Sumter chamber accepting nominations for Educator of the Year awards
One winner to be selected from school district's elementary, middle and high schools
Educational success always starts with a teacher, and in that spirit, the Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce has opened its annual nomination process for its Educator of the Year award for Sumter School District.
Janel Strieter, communications director for the Chamber, gave details Wednesday on how nominations and the selection process works for the award given to three district teachers - one each at the elementary, middle and high school levels.
Anyone who is a Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce member, or if his or her employer is part of the Chamber, can nominate a Sumter district educator for the award via the Chamber's website, www.sumterchamber.com, where a fillable PDF file is accessible from the front page.
As far as criteria to be nominated, the teacher must have taught five or more years in Sumter School District. Nomination forms also include a section on explaining how the educator displays community engagement and leadership/citizenship qualities, Strieter said.
An email address is also provided on the form for submitting nominations, and nominations will be accepted through March 1. An individual can nominate multiple educators.
The three educator-of-the-year award winners will be announced on April 4 at the 2019 Annual Chamber Gala at La Piazza in downtown Sumter. The winners will receive a $500 stipend to be used in their classroom.
If individuals are unsure if their company or organization is part of the Sumter Chamber, they can check by going to its Online Business Directory tab, also available from the Chamber's home page, according to Strieter.