Learning about the American lifestyle from nurturing Sikh parents is one thing. But entering a crowded public school system without mom or dad can be a scary prospect.
Not for Taranbir and Manpreet Singh, newly emigrated from Punjab, India.
Both teens excelled socially and academically in the Vacaville Unified School District's summer English Language Development class at Will C. Wood High School, said teacher Scott Benlevi.
That's not unusual at all for Sikh children, Benlevi said. When Taranbir, 18, and Manpreet, 17, (called Manny by his classmates) entered Benlevi's class, he knew he was in for a rewarding experience.
"Any chance I get to work with Sikh children, I know I'm going to have fun," Benlevi said. "I find that most of the times, they have been very well motivated and eager to learn, a wonderful addition to the classroom mix, and a good example for the others."
Even though the Singh brothers have been in the country for less than a year, they will enter Vacaville High School on Tuesday at level three of the four levels of the English Language Development curriculum.
"Both Manny and Taranbir are comfortable with the acquisition of the language so far," Benlevi said.
Taranbir and Manpreet are the only Indian children in a class with seven Spanish-speaking students. So they are learning Spanish as well as English, and are ahead of some of their Spanish-speaking peers, he said.
"They spend a lot of time studying," Benlevi said. "These are motivated young people. They have a future ahead of them, and they know it. And it's all because of the home. I feel that if we started to examine child rearing in Sikh homes, we would have a key to some of our own problems."
A Sikh child is still somewhat of a rarity in the California public school system, and they do well for a number of reasons, Benlevi said.
He credits the Singh boys' success to the wonderful educational system in India, and their father, Balraj Singh.
"The father does exceptionally well," Benlevi said. "They have a resource at home. The primary teacher for all children are their parents. Your parents are your first teacher. In my opinion, it's the background for their success."
Their success is evident in their report cards. Their parents, Balraj Singh and Satinder Kaur are quick to produce the boys' first report cards from Vacaville schools.
"They're doing wonderful," said Balraj.
All of the classes the children took in India were in English, he said. But in a country that speaks Punjabi, that wasn't enough. And since he had moved to America in 1998, he was worried how the boys' education would fare without him.
"Their mom, she cannot read, she cannot speak English. I'm here, she's there. So who will teach the kids? They needed special coaching, special guidance," he said.
But once in Vacaville, both Taranbir and Manpreet excelled in 10th-grade at Vacaville High School.
In Taranbir's May 2003 report card, he earned straight A's in U.S. history, P.E., math, life science and his English language development class. Manpreet's report card was also straight A's, with "doing excellent work," as the teacher's comment.
"I'm proud," Balraj said. "They're new in America and they have all subjects A."
The boys' brother Randeep did well as an eighth-grader at Willis Jepson Middle School. He said he's looking forward to his freshman year at Vacaville High School, where he wants to play basketball.
Their youngest brother, Jaspreet, who will enter Willis Jepson on Tuesday, is perhaps the most outgoing and eager to learn.
"He attempts, whether it's wrong or right," Balraj said.
Sikh students tend to take education seriously and thrive in their new environments, Benlevi said. They know they have the work of education to do, an integral part of their success-oriented culture.
"Taranbir agreed with me immediately that in India, if you don't speak English, you don't go anywhere," he said. "There is a cultural element here that helps. They advance quickly.
"Taranbir and his brother have already transferred the grammatical concepts, (from Punjabi to English)" he said. "For them, it's just a matter of oral practice."
Both boys have adapted well socially, and mingle well with the other students, he said.
"They don't just isolate themselves, they get out there. I see a lot of positive social interaction," he said.
Obviously, their turbans or patkas are noticeable, but nothing unpleasant has happened in Benlevi's class.
"There is curiosity, but nothing rude or nasty," he said.
Benlevi is confident that the boys could defend themselves if they found themselves in awkward situations. This summer, he witnessed Manpreet stand up for himself when another boy kept annoying him.
"He was forceful. He can defend himself. That's tough inner strength," he said.