KEEN is a unique partnership between the Commonwealth of Kentucky's school system and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. The KEEN Program places engineers employed with the Cabinet in classrooms all across Kentucky. Engineers visit schools throughout the state to discuss the applications of math and science in real world situations. They provide insights into the opportunities and challenges available to students pursuing studies in the field of engineering.
Presentations are adapted to different age groups and topics: the work of engineers, specific math, science, technological subjects, and scholarship programs. Our presentations cover many different subject matters in the fields of math, science, technology, and engineering, and can be designed for grade school, middle school, high school, and college students.
KEEN provides an opportunity for the Cabinet and local schools to work together, allowing Transportation Cabinet engineers to interact with students in their own communities. In addition, the KEEN Program follows many of the same concepts which are required under Kentucky's Education Reform Act, including the Common Core of Learning concept and the application of basic skills in math and science as they relate to real-life situations. These contributions to the education of our communities are brought to the classroom at no cost to the school.
HistoryThe KEEN Program began in 1991 as a result of efforts by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' Task Force on Recruitment and Retention of Transportation Professionals. It was the first program of its type in the nation. Since its implementation, KEEN has reached over 70,000 students throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky.