Mildred O. Poole remembers the first time she heard about Say Yes to Education. “At the end of that meeting I went out and said Walker Sanders (President of the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro), I want to be the first donor.” Not only was she to be the first donor, but she was also to be one of the organization’s strongest advocates.
As a single mom, Poole worked hard to give her daughter the world. From the time she was a little girl, Mom instilled the importance of education; she expected her to go to college, and she showed her it was possible. With her daughter now out of school and embarking on her own career, Poole is committed to making sure every Guilford County child knows those same possibilities.
“The best way to predict the future is to create it,” Poole says. “It takes a village is more than a saying for me. This is how I choose to live my life.” As a volunteer, she advocates relentlessly for children believing a community that wraps itself around its children builds a better future for us all.
As a Say Yes Guilford Board Member, Poole helps to set equitable policies that will impact the most Guilford County students. She also takes care to stay connected to those students, attending events and visiting schools as often as possible. “Students tell me, I now see that I can go to college too, and this was never an option in our family. It’s just wonderful, the possibilities”