Clayton and Joyce Emry were honored at the end-of-the-year party for Oroville Elementary HOSTS volunteers. The Emrys have put in more than a decade and a half Helping One Student to Succeed through the mentoring program at Oroville Elementary School. They

OROVILLE – After 16 years of volunteering for Oroville Elementary’s HOSTS program, Clayton and Joyce Emry have retired.

The Emrys were among the first group of community mentors who chose to “Help One Student to Succeed,” giving at least a half hour of their time each week during the school year to work with a second or third grade student. They were honored at the end-of-year party given for volunteers each year. They were recognized for their years of service with a certificate and a special treasure chest cake, designed with last year’s HOSTS theme in mind.

“The HOSTS program truly benefited from the Emrys involvement and they will be missed as the program races on,” said program coordinators Mary Willey and Marlene Barker.

Willey and Barker describe this year’s mentors as part of the pit crew in a road race to reading success.

“Students have started their reading engines, and are definitely not just spinning their wheels as they and their mentors work on language arts skills specifically designed to help each student become a successful reader. Students move their race cars around a track as they complete books that they read to and with their mentors,” they said.

While the HOSTS Corporation is no longer in existence, one of their final acts of business was to grant the rights of the HOSTS name, program and software to the schools that have been using it. Oroville Elementary’s HOSTS program is going strong and those interested in being a part of this successful community-based mentoring program may call the elementary school at (509) 476-3332 to find out how.

“We’re driven to read, driven to succeed!” said Barker and Willey.