Educator and civic leader earns Kiwanis Club’s 2026 ‘Legendary Service Award’

For her service to the youth of Arlington and the community’s social safety net, Meg Tuccillo has been honored with the Kiwanis Club of South Arlington’s 2026 Harro & Janie Wulf Legendary Service Award.

The award, now in its third year, honors a community champion leading efforts to support youth across Arlington, particularly South Arlington.

Ms. Tuccillo spent three decades with Arlington Public Schools. She served as principal of Abingdon and Tuckahoe elementary schools, acting principal of Williamsburg Middle School, and for 17 years was the school system’s assistant superintendent for administrative services.

In the community, she has been active in organizations that include PathForward (formerly the Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network), the Dream Project, Arlington Community Foundation, the Arlington chapter of AAUW, the Partnership for Children, Youth and Families, United Way of the National Capital Area, Ballet NOVA and the Northern Virginia Catholic Community.

In 2012, she was honored with the Arlington Community Foundation’s William T. Newman Jr. Spirit of Community Award. A year later, she received special recognition from the Virginia General Assembly.

In remarks, Ms. Tuccillo said she was accepting the award on behalf of all those in the community who are “doing what they can each day to help the person next to them.”

“It could be your child, your grandchild, your neighbor, the kid from school,” she said.

Ms. Tuccillo concluded her remarks by giving three specific examples where efforts of safety-net organizations had directly impacted the lives of those in Arlington.

The award presentation drew a large number of guests, both to support Tuccillo and to salute the Kiwanis Club’s efforts in the community.

“We appreciate all of your support for our schools and students,” said Dulce Carrillo, supervisor of community partnerships and engagement for Arlington Public Schools.

Past Legendary Service Award recipients include former Rep. Jim Moran (2024) and Emma Violand-Sánchez (2025). Last year, the club voted to rename the award in honor of the longtime service of club members Janie and the late Harro Wulf.

Janie Wulf presented the award to Ms. Tuccillo.

Also at the Sept. 17 meeting, club members and guests heard from Joy Myers, chief development and strategy officer for Doorways. She provided an overview of the current conditions for local safety-net providers, and discussed how they and the county government are working together to address changing community conditions.

Since Covid, “the dialogue has become more frequent, which is a really good thing,” Ms. Myers said, as it helps “to ensure no one in our community has to fall through the cracks.”

In her remarks, Ms. Myers acknowledged that nonprofit groups would benefit from the support of additional local residents who could give of their time or in other ways.

“All of our organizations need more hands on deck,” said Ms. Myers, who has served as the 2025-26 president of the Kiwanis Club of Arlington.

Andres Tobar, the outgoing president of the Kiwanis Club of Arlington, thanked Ms. Myers for stepping in to provide the program after the planned speaker had a conflict.

“It’s an update that is very relevant,” he said