Juvenile Welfare Board Honors School Board Vice Chairperson Carol Cook for Her Leadership and Commitment to Children

School Board member Carol Cook was awarded the Juvenile Welfare Board’s Dillinger-McCabe “Putting Children First” Leadership Award.  She was honored during the JWB Annual KidsFirst Awards Luncheon on April 26 at The Coliseum. Mrs. Cook has served on the School Board since November 2000. 

Each year, the award is presented to a well-established leader and champion for Pinellas County children and families. The award recognizes individuals who have consistently demonstrated and proved leadership, excellence, advocacy and dedication.

Mrs. Cook’s commitment to the children of Pinellas and Florida spans five decades. She actively supported education long before she was elected to the School Board. She first became a teacher at Eisenhower Elementary in 1973 and taught there through June 1980.    

She was also a dedicated PTA member and leader at her child’s school. Her experience grew into districtwide leadership as president of the Pinellas County Council of PTAs. She moved on to statewide leadership as a member of the Florida PTA Board of Directors for nine years. 

This is one of several awards Mrs. Cook has received for advocacy and leadership. She was previously awarded the Maureen M. Flynn Children’s Angel Award by the Pinellas County Council of PTAs for her advocacy work on behalf of children throughout the state. In 2017, the Council of the Great City Schools selected Mrs. Cook as a finalist for the Green-Garner Award, which recognizes district leaders for outstanding leadership. Her leadership was also recognized by the Florida Music Education Association, which named her the 2020-2021 School Board Member of the Year.

During her School Board service, she has focused on improving academic outcomes for all students, expanding choices for families and creating a culture of inclusion. She has held numerous positions on advisory boards and committees related to education and families.

Read the article as originally published by the PCS Newsroom.