2017–18 South Carolina Distinguished Public School Graduates
On March 17, 2017, the South Carolina Foundation for Educational Leadership honored seven distinguished South Carolina public school graduates who have excelled in their respective fields national and internationally. Please see below for their acceptance speeches.
The 2017 “Finding Our Corner of the Sky” honorees include:
Alex English
1972 graduate of Dreher High School (Richland District One), 1997 Pro Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee, and 2006 College Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee
Bruce Littlefield
1985 graduate of Brookland-Cayce High School (Lexington District Two), New York Times Best-Selling Author, and Academy, Audie and Christopher Awards Winner
Richard “Rick” Medlin (posthumous)
1966 graduate of Palmetto High School (Anderson District One), former CEO of Fruit of the Loom
Sarah Gregory Messer
2002 graduate of Richland Northeast High School (Richland District Two), Alfred I. duPont and Peabody Awards Winner, and Producer of Good Morning America
Patina Miller
2002 graduate of the SC Governor’s School for the Arts & Humanities, 2013 Tony and Outer Critics Circle Awards Winner
The Honorable Richard “Dick” W. Riley
1950 graduate of Greenville High School (Greenville County Schools), former Governor and U.S Secretary of Education
Michael Sechrest
1990 graduate of Irmo High School (Lexington-Richland District Five), 2015 Academy and Emmy Awards Winner