school spirit and energy of a place that never really slows down. We kicked things off with a guided tour led by Kate and Haylee, who brought the campus to life with their enthusiasm and inside knowledge. As we walked, we got to see both the official mascot (the Torchbearer) and unofficial mascot (Smokey the Bluetick Coonhound) that represent the school’s spirit, along with some of the most impressive parts of campus, including their state-of-the-art nursing building and the enormous stadium that stands as a symbol of school pride.

As the tour continued, we made our way to one of the most iconic traditions on campus, the Rock. This massive boulder serves as a creative outlet for students, who cover it in layers of paint to share messages, promote upcoming events, and even advertise sign-ups for clubs and activities. It’s constantly changing, a colorful reflection of student life. Our guides told us a wild story about how, after an anonymous student once painted a coach’s phone number on the Rock following a controversial decision, the university had to install 24-hour surveillance to keep things under control. Moments like that made it clear just how passionate, and even sometimes unpredictable the student body can be.

By the end of the tour, the heat and the walking had definitely caught up to us, so stopping at the main dining hall, Rocky Top, was the perfect idea. The two-story cafeteria was huge, filled with a wide variety of food options that seemed to go on forever. From quick snacks to full meals, there was something for everyone. We had a chance to relax, refuel, and take in everything we had just experienced.

Overall, visiting the University of Tennessee wasn’t just a campus tour, it was an inside look at a vibrant college community full of tradition, energy, and personality. It left many of us imagining what it might be like to one day be part of a place like that when we graduate.

Our meal at the Rocky Top Dining Hall was very satisfying but there was no time for a nap. The bus took us to Navitat Recreation Center, an outdoor paradise with gardens, walking trails, and a ziplining course! We immediately forgot our full stomachs and got geared up in harnesses and helmets, ready for adventure. After a little training in how to stay safe by some very patient guides, we started out on different levels of high ropes. The group was really stoked and got out on the ropes 40 feet in the air as fast as possible. “I really liked all of the different ropes courses,” Nolan said. “My favorite course was Treason, the hardest one. It definitely tested my upper body strength.”

The last formal meal we had on this year’s school trip was at Freddy’s Steak Burgers. This restaurant really is few eateries back in Georgetown because the interior was a 1960’s diner featuring crimson red booths, black and white checkerboard pattern floors, and a friendly staff. Students were very happy to stretch their legs and enjoy some custard and burgers while resting in the booths.

The ride home from our atomic adventures in Tennessee was pleasant and bittersweet at the same time. We got up bright and early to pack our things, clean the cabins, and make sure we didn’t forget anything before boarding the bus. We were very grateful to our bus driver Sherry for driving us this year and we all thanked her for her excellent driving. On the bus, there was plenty of excitement as many high and middle school students played games and ranted about everything that happened on the trip. Some were too tuckered out, though. “With how much we did on the trip,” said one high-schooler, “I slept the whole way home.” The student chatter went away when we passed Columbia because Dr. Gates handed out our phones. This trip to Tennessee was exciting for the new students on their first school trip. It was also bittersweet for the seniors on their last one. We will not be forgetting the adventures we had in Tennessee anytime soon!

By Eleanor, Larson, Nolan, Reece, Caleb and Hannah

Photos courtesy of Marsh Deane

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February 18, 2026: The Honorable Jay Doyle

Our guest today was Georgetown’s new mayor Jay Doyle. He is the first third-party candidate to be elected to this position since 1894. Mayor Doyle has been a Georgetown resident for sixteen years. He grew up in Massachusetts and attended Northeastern, but left in order to become an entrepreneur. Over the years, he owned a successful construction and energy-saving company, worked in telecommunications, and also served Brookgreen Gardens as Director of Facilities.

Mayor Doyle spoke to us about the importance of learning. “I’m sixty-eight years old and I’m still learning,” he said. “Learning is something that will stick with you throughout life.” He also pointed out the possibilities and dangers of information people obtain from the internet. “I can go online to figure out how to fix something,” he told us, “ and I can go online to learn how to hate someone.”

Mayor Doyle explained how his goals are to preserve Georgetown’s historical aspects, protect the surrounding woodlands while rezoning, and to provide employment for citizens (especially those impacted by our two mills’ closing). “Urban planning is a huge part of what I’m accomplishing,” he said while discussing his focus on development and where to construct new establishments. He invited students to contribute to his plan by coming up with their own ideas and plans for open areas in Georgetown.

Thank you, Mayor Doyle, for taking time to introduce yourself to us!

By: Eleanor

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The Glass Menagerie

On Wednesday, March 1, the whole high school drove to Charleston to see Tennessee Williams’ play The Glass Menagerie at the Dock Street Theatre, presented by Charleston Stage.

We arrived early enough to get in a visit to the Fireproof Building, which houses the South Carolina Historical Society Museum. There were all sorts of cool exhibits, including a home movie of people harvesting rice made in the 1930s. They were using 18th and 19th century techniques brought to the New World by enslaved people. Isaac really liked the flintlock exhibit and all the boys thought the display of different “sands” that were spewed out from the earth during the Charleston Earthquake of 1886 were very interesting. Mme Gates saw a quote by a South Carolina attorney general on a tee shirt that was pretty funny: “South Carolina is too small for a republic and too large for an insane asylum” (James Louis Petigru).

We walked to the Dock Street Theatre and arrived in plenty of time for the play. Soon were were drawn into the “fragile world of the Wingfield family, where dreams and reality intertwine in a tender dance” (Charleston Stage). Many of the high school students had read the play with Dr. Simmons and everyone thought the production was really well done. The play was cut significantly but all the drama was still there. “The shortened ending suited just fine,” said Morgan.

Lunch was a quick stop at Chik-Fil-A. Gracin and his table were able to use the hot sauce he had bought at the Fireproof Building on their sandwiches (yum!). We managed to get back to Georgetown shortly after 3:00. Thank you, Dr. Simmons, for planning this great experience.

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Spring Sports at TGS

Tennis at TGS is 10% skill and 90% fun. On Tuesday and Sunday afternoons, our tennis players go out to hit some tennis balls. (Sometimes we hit “home runs” out into the marsh at East Bay Park!) Our tennis team, while not very experienced, is quickly learning how to serve, hit ground strokes, and volley under Coach Gates’ training. We do everything from running drills to playing matches, but whatever we do we always make sure to have fun. And we try not to get eaten alive by gnats!

Every Monday and Thursday, TGS students can walk (or drive) to the South Carolina Maritime Museum, which generously offers their 420 racing boats for us to use. After arriving, most sailors walk to Sweeties to grab a quick ice cream or milkshake, just in time to finish before Coach Gates arrives. Jim and Mahi Edwards wait with their Boston Whaler and kindly ferry the sailors across the harbor to the boats. After rigging, Coach Gates sets a course and everyone tries to find the fastest way around it, while also dodging the sunken boats. Come 4:30, and it’s time to pull the boats out and de-rig. Thanks to Morgan’s parents for providing transportation and life jackets, and to the SCMM for letting us use their boats!

By Morgan and Baryck

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Pi (π) Day 2025

Every year, March 14 (3.14) is officially declared Pi Day, a day to celebrate the never-ending digits of π. To honor the day, Middle Schoolers in Mrs. Crosby’s math classes brought all different types of pies. The flavors ranged from nuts to fruits to chocolate pie. “The Blueberry Meringue was by far my favorite,” Sara said. Middle Schoolers gobbled pie until they were stuffed, and then the High Schoolers scarfed up the rest of it. π has infinite digits and we apparently have an infinite love for pie.

By Eleanor

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Our 2025 Kayaking Adventure

We finally got to go kayaking on Thursday, March 13 at the Black River Cypress Preserve! The weather was perfect—not too hot, not too cold. The BRCP is located just on the other side of Andrews. It boasts 1000 acres of undeveloped river land covered in cypress trees.

Our guides for the day were four young women from Coastal Expeditions: Meredith, Morgan, Claire, and Madison. They met us at the parking lot and we trooped down to the boat landing. First, they divided us into pairs so we could use the tandem kayaks: a big kid with a little kid. Then we put on our life vests and grabbed our paddles. The guides gave us a short lesson on paddling in a small field near the boat house. Finally we went down to the landing where colorful kayaks were bunched up on the ground pointing at the river.

The guides told us to get in the kayaks while they adjusted the foot pedals. We had to sit up very tall, bracing ourselves with our knees. “This will help you become one with the kayak,” Madison told us. Soon it was time to launch. We got out of our boats and helped drag them down to the water when it was our turn. We all paddled across the Black River and massed on the opposite bank by clinging to branches until everyone was ready.

What a beautiful day and what a beautiful river! We went to see a bunch of old cypress trees and then explored a new part of the Black River. Hannah saw a giant spider on a tree and Dr. Gates saw the first swallowtail kite of the season. The students paired together cooperated with each other (more or less) and we all got back to the landing at the same time. The guides allowed us to have a race at the end. Corrin and Josh won, with Morgan and Jamie in second place.

Mr. Marsh came with us for the day, bringing all his fancy camera gear so his media students could practice using it. Gracin got to wear a Go-Pro while Bryan was allowed to use an underwater camera. Marsh himself took his big camera, his drone, and several plastic bags for picking up trash. He and all the teachers got to use single kayaks.

Kingfishers impressed the guides with their kayaking skills, which many of us probably acquired at River Day (thank you, Mrs. Crosby!). One guide told Dr. Gates that we were so good at paddling, they were able to add an extra leg to the trip. The guides were also very happy at how fast we put away the boats, paddles, and life vests. “You guys are great!” Morgan told us.

When all the gear was stowed, we ate lunch together at the picnic tables. Madison quizzed us about the seven rules of being in the wilderness. And so we took away nothing but photos and memories (except for Mr. Marsh, who had collected several bags of trash) and we left nothing but our footprints. Thank you, Coastal Expeditions and BRCP, for an awesome day on the beautiful Black River!

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August 28, 2024: Sarah Green

“Hi, y’all!” said Sarah. “This is crazy!”

Sarah Green, class of 2017, never expected to find herself at the front of the Auditorium, addressing students at Open Forum. Sarah is an artist who now lives and works in Georgetown. She graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a degree in painting in 2021. She spoke to us about not being afraid to take risks and overcoming obstacles.

Sarah fell in love with SCAD on her last school trip. SCAD is an expensive college but she was able to get grants for a lot of the tuition/fees. Her start at SCAD was not totally smooth (she had broken her foot skateboarding!) but Sarah was soon painting, learning, and enjoying Savannah. She even got to go on a semester abroad to Lacoste, a small village in the south of France. Sarah has since held jobs with the Myrtle Beach Art Museum and the Atlanta High Museum. She had opened her own studio in a co-op in Atlanta with several “fellow creatives.”

“When you make plans, life makes other plans for you,” Sarah told us. The building where the co-op was got pulled from the market and Sarah found herself having to start all over again. She does her best to see obstacles as learning opportunities and ways to find out more about what she is capable of. She says to herself, “I will carry this with grace.”

Now Sarah has an even bigger studio here in Georgetown where she is preparing to open for business with a gallery and website. Her favorite medium is oil and her favorite subject is people, but after her rigorous training, she can do it all. We wish her all the best as she starts her new life and business!

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The Perfect Day: Oyster Roast 2023

Every year TGS hosts our all-you-can-eat Oyster Roast. This fundraiser helps to support student scholarships (which over 65% of our student body relies on). This year, the event took place on November 5, 2023, at Francis Marion Park on Front Street. Before that day, our students and their families sold more than 150 tickets to friends and family around the Georgetown community. The tickets cost $30 each and went fast! This event was a huge success, but there was a lot of prep work before it began.

To prepare for the big day, students, teachers, and parents all brought in items including, napkins, silverware, chips, drinks, and items for the silent auction baskets. Dr. Gates ordered the oysters and picked them up in McClellanville. All of our families turned out to set up, manage stations, and clean. Our school is very grateful everyone who helped out, especially to Ms. Sandy (Kingfisher Crew president and master planner), to Ms. Amy for managing ticket sales, and to Mrs. Karen Hefferman who decorated the whole site with flowers and pumpkins so that it looked very festive and inviting. We cannot forget to express our appreciation to Dr. Tom Crosby and his crew of oyster cookers who kept the delicious food coming from start to finish. Sonny and Lori Burgoon and their family were instrumental in getting everything transported to the site and setting up the plywood tables. Guitarist Duane DeMello set the mood with great live music all afternoon. Kudos to everyone for a job well done!

The day of the Oyster Roast was amazing. There were multiple stations to either get drinks and hot dogs. If you were eating oysters, you claimed your spot at one of our eleven tables. All of the students were at their own station doing their very best for their community. The hot dog stand was run by Ansley, Branton, Caleb, and Gaines. Emily, Nolan, Jackson, and Saylor were helping with sodas and drinks. “Serving drinks has been exhausting,” Emily said, “People have been putting their blood, sweat, and tears toward this event but working has been fantastic!” Perhaps the most important student job was ferrying fresh steamed oysters to the tables. This was done by Kipper, Gracin, Evan, and Baryck.

As in years past, the community loved the Oyster Roast and had a lot to say about how it went. Shay Scott is a new TGS mom and she said, “This is an amazing day, and the oysters are perfectly steamed and salted.” Others, like Cameron Forehand, were very impressed with the organization. “The students did an awesome job putting on this fundraiser,” he said. Another attendee, Nicole Thomas, said, “The event is very awesome, and the oysters are delicious.”

The 2023 Oyster Roast pulled us all together. “This was the most successful oyster roast I have ever seen in the eight years I’ve been at TGS,” said Kingfisher Crew president Ms. Sandy. Congratulations, Kingfishers, and thanks to our many friends.

By Saylor

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January 18, 2023: Kris Brame

Today, TGS said, “Bonjour!” to Kris Brame, Mme Gates’ former French student who also had Mrs. Patrick, Dr. Gates, and Dr. Neubauer as his high school teachers. Fluent in French and German, he now works as a translator today after starting his own company By The Word Translation. He talked to us about his love for learning languages and his international educational path.

Kris originally wanted to learn German, inspired by an Austrian exchange student his family hosted when he was in 8th grade. He told us “Everyone was always asking Fabian ‘How do you say that in German?’ and I learned the words.” He took French in high school, then decided to go on a German high school exchange program before graduating. While there, he began to perfect his German and French.

After earning the German equivalent of a high school diploma, Kris decided to stay in Europe to pursue translation studies at the university level in Mainz. He finished his B.S. at Kent State, then interned as a medical interpreter in Indianapolis.  COVID put an end to in-person medical interpretation and at that point, Kris took the big step of starting his own company.

By the Word Translation is Kris’s online enterprise. He is still a medical interpreter, but now mostly does subtitle translations for many clients, most notably Netflix and a French poker show. Unfortunately, Kris couldn’t give any spoilers for our favorite shows! He had some advice for students who wish seriously to master their foreign language: find a good friend who is a native speaker to talk to and use the internet to read and listen to the language you want to learn. Vielen Dank, Kris! 

By Emily