The general manager and safety training supervisor for Durham School Services’ contract in Brenham, Texas, are giving back to the local community by reading with elementary schoolchildren.
General Manager Cheryl Tiemann volunteers time each Tuesday for the Brenham Independent School District’s HOSTS reading intervention program at Alton Elementary School. Safety Training Supervisor Eddy Minze does the same every Thursday. HOSTS invites community volunteers to spend time each week with students who are having difficulty reading and encourage them to become better readers.
“Sometimes we read to the kids, and sometimes they read to us,” said Tiemann. “It’s very rewarding to know you are making a difference in their lives.”
The HOSTS program motto is “To Succeed You Must Read.”
Tiemann and Minze are part of Durham’s “Adopt-a-School” program, which encourages employees to volunteer their time to their communities and the schools they serve. Teacher Fabian Swartz said volunteers like Tiemann and Minze help make the HOSTS program a success.
“Our students are going to be helped in reading because of these volunteers’ dedication to our school,” Swartz added.
Durham has also provided transportation service to Brenham ISD since 1995.
