Inducted: 2021
Union Academy , 1954
Oziemar Woodard has been a lifelong advocate of education and who served the Polk County school district for over 30 years. He retired from Polk County Public Schools as director of instructional personnel in 1999. Following his time in college, Woodard was drafted into the U.S. armed forces and served three years of active duty. He alternated between serving in the military and working as an English and social studies teacher at Jewett Junior-Senior High School. He received an honorary discharge from the military in 1964.
Woodard transferred to Winter Haven Senior High School in 1969. In 1978, he was promoted to supervisor of Human Relations and Compensatory Education and was responsible for the development, implementation, and monitoring of the Compensatory Education Program for the Polk County school district. Woodard worked as coordinator of Human Relations and Affirmative Action from 1979 to 1983 and was responsible for developing the district's affirmative action plan.
He obtained a specialist degree in administration and supervision in 1984 from Rollins College. He was promoted to director of personnel in 1983 and was responsible for supervising the district's process for recruiting and evaluating teachers. He also oversaw the selection process for all school- and district-level administrators in the county.
Woodard served as president of the Polk County chapter of Florida A&M University's Alumni Association. During his career, some of his professional memberships included the National Association of School Administrators, the Polk Association of School Administrators, and the Florida Association of School Personnel Administrators.
Woodard graduated from Florida A&M University in 1958 with a degree in sociology. He received a master's in education degree from Florida A&M in 1970.