PORT ST. LUCIE PEOPLE
The CHANGE SEEKER
Kristy Wheeler Conway marvels at how much her life has changed since the first scholarship she received at Indian River State College. Once a foster
child, she seeks to better the lives of children on the Treasure Coast, working evenings at the GED program on the Pruitt Campus of IRSC where she helps
students complete the program and apply for scholarships.
BY PATTIE DURHAM
Her first childhood memories are of life in a foster
home. She and her siblings moved from foster care
back to their home only to be returned to foster care
again, with the cycle repeating as her family moved
back and forth between the Jacksonville area and towns in
south Georgia. She remembers the plastic bag that held her
clothes and the few belongings she had. “You never wanted to
lose sight of that bag,” she says. “It was all you had.”
To meet Kristy Wheeler Conway, one would never imagine
that her childhood had been so stressful. Her warm smile and
ready laughter belie her life’s beginnings.
Dropping out of high school at age 15 to marry her 18-yearold
boyfriend and escape the foster care cycle, she was the
mother of two by the time she turned 18. Then, difficult
ANTHONY INSWASTY
circumstances and divorce left her a single mom with two
young children. A fortuitous meeting with Robert Conway
led the young family to move to Port St. Lucie, which opened
all sorts of avenues for Kristy. Her husband had his own successful
stucco business and Kristy found a job at Travis Pest
Control, working there for many years. Once her children
were grown, Kristy wanted to get that high school diploma
she lacked.
Heading to Indian River Community College, as it was
known then, she found a welcoming GED program and
quickly earned her diploma. Prior to graduation, she met
with college professor Keara Sodano, who helped her apply
for the many scholarships awarded to GED students.
“I always thought college was for the wealthy people’s
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Port St. Lucie Magazine 37