Horry County Schools swept nine awards at the 2020 Rewards for Excellence program sponsored by the South Carolina Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association (SC/NSPRA). HCS was presented three Golden Achievement awards, more than any other district in the state, for comprehensive communications projects. In addition, HCS received thirteen Rewards for Excellence awards for individual publications and electronic media. One of those publications, the HCS Employee Planning Calendar, was also named Best in Show.

Golden Achievement awards were received for the HCS Principals for a Day, teachHorryCountySchools.net - Educator Recruitment Campaign, and the HCS Technology Fair,  10 Years and Growing.

Rewards for Excellence awards were presented for six publications, three video series, and two school level awards.  Academy for Technology & Academics received Rewards of Excellence for social media and the HCS Early College received Rewards for

Excellence for the schools' website. 

Each year, SC/NSPRA recognizes exemplary public relations programs, projects, publications, and electronic media of both schools, school districts, and educational organizations and associations. All district-level entries were evaluated by members of the National School Public Relations Association who have earned Accreditation in Public Relations. Judges applied nationally-recognized standards to measure the quality and effectiveness of district entries, only extending awards to the highest-scoring entries that met or exceeded national standards.