The Florida Association
of Partners in Education
Adele Graham Award Winner 2003
Adele Graham Award Winner 2003
Pam Lastowski
Pam Lastowski was the state director of the school volunteer program for the Florida Department of Education, a career that spanned 20 years. During that era, Lastowski provided leadership, oversight and management of statewide school volunteer programs. Florida's School Volunteer Program led the nation with its legislation, funding and state coordinating office. In the 90's, school advisory councils were legislated for every school in Florida and Lastowski was chosen to pioneer that effort, providing leadership, counsel and training for local school advisory councils. She spearheaded coalitions of business, educators, government leaders and statewide associations directed toward improving Florida's schools. She served as executive director of the Commissioner's Community Involvement Council leading corporate, education, legislative and association executives to take an active role in state and local community involvement efforts. In 2003, the year Lastowski retired, Florida school volunteer programs documented a 78% increase in numbers of volunteers, statewide, over the previous decade and 18 million volunteer hours.During her career with the Department, Lastowski designed, planned and managed the rollout of numerous school/community involvement recruitment, training, and recognition programs. These include Neighbors Involved in Kids' Education (NIKE), Everybody Wins, Florida Commissioner of Education State Reading Summit, Statewide Training for School Advisory Councils, and Five Star School Award. Lastowski's favorite personal achievement is organizing the community of Quincy to paint Shanks High School, providing a volunteer workforce, new furniture, and landscaping.Lastowski edited and supervised the publication of periodicals and web-based content used across Florida's 67 school districts; administered grant programs and successfully lobbied the legislature for education support. She is an eight time Davis Productivity Award winner; recipient of the Tax Watch 2000 Award for Sustained Exemplary Service; Florida Leadership Award; and the President's National Leadership Award (NAPE).Her affiliations have included the National Association of Partners in Education Advisory Council, Florida Association of Partners in Education Board of Directors, DOE Parent Involvement Task Force, Learn and Serve Grants Advisory Board, International Association of Meeting Planners, International Association of Volunteer Administrators, the Governor's Volunteer Advocacy Task Force and the Florida Legislature's Intergenerational Programs Task Force.
FAPE
Mission Statement
To provide leadership in the formation and growth of effective partnerships that ensure the success for all students