A year ago, Aundrea Poole would not have been a candidate for the Troy Public Library’s Tutor of the Year Award. Today, the Troy University senior is the recipient of the prestigious award.

Aundrea Poole had opted out of her volunteer role as a tutor at the Troy Public Library for almost a year.

She wasn’t sure that teaching young children was the path she should take.

Her first experience as a tutor had more hurdles and obstacles than she ever thought. She didn’t seem to be getting through to the student assigned to her. She was frustrated to the point of having to step away, at least for a while.

“When I graduated from high school in Greenville, my plan was to go into radiology,” Poole said. “But, then, I had an opportunity to work with some young students, and it was so rewarding to see light bulbs go off in their heads. They were so excited about learning. So, I decided that’s what I wanted to do. Teach children.”

But the real life experience almost changed Poole’s mind. But, not one to give up, she again volunteered as a tutor at the Troy Public Library.

This time, she knew more what to expect and what not to expect.

“I realized that a teacher can’t make it with every child, but that she can never give up on any child,” Poole said. “I knew that as long as I didn’t give up and as long as I showed compassion in my discipline, I would be a good teacher. I volunteered again this year as a tutor and had a successful and rewarding experience.”

Poole did such an outstanding job that Teresa Colvin, children’s librarian, selected her as the 2009 Troy Public Library Tutor of the Year.

“Each year, the Troy Public Library develops and oversees 2,000 tutorial sessions for children in our area who we feel may benefit from the program,” Colvin said. “The Tutor of the Year award was established to recognize one volunteer above all, whose contributions to improve literacy and instill or restore academic confidence in a child and reinforce a foundation from which a child may build a more rewarding future should not be overlooked. For 2009, that tutor is Aundrea Poole.”

Poole volunteered more than 25 years in working with two different students.

“Aundrea proved herself to be highly resourceful and, above all, effective,” Colvin said. “Her students have shown a marked improvement in both reading and comprehension and both have declared a renewed interest in school. We at the Troy Public Library would like to thank Aundrea for her services to both this library and this community and congratulate her on a job very well done.”