LyondellBasell employees and contractors from the Houston Refinery continue the 27 year tradition with the Pen Pal Program at Richey Elementary School in Pasadena, Texas. 135 employees wrote letters to elementary school students throughout the school year sending messages of encouragement and inspiration.
“I have been participating and leading the Pen Pal Program at the Houston Refinery since inception,” said Denise Jennings, maintenance facilities team leader. “It is always so exciting sending off the letters to these students, they look forward to them, and the teaching staff tells us it helps improve their reading and writing skills.”
Normally at the end of the school year, employees have an opportunity to meet their pen pal for the very first time face-to-face. However, due to COVID-19, Richey Elementary School invited a limited number of employees to participate in a drive-by car parade. This was an opportunity for the students to receive their end-of-year gift and last letters.
“We are so grateful to LyondellBasell Houston Refinery employees for participating in the Pen Pal program year after year,” said, Richey Elementary principal, Andrea Zapata. “Our students look forward to this program every year, and even though we were faced with a pandemic and school had to be adjusted, we wanted to make sure that the students had an opportunity to receive their last letter.”