Our Story

Boise, Idaho (May 2, 2022)—Lee Pesky Learning Center (LPLC) is accustomed to partnership. In fact, since its founding in 1997, LPLC–a non-profit dedicated to supporting students, families, and schools in overcoming obstacles to learning–has trained educators in 43 of 44 counties in the state of Idaho.

Lee Pesky Learning Center was named an Official Charity Partner for the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon, taking place on November 6. Lee Pesky Learning Center will be among the 500 official charity partners providing thousands of runners the opportunity to run in the world’s most popular marathon.

Lee Pesky Learning Center (LPLC) is accustomed to receiving gifts from those whom they serve on a daily basis—a magical ‘aha’ moment experienced during a teacher training, a milestone reached by a student, or confidence gained in a counseling session. However, on February 16, 2022, LPLC received a surprise contribution from a community member who had never received services at the center.

In her 35 years as an educator, Lee Pesky Learning Center’s Professional Development Director, Cristianne Lane, is no stranger to leading writing workshops for teachers and children. Cristianne, and the experienced training department at LPLC, facilitate writing workshops of which hundreds of teachers across the state of Idaho have attended. A published author herself, Cristianne and LPLC staff realize the importance of fostering a love of learning in young children.

Alan and Wendy Pesky, founders of Lee Pesky Learning Center, have been honoring outstanding teachers since 2011 with an award they created–the Pesky Award for Inspirational Teaching (PAIT). In partnership with Boise State’s College of Education, PAIT recognizes inspirational K-12 teachers in the state of Idaho and beyond who make a difference in the lives of their students through passion and caring.

On Friday, December 3, 2021, CBS2 featured Lee Pesky Learning Center as part of their Leaders in Learning series. The segment sheds light on the various ways that LPLC is supporting students in Idaho (and beyond) and how local community partners such as CapEd Credit Union are collaborating to strengthen early childhood learning in Idaho.

On October 15, 2021, Lee Pesky Learning Center (LPLC) received support in the amount of $600,000 from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Support from the Kellogg Foundation—November 1, 2021 through October 31, 2024—will increase high quality childcare through training and coaching early childcare providers using research-based best practices to support whole child development.

On November 6, 2021 News 12 Brooklyn featured former Lee Pesky Learning Center student, model, and marathon runner Nate Katsuki. Nate, along with eleven other runners representing LPLC, will be running in this year’s New York City Marathon on November 7th to raise funds and awareness for LPLC.

Lee Pesky Learning Center Co-Founder, Alan Pesky, is releasing his new memoir titled More to Life than More: A Memoir of Misunderstanding, Loss and Learning on September 7th (Skyhorse Publishing). In his memoir, co-authored with Claudia Aulum, Alan Pesky grapples with difficult life questions as he chronicles his relationship with his son, Lee Pesky, who died unexpectedly of a highly invasive brain cancer in 1995 at 30 years old. To honor Lee’s legacy, Alan founded Lee Pesky Learning Center (LPLC) in 1997.

Alan Pesky recently published Leading From Values in Leader to Leader, “an...

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