Crestwood High School (CHS), located approximately 6 miles north of the city of Sumter on Oswego Road, opened its doors in August 1996. Serving 1,166 students in grades 9-12, CHS draws from fifteen different rural communities including Alcolu, Borden, Dalzell, Gable, Lynchburg, Olanta, Mayesville, Rembert, St. John, Oswego, Shilo, Sumter, and Shaw Air Force Base. Three middle schools – Ebenezer, Hillcrest and Mayewood – are Crestwood’s feeder schools. This year there are 304 ninth grade students, 322 tenth grade students, 291 eleventh grade students and 249 twelfth grade students. The attendance area for Crestwood is very diverse, including rural areas, suburbs, and Shaw Air Force Base. Because of this widespread area, many of our students travel 20 miles to reach the school. Crestwood High students are transported by bus or by car beginning at approximately 6:30 A.M. daily. Sumter, nestled in the heart of the state, is the seat of Sumter County. Sumter lies 45 miles east of Columbia, the state capital. Offering major industries of manufacturing, military and medical, Sumter is proud to be the home of Swan Lake Iris Gardens and Shaw Air Force Base (Shaw AFB). Swan Lake Iris Gardens is the only public park in the United States with all eight known species of swans and multiple varieties of Japanese Iris. The Iris Festival, held every May at Swan Lake Iris Gardens, is a multiple winner of the “Top 20 Events in the Southeast” Award. Shaw AFB, headquarters to the 9th Air Force and the 20th Fighter Wing, is one of the largest bases in the United States Air Force. Staff and curriculum are important elements of any educational system or institution. The staff of Crestwood High includes dedicated, competent professionals who provide subject-area content expertise, guidance, and leadership to students thereby enhancing wellroundedness, competency, and responsibility as a way of life. To meet the needs of our varied stakeholders, we offer a wide range of courses to prepare students for life after high school, whether they are making the transition into higher education or directly into the workforce. The curriculum consists of the core academic subjects such as English, mathematics, science, and social studies. Additional courses include career and technology, modern language, physical education, fine arts, and ROTC. In addition to course offerings, we provide career guidance, special tutorials, and a variety of co-curricular activities to enhance the Crestwood experience for our students. Qualified junior and senior students are offered the opportunity to participate in dual enrollment courses on our campus through the University of South Carolina-Sumter and Central Carolina Technical College giving the students the opportunity to graduate from high school having already earned college credits.