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Logline

A hopeful, hard-hitting look at educators and mentors in Georgetown, South Carolina, who refuse to let a community’s kids become its afterthought.

Synopsis

The Subject Matter: America faces countless issues—healthcare, racial injustice, inequality, gun violence, police brutality. Yet one problem sits at the core of our future: an unbalanced education system. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (2019), White and Asian/Pacific Islander students consistently outperformed Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native students in reading and math at both fourth- and eighth-grade levels. Socioeconomic divides deepen these gaps, with low-income students trailing behind their wealthier peers. Nowhere is this more visible than in rural communities. The COVID-19 pandemic only magnified these disparities, especially limited access to technology for remote learning.

This film turns the lens on Georgetown County School District (GCSD) in Georgetown, South Carolina—my hometown. It explores the challenges faced by this rural, lower-income district while uplifting the individuals and programs working tirelessly to bridge the gap and support underserved youth.

The Story: The “protagonist” is the Georgetown community itself: those who step up so students aren’t left behind. The film will highlight grassroots programs like The Village Group, Teach My People, Mr. Randy Ford’s Men’s Mentoring Program, and Ms. Ruby’s Kids. These organizations expand learning, inspire new dreams, and give students a vision beyond the classroom.

The “antagonist” is systemic underfunding and lack of resources. GCSD struggles with low teacher pay, inadequate resources, large class sizes, discipline challenges, professional development gaps, staffing shortages, and burnout. These barriers are not new—they reflect long-standing inequities facing the district and the city as a whole.

This film is both a portrait of a community fighting for its children and a call to action: to recognize, support, and strengthen education in places too often overlooked.
 

Meet the Filmmakers

Lewis T. Powell — Director
Lewis T. Powell, affectionately known as “Lew” among friends, is a multifaceted talent in Hollywood with over 17 years of diverse experience in the entertainment industry. Beginning his career as a celebrity master barber, Lew collaborated with high-profile clients such as 50 Cent and Dwyane Wade. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration & Management from Howard University, where he attended on a writing scholarship. Following his early success, Lew transitioned to acting and filmmaking, honing his craft under esteemed institutions and coaches in Los Angeles. With over 30 film and television credits to his name, he has appeared in acclaimed productions like Chicago Med, CSI: Las Vegas, and Dexter. As a filmmaker, Lew has directed and produced multiple feature films and music videos, including the feature film How 2 Build A Rapper, which was acquired by Vanguard Cinema. His impactful music video, Dollar 2 The Rich, addressing mental health issues, has earned 15 awards and 29 official selections. In addition to his work on screen, Lew has an impressive background in music production, having collaborated with iconic artists such as E-40 and Too Short. His music has been featured in popular shows like America’s Next Top Model. His short film, Padlock Men, has achieved international acclaim, concluding its film festival run with 31 official selections, 17 wins and nominations, including recognition at two Oscar qualifying festivals. It is now available on Amazon Prime and is in development for a series adaptation. Beyond his creative achievements, Lew is a leader in project development and a dedicated mentor to emerging artists, leaving an indelible mark on the entertainment industry through his talent, vision, and commitment to inspiring others.

Carlito Rodriguez/Leah Benavides Rodriguez — Executive Producer
Carlito rose to Editor-In-Chief of The Source magazine and was the co-creator of MTV’s animated series Station Zero. He’s produced award-winning news and documentaries for BET and VH1. He was on The Leftovers and four seasons on Empire . Leah founded her own theater company and earned acclaim directing Sam Shepard’s Cowboy Mouth before pivoting to TV writing. Her credits include The Arrangement, Tales, Empire, and on-set rewrites for Bad Boys For Life. Together, Leah and Carlito are a married creative duo who joined forces to launch Custom Light Entertainment. They recently served as Co-Executive Producers on HBO’s DUNE: PROPHECY, with their episode In Blood, Truth praised as the series’ best. As Creators/Showrunners, they’ve developed series for HBO (Thirst) and FX (Legacy). In features, they recently headed a writers’ room at Netflix Animation for The Prince of Port-au-Prince, with DarlaAnderson producing and Wyclef Jean writing music. They’re also attached to Carlito Rodriguez Leah Benavides direct Bottom Girl, based on Suzette Espinoza’s true story, with Zucker Productions. They co-ran a development pod for Netflix Animation with Malcolm Spellman, where they initiated and guided original concepts as well as Rodriguez provided development notes on current projects. The duo brings resilience and hustle from their unconventional paths—learning their craft in Times Square bookstores and prison libraries rather than traditional schools. They’ve shared their inspiring journeys at venues from Harvard to Riker’s Island.

Terrell Lawrence — Executive Producer
Terrell Lawrence is from the backwoods of Georgetown, SC. After being told he was unfit for an engineering career, he graduated from the University of South Carolina–Columbia with a Bachelor’s degree in Media Arts, crammed his car with clothes and dreams, and relocated to Los Angeles. The only foot in the door he could find was at ICM Partners as an accountant. Eventually he was staffed on Your Family Or Mine for TBS. He then worked on the third, all-live season of NBC’s Undateable, A mini-room for HBO Max, The Neighborhood for CBS, the animated reboot Everybody Still Hates Chris for Comedy Central, consulted on an animated bio-pic for Netflix based on Wyclef Jean, and most recently serves as a producer on Mid-Century Modern for Hulu.

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Contact

For inquiries, please contact fiscalsponsorship@filmindependent.org.