<h4>By MINDY LUCAS</h4>
South Carolina’s top prosecutor visited a Lowcountry private school recently to talk to students on their first day back about a range of topics.

Alan Wilson was the guest speaker at Beaufort Academy’s traditional first-day convocation on Monday, Aug. 19.

Speaking to an assembly of about 170 students, from 5th through 12th grade, Wilson touched on themes of commitment, leadership and character.

“Never be afraid to surround yourself with people who are better than you,” said Wilson recalling how, at age 37, he became the youngest state attorney general in the country.

He told students that leadership isn’t about perks and privileges, but service.

“As a leader, it’s not your job to be the best. You have to humble yourself to learn from others,” he said.

Wilson also talked about human trafficking and the dangers of the Internet, two topics his office is leading the charge on combating in South Carolina through its affiliation with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

The first day back for many of the students was also bittersweet, said Lisa Gallagher, the school’s director of communications, after the death of classmate Anna Grace Dennis.

An accomplished student athlete and National Honors Society inductee, Dennis died Aug. 5 from an epileptic seizure.

“She was a friend to all of us,” Gallagher said choking back emotion at the assembly.

The school organized bereavement support groups for the students to participate in and had a grief counselor on hand on Monday,

In addition, the school planned to honor and remember Dennis later in the week with the release of 300 butterflies on the school’s softball field.

<em>Above: S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson makes his remarks to Beaufort Academy students during the annual convocation on Monday, the first day of school.</em>