With the graduation of ten of our sponsored students from High School into Universities, we interview and select ninth grade students so they can get good high schooling. Each is selected on recommendation of his or her teachers, for industry and eagerness to learn, ability, and need. Each student is interviewed by TSF after filling out an application, and Elephant then does a home visit to check on need and be sure there is family support for the student to attend advanced schooling, instead of working. The average child, if he/she goes to school at all, gets only as far as 6th grade, and only if lucky.

The cost of the program is $300 for the year. The money pays for special, small group classes taught by the high school teachers during the high school day, where texts are used, questions can be asked and discussion takes place. Regular high school classes are so large that there is just rote teaching, few texts are available, and there is no chance to question.

The “private classes” costs 12.5 cents per class (500 riel)., and usually our students take 4 or 5 per day. Money also covers transportation by trailer to and from Roteang to the High School, 8 km away. Uniforms and books are also covered. The other part of sponsorship, as important to the students as the sponsorship funds, is the commitment on the part of the American family to write to “their” student four times a year. The students really count on these letters, and they always write back; ample notice is given when letters are due, and they are hand-carried from the USA.

Please contact Education Sponsorship Coordinator Sally Stokes sstokes@roteang.org if you would like to fund and to write to a student, or to find out more about the program.