Richey Elementary and employees from Lyondell-Houston Refining are just like family.

In the company’s 11-year partnership with the school, hundreds of Lyondell employees have volunteered their time and the company has also provided several thousands of dollars in funding for programs, equipment and resources directed at student success.

Recently, Lyondell shared its generosity to celebrate the start of the 2007-2008 school year by donating 100 uniforms for Richey Elementary students and spirit shirts for the entire faculty. Presenting the donation to Richey were Plant Manager Jim Roecker and Community Relations Manager Denise Jennings.

“They (Lyondell) truly are a part of the Richey Elementary family,” said Gabriel A. Gonzalez, Richey Elementary principal. “Their contributions to our children, parents, teachers and community are something special. Our children have benefited from the personal investment of time, personal attention, and modeling from these volunteers.”

During Lyondell's longtime partnership with Richey, employees have developed a special bond with the students, staff and parents. Lyondell-Houston employees teach the Junior Achievement “whole school” program to youngsters at Richey. As part of the whole school program, students at all grade levels are taught the Junior Achievement curriculum that focuses on careers and developing skills for future success.

In recent years, the company has provided incentives for students to do well on the TAKS test. The employees also sponsor food drives during the holidays for those families in need.

In addition, Lyondell volunteers its time as part of Richey’s Pen Pal program, where employees and students write to each other during the course of the year. The students then are able to meet their secret “pen pal” at a special reception at the end of the year. The company also has volunteers who serve as mentors in the Helping One Student to Succeed (HOSTS) reading mentorship program.

“It takes caring, giving people to make these things happen,” Jennings said of the Lyondell volunteers. “We are fortunate to have those kinds of people as our employees. Knowing that we have been able to make a difference is the most awesome feeling in the world. It also makes you realize that sometimes it’s the little things that count the most.”