Sometimes heroes don’t wear capes.

Such was the case at Fiedler Elementary School during the first week of school when Mrs. Lachelle Pool saved a choking student in the cafeteria.

On Monday, Sept. 9, the Board of Education recognized Pool as its September Hornet Hero award recipient.

Recalling the chaos of the situation, Pool said she jumped into action to save the student by using the Heimlich maneuver after another monitor told her the student was choking.

“She (the other monitor) called me saying, ‘Lachelle he’s choking, come help,'” Pool said. “I ran over and helped him get it out. I yelled for her (the monitor) to go to the office. I even had my talkie on and I didn’t even use it, I was just stunned.”

Pool, a timeout monitor at Fiedler Elementary School for the past three years and a bus driver for 21, is honored to be awarded and is humbled by the public’s comments on her brave actions.

“It made me feel really amazing,” Pool said. “Everyone’s comments and posts just made me feel really nice. It was all very nice.”

The Hornet Hero Award, started this year as a spin-off of the Hornet Award, is a way to honor staff members for going above and beyond for students.

Mr. Kevin Walworth, superintendent, is proud of the way Pool reacted to the situation and believes that the award was well-deserved.

“When Mrs. Pool jumped in to perform the Heimlich maneuver to help a choking student, I didn’t want to wait a month to honor her for her heroic deed,” Walworth said. “Instead of waiting to nominate her for the October Hornet Award, we created a new Hornet Hero award and honored her last week at the September Board meeting.

“Her heroic act deserves a new special award. We are proud of Mrs. Pool and all of our first responders when they implement their training to keep our kids safe.”