2005

December 2005 – Polk Works receives a Verizon grant for workforce literacy.

February 2005 – Board members and staff from workforce regions in Tennessee visit Polk Works to research best practices. The second annual Polk County School Board Guidance Counselor training is conducted at the Lakeland One-Stop.

April, 2005 – ACS is selected to continue as the Board’s operator of One-Stops and Henkels and McCoy, Inc. wins the bid for services to drop-out youth. Board staff is recognized nationally: Stacy Campbell-Domineck is elected to the Board of SETA and Joyce Bentley to the board of NAWDP.

June, 2005 – Polk Works hosts the first meeting of the United Community Alliance Network (U-CAN), a faith based partnership for workforce development.

July 2005 – Phyllis Watson is appointed as the Board’s Chair.

August, 2005 – at the Polk Works annual meeting, a Polk Works Idol-themed event, Larry Miller receives the Hammer Award for outstanding service to workforce development.

October, 2005 – the second annual Aces for Workforce Literacy golf tournament raises an unprecedented $105,000!

November, 2005 – over 400 people show up at the Lakeland Center to see who Polk Works will name as the Best Places to Work in Polk County.