By MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / March 10, 1999

PARADIS – J.B. Martin Middle School’s HOSTS program recently receivednational recognition, receiving the national organization’s Award for Quality Assurance.

The HOSTS (Help One Student to Succeed) Award for Quality Assurance is presented to a select number of high performing programs that achieve Exemplary status for their HOSTS Supplemental Math Program. The awardis based on the HOSTS Quality Assurance Program that measures seven characteristics of an effective instructional program in math, including positive student gains, attitude and performance.

“We are just extremely pleased to be able to receive such a great honor,” Gwen Hitt, the program’s coordinator at J.B. Martin, said. “We do seeresults with the students.”J.B. Martin is the second school in the parish to receive the award. Eual J.Landry Middle School received it during the 1997-98 school year. Theprogram, which was founded in 1971, consists of volunteers from the community who spend time with students who need help in math, providing support and attention as well as tutoring. Landry became the first schoolin the state to implement the program in 1996-97 and the other middle schools in the parish followed suit the following year. It has now grown toinclude a Language Arts program.

This year’s program at J.B. Martin includes 120 students and 140 mentors. “The mentors have joined forces with the teachers to implement a successful program,” Hitt said. “We just owe them so much. They are sofaithful and helpful.”

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