BUTLER TWP - Justine Rybarik and Mike McCloskey were so impressed with their tutor at Butler County Community College, they wanted the world to know it.

So the pair sent letters extolling the virtues of their tutor to Montel Williams, Oprah Winfrey and other media outlets and personalities.

The letters the pair sent speak to the quality of the tutoring program at BC3.

Rybarik was candid in her letters, admitting she wasn't the best student before she met BC3 tutor Rebecca Rock.

In fact, Rybarik tells a story about how she was ready to drop out and forget about getting a higher education.

One of her worst subjects was English. Rybarik said she would routinely get failing grades in the course.

But after a semester of working with Rock, she is now an A/B student.

"She helped me find my writing style. She encouraged me," Rybarik said.

Rybarik isn't Rock's only success story.

McCloskey said Rock also helped him improve his English skills, turning him into an A student after just one semester.

"Where do I start?" McCloskey said when asked how Rock's tutoring helped him improve.

Even students who haven't been tutored by Rock personally benefit from her experience.

Student Diane Hartung said Rybarik has shared what she's learned from Rock with her and helped her to improve.

"I noticed a huge change in Justine when she started working with Rebecca," Hartung said. "She was going to quit school and now she gets better grades and is excited about school. She even helps me with my school work now."

Rock said she was totally taken by surprise at the fuss her tutees are making over her.

"I didn't expect the recognition they've given me," she said. "But it's made me feel very appreciated."

Rock, who has her master's degree in English from Slippery Rock University, has been tutoring part-time at BC3 for a year.

What makes the recognition so bittersweet, she said, is she is moving out of state for a job and this is the last time she'll tutor at BC3.

Lexie Jones, BC3 tutoring program coordinator, said she isn't surprised by the students' reaction to Rock.

Although no one has ever tried to have a BC3 tutor nationally recognized before, Jones said she does hear positive comments about her tutors all the time.

Jones also said what the students are doing is an example of how well the program works.

"This is a perfect example of putting theory into practice," Jones said. "They've taken what they've learned here and are doing something positive with it."

BC3 has 38 tutors in its program. The tutors are classified in three levels - associate, peer and professional.

Associate tutors are those with two-year college degrees; professional tutors have four year or master's degrees; and peer tutors are other BC3 or college students.

Rock is a professional tutor.

Tutoring services are free to BC3 students and tutors are paid for their work by the college.

Since its inception in the early 1990s, the BC3 tutoring program has helped 2,324 students. The program has 300 students enrolled this year.

For information, call Jones at 724-287-8711.