The Community Home Education Program, Orange County Department of Education’s home independent study program, held its annual CHEP Expo on March 31. The event is both an exhibition and celebration of the CHEP students’ academic and personal achievements throughout the school year.
Held at the OCDE main campus, the event showcases student projects in science, social studies and art. Prizes were awarded based on academic content and demonstration of learning. A variety show gave students the opportunity to demonstrate their talents in song and dance as they performed for an audience of friends and family.
This year’s engineering contest, a highlight of the event open to CHEP students of all ages, featured racing “mousetrap cars.” The cars use the spring of a mousetrap to propel movement and were a display of ingenuity, creativity and design.
Started in 1988, CHEP is an award-winning independent study program that provides free resources to parents who choose to educate their children at home under the guidance of credentialed teachers and the Orange County Department of Education. CHEP provides curriculum and the support of certificated teachers to students and the adults who teach them. The state-funded program currently serves over 1,000 students from transitional kindergarten through eighth grade.
What began as a small open house event many years ago has now become a favorite tradition that brings families together and reflects the strong community of students, parents and teachers that make CHEP an exemplary independent study program.