Learning Resource Center of Polk County Programs
PEP Education Center, 1628 Florida Ave S., Lakeland, FL 33803
About
Learning Resource Center of Polk County Programs offers 1-to-1 Tutoring, classes and courses, and a range of summer programs 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 provides ACT Prep, SAT Prep, GED Prep, and a course called Study Habits of Successful Students. Tutoring and classes use activity-based lesson plans that incorporate multisensory strategies to address visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile learning styles, with services customized to meet each child’s needs.
• 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.; LRC suggests struggling students receive two hours per week of supplemental academic instruction, noting that students who are one year behind may need 30–36 hours of intensive supplemental academic instruction
• Price: LRC can offer grade-level assessments such as the BASIS for a small fee, and all fees are based on gross, annual household income on a sliding-fee scale; four weeks of tutoring must be paid in advance before tutoring begins
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 adopted its current name in 1977. In December 2025, it celebrated 50 years of learning, growth, and impact in Polk County. Its mission is to help students maximize their learning potential by providing personalized educational programs, consultative services for parents, and programs to accommodate community needs.
LRC has over 500 highly qualified educational professionals, including many currently certified teachers, 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 organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit United Way educational provider accredited by Cognia (AdvancED) and received Cognia’s School of Distinction Award in 2023. It is a countywide service provider in Polk County, serving more than 3,500 students ages five through adult, and offers community-based tutoring at public locations such as LRC, libraries, schools (with principal permission), local businesses, and churches, but not in students’ homes.
The 2024–2025 Executive Committee includes Jason Wyatt (President), Kevin Kelley (Vice President), Lydia Boyd (Secretary), Sara Oppenheimer (Treasurer), and Trey Harden (Past President), with additional members serving on the Board of Directors and Advisory Board. 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 and Lynne Roberts, Program Assistants; Sherry Rambali, Bookkeeper; and Summer Petrac, Program Intern. LRC notes that an anonymous donor is matching every gift dollar for dollar, up to $25,000, between now and May 1, 2026, as part of the “For the Love of Learning Match Campaign.”
Parent and caregiver comments describe experiences with Camp READY!, Super Summer Success, ACT Prep, SAT Prep, and ongoing tutoring, including reports of children attending multiple summers of camps and using Zoom meetings and at-home science experiments during the pandemic. One parent states that LRC “can always be trusted to provide quality, age appropriate and targeted services,” and others describe specific programs such as Camp READY!, Super Summer Success, ACT Prep, and SAT Prep as helpful for their children or grandchildren.
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.; LRC suggests struggling students receive two hours per week of supplemental academic instruction, noting that students who are one year behind may need 30–36 hours of intensive supplemental academic instruction
• Price: LRC can offer grade-level assessments such as the BASIS for a small fee, and all fees are based on gross, annual household income on a sliding-fee scale; four weeks of tutoring must be paid in advance before tutoring begins
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 adopted its current name in 1977. In December 2025, it celebrated 50 years of learning, growth, and impact in Polk County. Its mission is to help students maximize their learning potential by providing personalized educational programs, consultative services for parents, and programs to accommodate community needs.
LRC has over 500 highly qualified educational professionals, including many currently certified teachers, 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 organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit United Way educational provider accredited by Cognia (AdvancED) and received Cognia’s School of Distinction Award in 2023. It is a countywide service provider in Polk County, serving more than 3,500 students ages five through adult, and offers community-based tutoring at public locations such as LRC, libraries, schools (with principal permission), local businesses, and churches, but not in students’ homes.
The 2024–2025 Executive Committee includes Jason Wyatt (President), Kevin Kelley (Vice President), Lydia Boyd (Secretary), Sara Oppenheimer (Treasurer), and Trey Harden (Past President), with additional members serving on the Board of Directors and Advisory Board. 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 and Lynne Roberts, Program Assistants; Sherry Rambali, Bookkeeper; and Summer Petrac, Program Intern. LRC notes that an anonymous donor is matching every gift dollar for dollar, up to $25,000, between now and May 1, 2026, as part of the “For the Love of Learning Match Campaign.”
Parent and caregiver comments describe experiences with Camp READY!, Super Summer Success, ACT Prep, SAT Prep, and ongoing tutoring, including reports of children attending multiple summers of camps and using Zoom meetings and at-home science experiments during the pandemic. One parent states that LRC “can always be trusted to provide quality, age appropriate and targeted services,” and others describe specific programs such as Camp READY!, Super Summer Success, ACT Prep, and SAT Prep as helpful for their children or grandchildren.
Last updated May 31, 2026.
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