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Health & Fitness

Oakton Community College Tutor Receives Illinois Spotlight on Service Award

Secretary of State Jesse White, along with Executive Director of the Illinois Press Association (IPA) Dennis DeRossett, honored Oakton Community College tutor Robert Boone of Glencoe as a 2013 Spotlight on Service Award winner, which recognizes outstanding volunteer tutors in Illinois literacy programs. Boone was one of only 10 tutors in the state to be acknowledged at a May 16 ceremony in the Illinois State Library.

“I am proud to recognize our outstanding volunteer tutors for helping students achieve their utmost potential,” said White. “I believe each of us should give something back to our neighbors and our communities, and these tutors are a wonderful example of the positive impact that comes from volunteerism.”

Since 1997, Boone has logged nearly 400 hours of volunteer tutoring at Oakton’s Skokie campus. He assists learners with creative writing and also provides assistance at the College’s Bridges to Academic Writing, a literacy program that prepares ESL students for the college level through instruction in reading and writing.

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Representatives of Oakton’s Volunteer in Teaching Adults (VITA) nominated Boone for the award, noting that he makes learning fun and provides extra help to students outside of the classroom through his “Conversation Lunches” in the cafeteria.

“The unique rapport Bob has with his students helps them build self-confidence in their abilities and allows them to succeed in their literacy goals,” said Elizabeth Tharp, manager of Oakton’s VITA program. “I can see the interest and excitement in the students’ faces when they learn new vocabulary, so that they can express ideas and be understood. Bob’s ability to motivate students to want to learn language and be successful in their goals is his greatest contribution to our program.”

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At the ceremony in Springfield, Boone received $200 from the IPA Foundation for Oakton’s literacy program, a plaque, and a personalized Illinois Blue Book, a comprehensive source of state government information.





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