The Khmer Emerging Education Program (KEEP)
In 1991, in
During this same time, a group of
Cambodian students at
These visionaries started KEEP
with no funding, a handfull of volunteers, 52
students and a passion to turn this situation around. In 2001, KEEP has grown to more than 300
students with 19 employees. KEEP
operates out of
As a result of this program many
KEEP teachers have pursued teaching credentials and others are Bilingual
Instructional Assistants in school districts in the
KEEP students are trained to show the utmost respect to teachers, parents, and visitors. When walking into a KEEP classroom there’s an immediate flurry as all the students rise from their seats and turn with hands folded in prayerful respect to face adult visitors. All students are dressed in white shirts and blue pants or skirts. Before class is dismissed, students must line up straight and silent, hands at their sides. Parents and students must sign a discipline policy that includes a zero tolerance clause. KEEP students are expected to listen to their teachers and follow all KEEP rules. Students with unresolved discipline problems are asked to leave the program.
KEEP is administered in a very professional manner and is run like many public schools with a director, teachers, support staff and parent involvement. Twice a month, on Saturday afternoons, KEEP staff meets to plan and coordinate lessons. Typical lessons include Khmer language arts, reading, writing and speaking using Cambodian culture and history as the base for the lessons. The program also provides cross-cultural education, computer instruction, physical education, health education, and community education with an emphasis on awareness of crime prevention and how to help the community to be a better place to live. In all of these classes, the students acquire appropriate study skills that spill over into their regular school classes. In 1998, a traditional Khmer dance group of 30 students was also formed.
The aim of KEEP is to enable students to move easily between English and Khmer languages and cultures, bridging the growing gaps between younger and older generations by facilitating communication and understanding. At KEEP, teachers also assist students with their English core subjects and provide counseling for interpersonal relationship problems between family, school and peers. Twice a year, assessment tests are given and report cards are sent out, informing parents of student progress. There is a graduation ceremony at the end of each year at which teachers and students are honored for outstanding achievement. By the end of the fourth year of Khmer language instruction, students can speak, read, write and translate the Khmer text into English or translate English into Khmer.
There is an extraordinary amount
of support from the Cambodian community as well. KEEP parents drive from all parts of the
metropolitan Fresno/Clovis area to Greenberg Elementary to ensure that their
children don’t miss a lesson. Parent
conferences are scheduled twice a year to monitor student progress. Parents are required to attend all meetings,
workshops and conferences where they learn to understand the differences
between educational systems in the
Through Khmer language instruction, KEEP has enabled students to really connect to the inner feelings of their parents and extended family members.
Teachers and administrators in local districts believe that there’s a large spillover effect from KEEP into the regular classroom. KEEP students perform better academically. They praise the discipline and positive attitude seen in students from KEEP. If Cambodian students are performing poorly in academic subjects or are misbehaving and not enrolled in KEEP, administrators work to get them enrolled.
KEEP works! Come visit us and see for yourself. The door is always open!
For more information, please contact:
Pam Dungy, Program Manager
Office of State and Federal Programs
Title VII Systemwide Grant, Project ACCESS
559-457-3943
pldungy@fresno.k12.ca.us