Sumter County Schools Superintendent Richard A. Shirley, left, presents Doug Tharp, Governing Board secretary, with a 2011–2012 Outstanding Service Award. The award was presented to the District for the strong partnership in funding water resources education. The District has supported Sumter schools through six Splash! grants, water-related instructional supplies, water quality field studies and a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) at Work field trip to the District Headquarters for high school students.