Sumter County School District 2 has been awarded $273,237 in federal stimulus funds by the South Carolina Budget and Control Board’s State Energy Office to make energy efficiency improvements district-wide.

The district will replace light fixtures at Lakewood High School, Crestwood High School, and Shaw Heights Elementary School. Eight additional schools will be connected to the district-wide building control system to provide better control of heating and air conditioning times of operation. These schools include Ebenezer Middle School, Furman Middle School, Maywood Middle School, Cherryvale Elementary School, Rafting Creek Elementary School, Shaw Heights Elementary School, Crestwood High School and Lakewood High School.

“Sumter County School District 2 is using its stimulus award to make vast improvements to several area schools and lower energy costs throughout the district,” said John Clark, director of the South Carolina Energy Office. “The district will save over $100,000 annually.”

The state’s 85 school districts are sharing $20.3 million in grants and loans for energy efficiency.  The state’s two- and four-year colleges are receiving a total of $12.2 million, and state agencies are getting $7.4 million for energy efficiency improvements.  Each entity’s allocation is based on the size of the organization’s energy bill.