Inducted: 2019
Mulberry Senior High Graduate, 1973
Perry Blocker is a retired Polk County Public Schools teacher. She began her teaching career in 1977 and taught at Walter Caldwell Elementary, Lake Alfred Elementary and Auburndale Central Elementary.
During her career, she led multiple reading programs and secured several grants that enabled her to provide opportunities for students to improve their reading skills.
She finished her career teaching reading at Westwood Middle in 2015. While at Westwood, she organized a beautification project so teachers and students would have an inviting space to read. Following her retirement, she worked as a substitute teacher for two years. She currently volunteers with AmeriCorps Polk Reads as a reading tutor at Garner Elementary. Always dedicated to community service, she also volunteered with Volunteer Florida during Hurricane Irma, and volunteers with her church.
A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority for 27 years, she has worked tirelessly to combat hunger and homelessness, provide for orphaned children and gather school supplies and backpacks for needy children. She is also a guardian ad litem for the Florida Guardian ad Litem program, providing a voice to children in the 10th Circuit Court.
She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and her master’s degree in administration and supervision from Rollins College.