Learning Resource Center of Polk County Programs
Floral Avenue Elementary, 1628 Florida Ave S, Lakeland, FL 33803
About
Learning Resource Center of Polk County Programs offers 1-to-1 tutoring, classes and courses, year-round programs, and summer programs that include specific options such as Camp READY!, Super Summer Success, MidMath Camp, PEP Magical Reading Camp, PEP Super Summer Science Camp, and a Summer Coding Workshop. The program also offers ACT Prep, SAT Prep, GED Prep, and a course called Study Habits of Successful Students. Activity-based lesson plans use multisensory strategies that include visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile learning styles, and services are provided to more than 3,500 students from age 5 through adult.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Office hours Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. and Friday 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
• Price: LRC can offer grade-level assessments such as the BASIS for a small fee; four weeks of tutoring must be paid in advance before tutoring begins, and all fees are based on gross, annual, household income and offered on a sliding-fee scale.
Tutoring may take place at public locations such as the Learning Resource Center, libraries, schools with principal permission, local businesses, churches, and similar sites, and tutoring may not take place at the student’s home. The Learning Resource Center of Polk County, Inc. was founded by the Junior League of Greater Lakeland, Inc. in 1975, was originally called the Learning Disabilities Center, and changed its name in 1977. In December 2025, it celebrated 50 years of learning, growth, and impact in Polk County.
The mission of the Learning Resource Center of Polk County, Inc. is to help students maximize their learning potential by providing personalized educational programs, consultative services for parents, and programs to accommodate community needs. LRC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit United Way educational provider accredited by Cognia (AdvancED), and in 2023 it received Cognia’s School of Distinction Award. LRC is a countywide service provider in Polk County and is a United Way educational provider serving more than 3,500 students, and an anonymous donor is matching every gift dollar for dollar up to $25,000 in the “For the Love of Learning Match Campaign” between now and May 1, 2026.
LRC has over 500 highly qualified educational professionals, including many tutors who are currently certified teachers, as well as retired teachers, substitute teachers, some paraprofessionals, college students in their last year of an education major, and tutors with expertise in specific subject areas such as upper level math and business/accounting. The 2024–2025 Executive Committee includes Jason Wyatt (President), Kevin Kelley (Vice President), Lydia Boyd (Secretary), Sara Oppenheimer (Treasurer), and Trey Harden (Past President). The Board of Directors includes Audrey Nettlow, Lyle Phillipson, Coleen Pizzuti, and Susan Sartain, and the 2024–2025 Advisory Board includes members such as Joyce Barclay, Jon Brock, Jean Bunch, Matthew Cantrall, Michael Carter, Walt Engle, John Fitzwater, Dr. Lynn Grady, Randy Hollen, Karen Kovach, Frank Lansford, Beth Miller, Bill Mutz, Elsa Nail, Dr. Larry Ross, Dr. Louis Saco, Jessica Shaw, Mark Thompson, Dr. Sandy Hightower, Richard Pellegrini, and Kelly Williams-Puccio. Staff members include Pamela Craven, Ph.D. (Executive Director), Cathie Wright (Director of Education and Program Manager), Beth Verplanck (Program Manager), Beverly Mansfield (Program Manager), Emily Paul (Program Manager), Grace Vallier (Program Assistant), Lynne Roberts (Program Assistant), Sherry Rambali (Bookkeeper), and Summer Petrac (Program Intern).
Research cited by LRC states that students who are one year behind in academics need 30–36 hours of intensive supplemental academic instruction in order to catch up. LRC does not require parents to sign a contractual agreement for a set number of instructional hours, and fees are based on gross, annual, household income and offered on a sliding-fee scale. One parent reported that a child’s first weeks in kindergarten were smooth after attending Camp READY!, and another parent stated that their daughter learned more math in six weeks of ACT tutoring than in the rest of the school year and gained confidence. A parent of an SAT Prep student reported that their son’s SAT score increased from 1270 to a super score of 1510 after the SAT Prep class, and another grandparent shared that a grandson had attended the Super Summer Success program for three summers and enjoyed each session.
Last updated May 31, 2026.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Office hours Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. and Friday 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
• Price: LRC can offer grade-level assessments such as the BASIS for a small fee; four weeks of tutoring must be paid in advance before tutoring begins, and all fees are based on gross, annual, household income and offered on a sliding-fee scale.
Tutoring may take place at public locations such as the Learning Resource Center, libraries, schools with principal permission, local businesses, churches, and similar sites, and tutoring may not take place at the student’s home. The Learning Resource Center of Polk County, Inc. was founded by the Junior League of Greater Lakeland, Inc. in 1975, was originally called the Learning Disabilities Center, and changed its name in 1977. In December 2025, it celebrated 50 years of learning, growth, and impact in Polk County.
The mission of the Learning Resource Center of Polk County, Inc. is to help students maximize their learning potential by providing personalized educational programs, consultative services for parents, and programs to accommodate community needs. LRC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit United Way educational provider accredited by Cognia (AdvancED), and in 2023 it received Cognia’s School of Distinction Award. LRC is a countywide service provider in Polk County and is a United Way educational provider serving more than 3,500 students, and an anonymous donor is matching every gift dollar for dollar up to $25,000 in the “For the Love of Learning Match Campaign” between now and May 1, 2026.
LRC has over 500 highly qualified educational professionals, including many tutors who are currently certified teachers, as well as retired teachers, substitute teachers, some paraprofessionals, college students in their last year of an education major, and tutors with expertise in specific subject areas such as upper level math and business/accounting. The 2024–2025 Executive Committee includes Jason Wyatt (President), Kevin Kelley (Vice President), Lydia Boyd (Secretary), Sara Oppenheimer (Treasurer), and Trey Harden (Past President). The Board of Directors includes Audrey Nettlow, Lyle Phillipson, Coleen Pizzuti, and Susan Sartain, and the 2024–2025 Advisory Board includes members such as Joyce Barclay, Jon Brock, Jean Bunch, Matthew Cantrall, Michael Carter, Walt Engle, John Fitzwater, Dr. Lynn Grady, Randy Hollen, Karen Kovach, Frank Lansford, Beth Miller, Bill Mutz, Elsa Nail, Dr. Larry Ross, Dr. Louis Saco, Jessica Shaw, Mark Thompson, Dr. Sandy Hightower, Richard Pellegrini, and Kelly Williams-Puccio. Staff members include Pamela Craven, Ph.D. (Executive Director), Cathie Wright (Director of Education and Program Manager), Beth Verplanck (Program Manager), Beverly Mansfield (Program Manager), Emily Paul (Program Manager), Grace Vallier (Program Assistant), Lynne Roberts (Program Assistant), Sherry Rambali (Bookkeeper), and Summer Petrac (Program Intern).
Research cited by LRC states that students who are one year behind in academics need 30–36 hours of intensive supplemental academic instruction in order to catch up. LRC does not require parents to sign a contractual agreement for a set number of instructional hours, and fees are based on gross, annual, household income and offered on a sliding-fee scale. One parent reported that a child’s first weeks in kindergarten were smooth after attending Camp READY!, and another parent stated that their daughter learned more math in six weeks of ACT tutoring than in the rest of the school year and gained confidence. A parent of an SAT Prep student reported that their son’s SAT score increased from 1270 to a super score of 1510 after the SAT Prep class, and another grandparent shared that a grandson had attended the Super Summer Success program for three summers and enjoyed each session.
Last updated May 31, 2026.
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