Margaret Anne Wheeler Wins State Literacy Award
READ Polk board member Margaret Anne Wheeler was awarded the Mary J. Brogan Leadership Award by the Florida Literacy Coalition for exhibiting the highest standards of excellence, dedication, creativity and accomplishment in literacy efforts.
As a co-founder of READ Polk, the county’s coordinating council of adult and family literacy programs, Wheeler has been at the heart of the county’s literacy network for the past two decades. Her leadership roles have included teaching, administrating and acting as a role model to expand adult literacy efforts in the county. Wheeler initiated literacy programs in Lakeland’s tri-county area workplaces in the 1990s which resulted in thousands of adult students enrolling in local literacy programs. She is also a ProLiteracy certified master trainer and heads up the training programs that READ Polk sponsors to recruit and train volunteer tutors.
“Margaret Anne serves as in inspiration for many of us working in literacy,” said Greg Smith, Executive Director of the Florida Literacy Coalition. “She is a dedicated educator, community leader and advocate for the adult learner.”
Currently employed as the community involvement coordinator for Polk County Public Schools, Wheeler supervises 30,000 intergenerational volunteers and serves on the Florida Education Commissioner’s Community Involvement Council.