Using VBA in Access to create ADODB Connection to Excel

While using VBA in Access 2003, I have created an ADODB connection to connect to a workbook in excel. The workbook may have several sheets in it, and each sheet seldom has above 250 rows. The ADODB connection is created individually for each sheet. I have a particular column("A") in the excel file that is supposed to be a text string. In some fields the string is just numbers, and Excel is noticing that and has the green triangle error message saying "Number Stored as text".

When I loop through the rows made in the ADODB connection some of the cells with the number stored as text are Null, and some values are correct. I have made some attempts to edit the spreadsheet so this error message isn't there, but it is only successful some of the time. I've read some other questions on here, but wasn't sure what would be best for my situation.  I have attached my connection script below.

What is the best way to make these values import correctly 100% of the time?
My end result of this connection is to run an INSERT query to add these spreadsheet rows into the Access DB.

Thanks for your help. I will happy to expound more if needed.

        'variable b is the name of the sheet

        Dim rs2 As New ADODB.Recordset
        Dim cnn2 As New ADODB.Connection
        Dim cmd2 As New ADODB.Command
       
        With cnn2
        .Provider = "Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0"
        .ConnectionString = "Data Source=" & fileName & "; Extended Properties=Excel 8.0;"
        .Open
        End With
       
        Set cmd2.ActiveConnection = cnn2
        cmd2.CommandType = adCmdText
        cmd2.CommandText = "SELECT * FROM [" & b & "$]"
        rs2.CursorLocation = adUseClient
        rs2.CursorType = adOpenStatic
        rs2.LockType = adLockReadOnly
        rs2.Open cmd2
       
        Dim rs As ADODB.Recordset
        Set rs = New ADODB.Recordset