Var Sereyvuth, left, a liaison of the Community and Family Engagement Network, and Nhim Setha, executive director of the Khmer Emerging Education Program, seek ways to keep US-Cambodians in school.By Nuch Sarita, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
14 July 2008
Growing up, a teenager can divert from a normal life in society as an adult by getting involved in gangs or drugs, or becoming pregnant at a young age. Many such teens have troubled lives at home that include abuse or negligence.
Cambodian teenagers in the US are no different. They face a number of challenges that can lead to their dropping out of school, including family and social pressures, said Var Sereyvuth, a liaison of the Community and Family Engagement Network to school districts in Fresno, Calif.
Many simply can't finish school because they must work to support their families, he said.
At least one group in Fresno is seeking to curb the dropout trend by putting Cambodian teenagers back in touch with their roots and their parents.
Nhim Setha, executive director of the Khmer Emerging Education Program, said Cambodian children, ignorant and disregarding their cultural background, sometimes drift away from their parents and school.
"We believe for the students that dropped out of school or joined gangs, there was no program available to help or educate them," Nhim Setha said. "The Khmer Emerging Education Program is teaching Cambodian children in the Fresno community to write and to read Khmer, which means learning a new alphabet. Alongside grammar, we teach them morals and bring them closer to their parents, which in turn has improved their performance in school."
The most important lessons the group has learned are that parents should spend time with their children, provide children with after-school activities and give them the attention and love they need.
The risk factors affecting Cambodian high school dropouts include poor grades, disinterest in school, lack of money, laziness, marriage pressure, failing grades, learning disabilities, social or cultural problems, peer pressure and full time work. Some teenagers don't see the benefit of finishing school, Var Sereyvuth said.
"Another reason for the high rate of Cambodian dropouts is from parents who are unable to provide the necessary day-to-day care," he said. "This is from uneducated parents, parents with gambling addictions, parents who cannot communicate with their children due to lack of English skills or, simply, parents who just don't care."
Another large problem is the growing groups of Cambodian gangs who continually recruit children and teenagers to sell drugs or participate in other illegal acts.
Teenagers may feel overwhelmed by the emotional and physical changes they are going through. At the same time, teens may be facing a number of pressures from friends to fit in as well as to perform well in school from parents, adults.
Cambodian teenagers in the US are no different. They face a number of challenges that can lead to their dropping out of school, including family and social pressures, said Var Sereyvuth, a liaison of the Community and Family Engagement Network to school districts in Fresno, Calif.
Many simply can't finish school because they must work to support their families, he said.
At least one group in Fresno is seeking to curb the dropout trend by putting Cambodian teenagers back in touch with their roots and their parents.
Nhim Setha, executive director of the Khmer Emerging Education Program, said Cambodian children, ignorant and disregarding their cultural background, sometimes drift away from their parents and school.
"We believe for the students that dropped out of school or joined gangs, there was no program available to help or educate them," Nhim Setha said. "The Khmer Emerging Education Program is teaching Cambodian children in the Fresno community to write and to read Khmer, which means learning a new alphabet. Alongside grammar, we teach them morals and bring them closer to their parents, which in turn has improved their performance in school."
The most important lessons the group has learned are that parents should spend time with their children, provide children with after-school activities and give them the attention and love they need.
The risk factors affecting Cambodian high school dropouts include poor grades, disinterest in school, lack of money, laziness, marriage pressure, failing grades, learning disabilities, social or cultural problems, peer pressure and full time work. Some teenagers don't see the benefit of finishing school, Var Sereyvuth said.
"Another reason for the high rate of Cambodian dropouts is from parents who are unable to provide the necessary day-to-day care," he said. "This is from uneducated parents, parents with gambling addictions, parents who cannot communicate with their children due to lack of English skills or, simply, parents who just don't care."
Another large problem is the growing groups of Cambodian gangs who continually recruit children and teenagers to sell drugs or participate in other illegal acts.
Teenagers may feel overwhelmed by the emotional and physical changes they are going through. At the same time, teens may be facing a number of pressures from friends to fit in as well as to perform well in school from parents, adults.
16 comments:
what they (dropouts) need are good counseling services, some professional counseling to teach them to see the importance of getting a good education. one good place to see the importance of education is in the military. god bless.
Who are you trying to kid, 1:26? Counseling and advices is had been done long ago. The truth is Khmer will always be khmer, no matter who the government is.
So are you saying that Fresno Cambodian teenagers are a bunch of lazy,drop-out kids and that their parents are useless because they can't raised their own kids? What are you? some kind of saviors miracles worker who has the solution? I guess that means if you don't learn khmer in fresno, you have learning disabilities.. AND ONLY your Khmer emerging Education program can make Khmer in fresno become like you... ARE you successful? ask yourself that question first before you call your own community drop-out.
You need to talk positive about your own community... seems to me, you don't like fresno.. why don't you move....
I can't believe you call the people you lived with lazy..AND what training do you have to give these kind of assesement?
In case you didn't know, there are parents who care about their children... learn the fact before you call fresno dumb...
To 4:17AM
I would feel the same way like you! Some of these people claimed too much credit for what they have done for Cambodian community!
Drop out or not! These Cambodian teenagers will face the harsh reality of life after high school and they have no other choice except to find solutions to life! Otherwise they will be left behind!
Life is brutal!
Cambodian youth lacks good role-model.
I know this khmer emerging education program.. Its fake.. they claim too much.. And they don't have valid data to prove that their program is making better cambodian in the community. All they care about is making money;they get paid pretty well too from what i hear. AND they have less than 20 kids in this program. Most of them have dropped out because its useless. Those two guys who run the program can't even run their own family..people always talk about them behind their back...
No surprise.
they need drugs, money and die happily before coming of age
A parent in Fresno said:
Hi people, I was there in the room with them (I had a different interview with VOA for my own group.) when they were interviewed by Nuch Sarita, VOA. They talked a lot about possitive things of Khmer in Fresno community. But Ms. Nuch wanted to know more about Khmer student drop out because these two men work with Fresno school district, FUSD. They told her that it is about 2% to 3% of Khmer students who drop out in Fresno. It is very low compare to Hispanic and African American, they said. Then Ms. Nuch wanted to know more why they drop out. So they got into the detail about family and social life of those 2% to 3% students, not the whole community. But Ms. Nuch put in this article seem the whole community drop out.
As far as I know this program realy help a lot of Khmer children in Fresno, including my children, nices and nephews.
God bless you.
To 10:43AM
Right, You know this program so well. They kicked you out from the program because of your corruption and impatient. You put your own wife in the program to get the salary. You could not get along with other in the program. Your job was to keep the data of the program and you was the one who destroy them when they fired you. Don't worry, the School District still have a lot of data that belong to this program. By the way they run their own family far far better than yours. Also Mr. 10:43AM your wife is cheating behind your back and you should ask the community or get involve in the community and stay out of the dark. Have a nice day.
Student and member the program :)
From an old man in Fresno, CA
I come to KI for news about my country. Today I see something about my Fresno. Let me tell you. The two man speak the true. I live in appartment with so many khmer family. alot of them go to kasino or play card at home with money from welfare and SSI. They kids have not enough food to eat. A lot of khmer parent Fresno gambling, drink, drugs, cheating they wife or husband. Less then half of khmer here working for money or want children go to college. The ress dont care about children go to college. A lot is lazy. it is true. a lot want easy money, go to kasino, drinking and fucking only. I am 72 now. I live in Fresno long. I see all. School khmer here is not the best but they help children and better then who don't help. They family are not the best but better then who play cards, drinking, and fucking. By By
Hi old man...fucking is human job. You should not be mad at them. Sorry...
The rest you are right. I used to live in Fresno too and I am the product of this program. They encouraged me for higher education. Now I got my master.
Dear Sir 10:43
How do you know this program has no valid data? Only the person who destroyed the data knows about this. Now I got you. We all be patient with you long enough.
Dear Sir 10:43
How do you know this program has no valid data? Only the person who destroyed the data knows about this. Now I got you. We all be patient with you long enough.
I was also in the room when VOA interviewed them. I am not on their side or with that group but I am telling you what I heard.
I think Madam Sarita confused between their after school program (KEEP) and their full time job at the school district. The program has nothing much to do with student drop out but their job is. Through their job, they have learned about the families of the 2% or 3% drop out. Yes, I agree with them that a lot of drop out start from home or parent who has problem. It is true in Fresno as well as somewhere else. If you ask how many casino is in this small community, it is 5 casinos. Most (not all) khmer people here who is on public assistant and have nothing to do are edicted to grambling. This is the big social problem in this community and it effects a lot of Khmer families. We have to admit that.
I am glad this program can help some Khmer students if not all. I learned that this program started from 1991 until now, 17 years. I have never seen small program stay that long. They must put thier own heart into it. The first 9 years they ran it with the money from their own pockets. After seeing that effort the Fresno school district stepped in. Then they got pay. Is it a lot? No, one time a teacher in that program showed me her check, $425/month. I still remember that.
How do I know all of these? My two sons went to this program for 5 years. The big one can read and write Khmer very well. He now write Khmer poetries and post them on his own web. The second one was lazy like they said and he did not learn much but he is able to read Khmer karaoke. I would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart for teaching my own kids the language.
The way Madam Sarita wrote here is that the whole Khmer community or all khmer parents in Fresno are bad and she forgot to mention that these two guy talked about 2% or 3% Khmer students who dropped out.
This is the problem when jounalist or media does not understand the whole story, get unclear info or leaves out the information in the report.
And 10:43 I know you. You hate this program so much because of your own agenda. You take it personally.
Parent,
Oh my god!
I have never thought that I can hear anything about you or your program. Mr. Nhim you are still young. You look the same, Sir.
This is your former student at Stone Soup and Balderas. I was a bad egg in your class at the time. Honest, I used to use F word in my thought while you lectured us about manner or how to respect our parents. Sir, everything you tought me has changed my life. I had never thought that my own language, culture, or manner was very important until I joined the U.S. Air Force. Now I can see the value of helping others.
My family moved to Uta in 1994. I still read Khmer but writing is difficult for me. I wished I could stay longer in your program. I miss Fresno so much.
Sir, I would like to salute you from my base in Georgia for what you have done for Khmer children and community in Fresno. Please keep up the good work.
The other teacher, Mr. Var, you may not remember me. I stayed in your class for a few months before I moved. I also like to salute you for teaching me Khmer history. If I am not wrong, with all my respects Sir, you are handicap, right? I could not believe a handicap like you care so much about your community and children. Please keep up the good work, Sir.
May Lord Buddha bless both of you.
T. Sarun
U.S. Air Force, Georgia
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