Homeschoolers dominate Burlington Teens & 20s stories

Stories by and including homeschooled students dominated the "Top Ten" of 2008 in the Burlington Times-News "Teens & 20s" feature in 2008. Sarah Osburne, a homeschooled student, wrote the number one story, "Trading Spaces: Exchange students travel overseas for a unique learning experience"; she also wrote stories on pets for cancer patients, urban farming, and caring for an abused horse.

Sarah Troxler, another homeschooler, wrote stories on summer exercise programs for teenagers and playing on travelling softball teams. Kristian Whitesell wrote about her family's visit to the Pearl Harbor Memorial.

In all, seven of the top ten youth stories this year were written by homeschoolers, and an eighth story involved several of the authors as subjects.

SPORTS: Private school star to be homeschooled

The Asheville Citizen-Times reports that Allen Ebert, a senior forward for Veritas Christian Academy's basketball squad, will be homeschooled next semester. Ebert, a 6'7" guard, has averaged ten points and four rebounds per game, according to the C-T.

Saving citizens a billion a year

Budget and Tax News, a publication of The Heartland Institute in Chicago, reports that homeschooling and other forms of private education are saving North Carolina taxpayers over a billion dollars per year in education costs:

By some estimates, nearly 40 cents of every revenue dollar in North Carolina goes to K-12 education, making it the largest category in the state’s $21.4 billion budget. According to statistics released by the North Carolina Division of Non-Public Education (DNPE), which monitors homeschoolers and traditional private and religious schools, some 10.4 percent of school-aged children in North Carolina were educated outside public school classrooms in the 2007-08 school year. About 98,000 students attend conventional nonpublic schools, while more than 70,000 are homeschooled.

DNPE’s director, Rod Helder, told Carolina Journal last year the savings to the state in fiscal year 2006-07 were $1.3 billion, reflecting higher per-pupil expenses in the public schools and continuous growth in the number of nonpublic school students. Since the 2004-05 school year, the number of students being homeschooled has increased almost 22 percent, while public school enrollments increased by 6.6 percent.

“You see how much money the public schools did not have to spend,” Helder told Carolina Journal.

The article by NCHSN editor Hal Young appears in the January 2009 print edition of B&TN but is available online as well.

SPORTS: Homeschoolers make a bigger splash in WNC

The Asheville Citizen-Times headline says "Tuscola swimmers dominate new WNC swim honor roll", but there are two names that help keep the Haywood County high school from a near-sweep. In fact, one of them, homeschooler Nathan Hart, has the same number of top rankings as the public school student highlighted in the article.

Nathan was the highest-ranked swimmer in 200- and 500-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke events. He is ranked number two in 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly, and 200-yard individual medley, and number three in 100-yard breaststroke. His seven top-three rankings beat out four for Tuscola student Jake Stringfield.

In the girls' rankings, homeschooler Emily Marett is number one in 100-yard breaststroke and 100-yard butterfly, number two in 200-yard individual medley, and number three in 500-yard freestyle.

SPORTS: Homeschool Football League featured on WGHP-TV

The Greensboro Panthers, a team in the Raleigh-based Homeschool Football League, are featured in this video report on Greensboro's FOX affiliate, WGHP. Footage includes semi-final action against the Raleigh Warriors and mentioned the Panthers' final, title-clinching victory over the Raleigh Crusaders the following week. An excellent report and positive reaction from the media.

Homeschoolers prompt change in doctor's office?

Apparently so -- their responses to a new Blue Cross/Zagat online patient survey suggested better facilities to one large pediatric practice in Raleigh:

At one point, a group of parents of home-schooled children gave [Dr. Jerry] Bernstein's practice generally good marks online. But the group pointed out that "if you can get past the look of the building, the doctors are great," Bernstein said. "It certainly hastened our move" to new offices.

(Raleigh News & Observer, 12/22/08)

SPORTS: Lighthouse falls to Cary Christian

Lighthouse Homeschool boys' basketball (Wake Forest) was defeated by Cary Christian this week, as briefly reported in the Southwest Wake news blog (Raleigh News & Observer) -- final score 84-43.

SPORTS: Cabarrus-Rowan scores against private schools

The Salisbury Post reports that the Cabarrus-Rowan Homeschool Stallions scored three decisive basketball wins this week. The varsity boys team defeated Grace Academy 86-76; varsity girls beat Grace girls 35-23; and the middle school boys won against St. Ann's Catholic 40-16.

See the article for stats on individual players.

Homeschooling N.C. pastor moves to Virginia

Rev. Baker Rigg, formerly of Roanoke Rapids, is now the pastor of the Free Methodist Church in Culpeper, Virginia. The Riggs have seven children; the five at home are homeschooled. The Culpeper Star-Exponent interviewed Rev. Rigg for their church news section this week.

Clemmons homeschooler named Explorer of the Year

The Winston-Salem Journal reports that homeschooler David Simpson shared the 2008 Explorer of the Year Award for Explorer Post 14 with fellow Explorer Michael King. The two were tied for the most points for "training, meeting, responses, community service and education". The Explorer post is sponsored by the Clemmons Fire Department.

Young homeschool grad receives two degrees at 14

Julia Nepper was homeschooled for seven years. Although she spent a semester each in junior high and high school, the schools "wouldn't agree to promote her according to her abilities", so her parents enrolled her in community college at age 11.

Now 14, Julia is graduating with two associates degrees, a 4.0 GPA, and admission to UNC-Wilmington. She told Chelsea Keller of the Wilmington Star-News,

"I don't feel that this is a great achievement, because if you don't do pointless teenage things and care about doing well, you can go to college ... It's not that hard."

WNC homeschooler wins in essay contest

Homeschooler Kayla V. Jones came in second out of 120 entries in the Vince Colan Memorial Essay Contest.

This is the second year of the contest which remembers the attack on Pearl Harbor, according to the article in the Hendersonville Times-News.

Wingate football team included two homeschoolers

This year's football team at Wingate University included two area homeschoolers. Running back Samuel Pittman, a senior from Concord, and linebacker Daniel Hearn, a sophomore from Charlotte, were members of the 2008 NCAA Division II team.

Gardner-Webb recruits homeschooled athletes

The Charlotte Observer reports:

Benji Jackson, a home-schooled student who played outfield for the Cabarrus-Rowan Stallions last spring, signed with Gardner-Webb.

GWU also attracted Kimberly McKenney of Flint, Michigan, for the women's basketball program. Kimberly was MVP of the Michigan Homeschool State Championship, according to GWU's press release, and is a "very talented" player for "one of the top AAU teams in the country", Faith High.

Charlotte arts merger will benefit homeschoolers

Two Charlotte-area arts programs, ArtsTeach and the Arts & Science Council, will merge next summer, according to the Charlotte Observer. The change is intended to extend their outreach beyond the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School system to included homeschoolers and private school students.

Chaplain's wife "the real hero"

WRAL-TV in Raleigh spoke with Army chaplain Kirby Vidrine, who says that his wife Wendy, the homeschooling mother of eight (with another on the way), is "the backbone of our family".

The Ft. Bragg captain is leaving for an extended deployment to Iraq.

Surry wins regional preseason competition

From the Mt. Airy News:

GREENSBORO — The Surry Runnin’ Patriots got 10 points from a trio of players in a 50-27 victory against Wake Forrest in the championship game of the North Carolinians for Home Education Athletic Conference’s East Coast Tip-Off Classic played at Greensboro College Saturday night. ...

The championship win by the Runnin’ Patriots marks the third straight year the team has captured the preseason tournament title.

The tournament included teams from as far away as Charleston, S.C., and Atlanta.

Lexington homeschool grad returns with "Seussical"

Mychal Phillips, the daughter of Mike and Debbie Phillips of Lexington, is a 2005 homeschool graduate. She is taking time off from her studies at New York University to tour with a production of the musical "Seussical", which will be presented in her hometown next Tuesday. The full story appears in the Lexington Dispatch.

SPORTS: Forsyth takes state soccer title

Forsyth Home Educators scored its third consecutive title in the NCHE State Homeschool Soccer Tournament last Saturday, defeating teams from Fayetteville and Asheville in the semi-finals in Wake Forest. FHE will compete in the National Christian School Athletic Association Tournament in Erie, Pennsylvania, later this month; they came in second place there last year.

(Winston-Salem Journal, 10/22/08)

Perdue supports homeschooling?

The Greenville Daily Reflector reported Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue gave an ambiguous answer during a campaign stop in Greenville:

Beth Sanchez, an Obama supporter and Greenville resident, was there to ask Perdue about her views on home schooling. Her two sons, 9-year-old Wesley and 6-year-old Greyson, were at her side to hear the answer.

“She's in support of all types of education,” Sanchez said, visibly pleased, after consulting Perdue on her way out.

NCEA v-p sets homeschooling against needy public schools

In a letter to the Winston-Salem Journal, Rodney Ellis, vice president of the N.C. Association of Educators, criticized the paper's endorsement of Patrick McCrory for governor.

Ellis said that "McCrory supports a transfer of $877 million from our neediest public schools to private prep schools and home schools", even though this figure has already been checked and labeled "misleading" by the Raleigh News & Observer.

N.C. Homeschool News 10/19/08

Parents Tried Public School, Found It Wanting, Chose Home Education

The New Bern Sun-Journal spoke with several parents whose children had been in the public school system, sometimes at several different schools, and finally concluded homeschooling was the better alternative.

Victoria Baldwin of New Bern made a 98 several months ago on a test about the Boston Tea Party. But when Victoria, a Craven County middle school student, took the paper home, she couldn't tell her father Gerald anything about the tea party.

"She said she thought it was about the president's wife having a party," Gerald Baldwin said. "I found out all their tests were open book. They weren't learning anything."

When Baldwin went to talk to school administrators about the tests, he said they didn't see a problem because his daughter was making A's.

"She has A's, but I'm not hearing A's," he said.

"They're preparing children for an end-of-grade test, not life. I feel like my tax dollars have been paying for an education for the world, and they didn't get it."

Gerald and Chenona Baldwin have decided to home school their daughters
this year.

...

Homeschooled competitor interviewed at the Coastal Carolina Agricultural Fair

The Havelock News featured an interview with 14-year-old Hannah Davis, a long time 4-H member and returning champion in the livestock arena:

A short distance from the Ferris wheel, 14-year-old Hannah Davis and others were preparing for the livestock exhibits, which begin receiving animals Wednesday.

Davis, who lives in the Straits community of eastern Carteret County, was joined by Jasper, a 2-week-old Angus-mix calf, who rested in a stall.

Davis is a member of the Otway Livestock Club and Newport Roadrunners 4-H. She was tending to Jasper for Kim and Russ Nead. A home-schooled ninth-grader, Davis has been a fair livestock competitor for three years, winning best in show for her chickens last fall. She also shows goats.

She has been in 4-H for nine years, but after she got involved in raising livestock three years ago, she developed a serious interest and now plans to attend N.C. State University and become a livestock veterinarian.

Graham homeschoolers interviewed at Sarah Palin appearance

"What a good field trip," their mother told the Salisbury Post:

"I try to instill in my girls that women can do anything," said Dawn Williams, a Graham mother who home-schools her three children, Caitlin, Emily and Gabe. In the hours before Palin arrived, they waited in the shade along the outfield's warning track in left field. ...

The family members said they were definitely McCain-Palin supporters and would not be attending had it been a rally for the Democratic ticket of Sens. Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Caitlin, 13, said Palin would stop illegal immigration, and Emily, 11, said Palin would try to lower taxes.

N.C. Homeschool News 10/12/08

Charlotte's Belmont Abbey College welcomes homeschoolers


Belmont Abbey College in Charlotte is enthusiastic about homeschool graduates:

We recognize the extraordinary talents and achievements that home-educated students bring to our campus. We know for example that home-educated students are excelling academically, outperforming their public school peers by 30 - 37 percentile points across all subjects. We also know that home-educated students are involved in an average of 5.2 activities outside the class. We have a great number of success stories from our home-school students ... We look forward to enrolling more ...

It probably doesn't hurt that college president Dr. William Thierfelder is a homeschooling father of ten.



Thirteen-year-old homeschooler is youngest member of Asheville jazz ensemble

Will Newman, a 13-year-old homeschooler, plays keyboard, violin, and guitar for a young Asheville band, Jazz the Ripper. "Marv D" at The Urban Music Scene gives a great review to the group, saying the five musicians, ages 17 to 13, "are beginning to make their mark on the jazz scene, and in a serious way":

For a group of young men still in high school, the rawness and freshness they bring to their own compositions is to be commended. ... [W]hatever they do, the musical possibilities are endless for them. Somehow all this talent must reach the masses.

N.C. Homeschool News 10/05/08

Perdue ad opposing McCrory on vouchers leads N&O fact check

Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue's ad, "Difference on vouchers" is the first on the list reviewed by the Raleigh News & Observer. She claims McCrory "supports taking 900 million taxpayer dollars away from public schools to pay for kids in private schools." The N&O points out this assumes a much broader program than McCrory supports, including vouchers for homeschoolers, and would exceed voucher programs found in any other state.

N.C. family combines homeschooling and gospel singing

Jeff and Susan Whisnant of Morganton are part of the Southern gospel quartet, "The Whisnants". Their family goes on the road with them as they sing for church events all over and recently, at the annual National Quartet Convention in Louisville, KY. Jeannie McPail, herself a gospel singer, profiles the family in a feature for the Morganton News Herald.

2008 homeschool graduate leads Greensboro College golf team

The Winston-Salem Journal reports:

Freshman Ben Nihart (Forsyth Home Educators '08) led host Greensboro to a sixth-place finish this week in the Greensboro College Invitational golf tournament at Bryan Park.

Nihart, the 2007 Forsyth Junior champion, shot 73-72 to finish at 1-over-par 145 and tied for sixth overall.

N.C. Homeschool News 9/28/08

HSLDA alerts members that Federal "Education Begins At Home" Act is not homeschool friendly

Home School Legal Defense Association notified members this week that the pending bill is not a homeschool bill per se but could impact the privacy of families who are homeschooling:

H.R. 2343 seeks to expand the Head Start Early Home Visitation program to supposedly "educate" parents of children from infants to 5-year-olds on parenting strategies. If passed, this bill would literally open the door for government employees to enter private homes to impose unelected officials' educational agendas, which may prove offensive and contrary to many families' moral and religious beliefs. Although at this point enrollment in the home visitation program is voluntary, government programs almost always grow beyond their original scope when bills are amended.

This intrusive and unnecessary legislation comes at a whopping starting cost of more than $190 million—a burden that will be incurred by already struggling American taxpayers.

More information is available on their web page.

Greensboro paper sees education vouchers as the more interesting issue

When Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue declined an invitation to a gubernatorial debate on UNC-TV this week, it gave Libertarian candidate Michael Munger a greater opportunity to promote his own platform. The Greensboro News & Record, commenting on this, mentioned three issues of interest, but focused on this one:

Munger is running on a platform to provide a $1,250 voucher to every child in the state that could be used toward private education or home schooling. Perdue has consistently accused McCrory of backing a broad voucher program, which McCrory denies.

N.C. Homeschool News 9/21/08

Perdue ties McCrory to homeschool vouchers; McCrory denies

At a debate on education Friday, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue attempted to define Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory's support for vouchers as a program intended for homeschoolers (among others).

In a question about private school vouchers, McCrory said he supports their selected use, especially for children with disabilities or special needs where private education may be more suitable. Perdue has said his plan would cost $900 million, which he denies.

"I believe in changing the status quo of our educational system," McCrory said. "But I've never recommended an across-the-board voucher system because the state's broke and couldn't afford it anyway."

Perdue responded by reading quotes and responses to voter questionnaires saying he supports vouchers for private and home school children and suggested he's more ardent about talking with them to conservative groups.

"I'd like to know what he's talking about," Perdue said.

(Associated Press in Education Week)

The Raleigh News & Observer points out that Perdue's ad claiming a voucher program would cost $900 million annually assumes every non-public student in the state would receive one. However, they also noted that McCrory did, in fact, indicate support on the survey by the N.C. Family Policy Council, answering "Yes" to the question, "Should parents who choose to educate their children in private, religious, or home schools receive a voucher or tax credit from the state?"

Libertarians reaffirm support for homeschool tax credit, vouchers, lighter regulation


Duke Professor and gubernatorial candidate Mike Munger, not included in the recent education debate, again stated his support for tax credits for homeschool families.

Phillip Rhodes, the Libertarian candidate for N.C. lieutenant governor, used his time in a debate on Tuesday to call for lifting "burdensome" regulations on homeschooling. He also expressed support for vouchers to increase competition in the school system and even suggested ending government-operated schools "altogether".

Homeschooling family chosen for next "Habitat" home

The Dunn Daily Record reports that Donna Smith and her daughter Kaitlyn will be the owners of the next home built by Harnett County's chapter of Habitat for Humanity. Construction on the home, just started, will be completed in early 2009.

Asheville homeschooler helps organize peace march

The Asheville Citizen-Times reports a group of "about 50 people ... marched through downtown Asheville Saturday to promote the cause of peace.":

"This would make peace and peacemaking a national priority,” said Daniel Pinelli, 16, a home-schooled student from Asheville who helped organize Saturday’s walk.

“The current situation in our world is one where violence is a cure-all, and I think until we see peace as a valid means of conflict resolution, we’re not going to get anything done.

“I am doing this for all of the kids my age throughout the world who need peace in their mind, peace in their heart and peace in their world, but do not receive it.”

The push to create the Department of Peace is championed by The Peace Alliance, a national organization with chapters across the country. A Cabinet-level secretary of peace appointed by the president would head the department.

The House bill, H.R. 808, has 70 cosponsors, although none are from North Carolina. All but one of the cosponsors are Democrats. The legislation was
first introduced in 2001.

U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler [D-NC] said he couldn’t support the legislation.

Shuler represents the 10th Congressional District, which includes Asheville.


Fayetteville mom homeschools in protest over school bus

Tammie Neiss-Mote told the Fayetteville Observer that she had been homeschooling her 4-year-old son because Ft. Bragg schools "have to be out of their mind if they think my son will be getting on that bus." Neiss-Mote had questioned the practice of mixing younger and older students on the same bus without monitors, seat belts, or car seats. She said her son weighs 36 pounds, which is well under the 8 year old, 80 pound requirement to ride without a booster in a private vehicle. School officials responded that safety is "an important factor" to them but N.C. public schools operate their buses the same way.


CDC says U.S. measles resurgence due in part to homeschoolers

Dr. Jane Seward of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention told National Public Radio that the return of significant measles outbreaks in the U.S. is "mainly children whose parents have chosen not to vaccinate."


"A high proportion of those children are home-schooled. In Illinois, pretty much all of the new cases of measles were among home-schooled children — and none of them were vaccinated," she says.


SPORTS: Euroclydon defeasts Westover Christian

From the Madison Messenger, Danville, VA:

ROXBORO, N.C. — Westover Christian fell to Euroclydon Home School in four games 26-24, 25-22, 17-25 and 25-22 on Tuesday. Peyton Parrish led the way for the Bulldogs (6-3) with 16 points and 10 digs. Donna Motley had eight points and six kills and Brook Grant had nine points and three aces.

In junior high action, Westover defeated Euroclydon in three games 20-25, 25-13 and 25-21. The Bulldogs (7-0) were led by Natalie Petrovich with 17 points and three kills. Sydney Bowles added nine points and four assists.

N.C. Homeschool News 9/14/08

Baptist survey finds 86% of Americans believe homeschooling is a Constitutional right: A telephone survey conducted this summer by LifeWay Research, a ministry of the Southern Baptist Convention, found that more than eight out of ten Americans support homeschoolers' right to teach their children. However, 54% of respondents also agreed that homeschoolers "often lack social skills".

The survey contacted over 1200 people and had an error of less than 3%.

Homeschooling growing as public schools shrink in Asheville: The Citizen-Times reports that public school enrollment has fluctuated in Buncombe County and Asheville City, but homeschooling has grown by 615 students in the past five years. Private school enrollment increased by 150 during the same period.

Two out of fifteen W.N.C. National Merit Scholarship semi-finalists are homeschooled: At least two of the semi-finalists in the National Merit Scholarship competition come from western North Carolina. Grace Broadwell and Nathaniel Jeffries will be considered for the scholarship which will be awarded in 2009. This was reported by the Asheville Citizen-Times, which deserves kudos for giving homeschoolers coverage that other papers frequently ignore.

N.C. Homeschool News 9/07/08

McCain voices support for home education: Presidential candidate John McCain, speaking at the Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency hosted by pastor Rick Warren, interjected his support for school choice and home education into Warren's scripted question and answer session:

"Can I just say choice and competition, -- choice and competition, home schooling, charter school vouchers, all the choice competition, I want -- look, I want every American family to have the same choice that Cindy and I made and Senator Obama and Mrs. Obama made as well and that was we wanted to send our children to the school of our choice. And charter schools work, my friends, home schooling works, vouchers in our nation's capital works. We've got thousands of people in Washington D.C. that are applying for a voucher system. New York City is reforming. I go back to New Orleans. They were -- as we know, the tragedy devastated them. They now have over 30 charter schools in the city of New Orleans and guess what? It's all coming up. It's all coming up. It's a simple principle, but it's going to take dedicated men and women, particularly in the teaching profession, to make it happen. And by the way, here in -- I won't go any further, but the point is it's all based and it's being proven that choice in competition for every American family and it is the civil rights issue of the 21st century because every citizens' child now has an opportunity to go to school. But what kind of opportunity is it if you send them to a failing school? That's why we got to give everybody the same opportunity and choice."

(Forum transcript, part 5)

Although he continued the theme of education as the civil rights issue of the 21st century, his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention this week did not mention homeschooling specifically.

Injured motorcyclist credits homeschoolers' prayers for his survival: In a follow up to last week's story, the Morganton News-Herald interviewed Jamie Freeman, the 21-year-old motorcyclist who was injured while showing off in front of a crowd of homeschooled and other teenagers at a Pioneer Football League event at the School for the Deaf. While coaches checked on his injuries, 160 teenaged boys knelt on the field and prayed for his recovery. "I just wanted to come out publicly and thank them for their support," he told the News-Herald.

Person Co. homeschoolers discuss their reasons and philosophy: The Roxboro Courier-Times spoke with several families, mentioning homeschool graduates from the area that attended Cornell University and Washington University of St. Louis and those who now serve as deputy sheriff or special ed teachers. Homeschooling parents interviewed include the head of the Business Development Center at Piedmont Community College and a former teacher at Roxboro Christian Academy, the latter now leading the Home Educators Association of Roxboro (HEAR). She points out, accurately, that "homeschooling is your life" when you take on the responsibility.

The sweet smell of success: Brian, Melissa, and Owen Gold are homeschoolers in the Triad town of Whitsett, N.C. They are also entrepreneurs who have saved $2000 -- after charitable giving -- from the profits of a candy vending business they started three years ago as a school project. WFMY-TV in Greensboro reported they current service some forty vending locations from Burlington to Asheboro.

Pursuing a dream: Joey Logano of Huntersville attended traditional schools when he lived in Connecticut, but since he became a stock car driver, his mother homeschools him. When he turns 18, he'll move up to the Busch Series races. The New York Times reported the story.

Homeschooler honored for 12 years of 4-H achievement: Rebecca Craven of Asheboro was inducted into the state 4-H Honor Club, in recognition of accomplishment and service in 4-H, leadership, and high moral standards. (Courtesy Randolph County Extension Service website)

N.C. Homeschool News 8/31/08

Homeschooled twins run "Best Lemonade Stand In America": Gunnar and Hunter Greer of Ocean Isle Beach won $1000 and a Nintendo DS in the contest sponsored by Inc.com magazine. The project started with a business plan and several investors, and earned nearly $1000 in sales besides the contest prize:

The Inc.com editors, who picked the winner from at least a hundred entries from across the country, were impressed that the twins took the lemonade stand seriously, "not just something to do on a lazy summer afternoon," said Ron Kurtz, the senior editor at Inc.com who was part of the panel that selected the winner.

"They sort of captured the essence of why we started this contest in the first place," Kurtz said.

(Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Sun-News, 8/30/08)

N.C. Homeschool News 8/24/08

McCrory again calls for vouchers for nonpublic education: Gubernatorial candidate and Charlotte mayor Pat McCrory spoke at the opening of the Allamance County GOP headquarters in Graham. According to the Burlington Times-News,

He said he wants to improve public schools, including charter schools, while also supporting parents who homeschool their children and advocating vouchers to give more parents the option of sending their children to non-public schools.

Congressman holds Town Hall meeting with Burke Co. homeschoolers: Rep. Patrick McHenry met with local home educators recently at Winkler Park in Hickory, as reported by the Hickory Daily Record:

"I'm a big supporter of homeschooling and the rights of parents to homeschool their children rather than leaving that choice up to a bureaucrat," said McHenry, adding, "You shouldn't be punished for homeschooling."

McHenry said he's in favor of providing vouchers or tax refunds for parents who educate their children at home to pay for expenses related to education because, "The cost to homeschool is significant — this is not free."

But, McHenry said, providing parents who homeschool with relief money is not a main priority for Congress.

"Unfortunately, I don't see Congress doing anything to fix this problem this year," he said.

"Homeschooling" to play Guitar Hero: The Raleigh News & Observer reported July 27 that 16-year-old Blake Peebles had convinced his parents to allow him to leave a traditional Christian high school to focus on becoming a professional video gamer, majoring in Guitar Hero. He is now being taught at home by tutors, although the paper continued to refer to the change in schooling as "dropping out" or "homeschooling", interchangeably. Blake now spends several hours per day practicing the game and has won about $1000 in prizes so far. The story has prompted widespread interest around the country, including references in Education Week and a video gaming blog that brought the News & Observer a stunning 85,000 visits to the already three-week-old story online.

160 football players "take a knee" to pray for accident victim: Reported in the Morganton News-Herald, when a motorcyclist's stunt resulted in a 50 mph crash next to a high school football game, players at the Pioneer Football League event held a spontaneous prayer meeting for the rider as coaches cared for the victim. PFL is made up of homeschoolers and other students whose schools may not offer a football program.

Economist notes "amateurs" outperform professionals: Thomas Sowell, writing in Townhall.com, points out that when untrained practitioners get better results than government-certified and -backed professionals, there is something seriously amiss in the profession:

If ordinary people, with no medical training, could perform surgery in their kitchens with steak knives, and get results that were better than those of surgeons in hospital operating rooms, the whole medical profession would be discredited.

Yet it is common for ordinary parents, with no training in education, to home-school their children and consistently produce better academic results than those of children educated by teachers with Master's degrees and in schools spending upwards of $10,000 a year per student-- which is to say, more than a million dollars to educate ten kids from K through 12.

Nevertheless, we continue to take seriously the pretensions of educators who fail to educate, but who put on airs of having "professional" expertise beyond the understanding of mere parents.

(Noted by George Leef at the Pope Center for Higher Education, Raleigh, NC)

UPDATE: Fixed the broken link on the Morganton football story; sorry for any inconvenience.

EDITORIAL NOTE: I'm pleased to be back in the U.S. and back on N.C. Homeschool News. Saudi Arabia was a very different kind of place, and for myself, I'm glad to be back in a country with cool breezes, green grass, and occasional thunderstorms. My pictures are posted on my personal blog, The Inundated Calvinist. -- Hal

NCHSN Pause

N.C. Homeschool News will be on a short break while the editor attends to business overseas. Please check back for more news of interest to home educators in the Tarheel State.

N.C. Homeschool News 8/03/08

Number of N.C. homeschool students tops 70,000 this year

The number of homeschools in North Carolina grew by 6.4% in 2007-08, reaching some 71,000 students, according to data released by the N.C. Division of Nonpublic Education on Friday. DNPE publishes the statistics on homeschooling each August 1, after they are analyzed by the state demographer.

Since homeschooling was officially recognized by the 1985 N.C. Supreme Court decision Delconte v. North Carolina, the number of children taught at home has grown from 809 in 1985-86, the first year data was collected, to an estimated 71,566 in the school year just completed. The estimated enrollment in N.C. homeschooling year to year has never declined.

Wake and Mecklenburg counties have the highest number of homeschooled students with 7059 and 5595 respectively, while Chatham and Camden counties grew by the greatest percentage this past year (40.5% and 33.3%)

The announcement in the Associated Press has made national news, as seen on websites for Fox News in Atlanta, Orlando, and New York; local TV stations in Virginia and South Carolina, and wire reports in the Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Sun News.

Homeschoolers represented just under 4.5% of all school aged children in the state last year. According to data from DNPE and the Department of Public Instruction, there were 1,423,727 students in N.C. public and charter schools and 97,656 students in conventional nonpublic schools last year, meaning one of every twenty-two was being taught at home.

Friday's announcement means that 169,222 N.C. students, or 10.6%, were educated outside the public school system last year, saving taxpayers over $1 billion in avoided school costs.

(NCHSN Exclusive)

N.C. Homeschool News 7/27/08

Legislative session ends with little effect on homeschooling


The N.C. General Assembly completed its 2007-2008 session this month after passing only a few bills directly impacting homeschooling. Two changes were made to the home education statute, both of them requiring the Division of Nonpublic Education to make information available to homeschoolers through their website. Section 115C-565 was amended to include the following:

The Division of Nonpublic Education, Department of Administration, shall also provide to home schools information about cervical cancer, cervical dysplasia, human papillomavirus, and the vaccines available to prevent these diseases. This information may be provided electronically or on the Division's Web page. This information shall include the causes and symptoms of these diseases, how they are transmitted, how they may be prevented by vaccination, including the benefits and possible side effects of vaccination, and the places where parents and guardians may obtain additional information and vaccinations for their children.

The Division of Nonpublic Education, Department of Administration, shall also provide to home schools information on the manner in which a parent may lawfully abandon a newborn baby with a responsible person, in accordance with G.S. 7B‑500. This information may be provided electronically or on the Division's Web page.

The bills required the same information to be distributed to students in public and private schools as well, and was not targeting homeschoolers.

A number of other bills which would have effected homeschooling in one way or another died in committee. These included proposals for raising the compulsory attendance age to 17 or 18 (H1474 and H2289 = S1812); tax credits for special needs children who attend nonpublic schools (H388 = S2059); and tax credits for nonpublic school students generally (S702 = H430 and S703 = H421).

One additional effort would have required public school students to meet the standard defined for homeschoolers. House Bill 494 would have replaced the North Carolina-specific tests with nationally standardized tests, as required of nonpublic schools since 1978 and homeschoolers since 1988.

(NCHSN Exclusive)


85 Sex Offenders Live Within One Mile of Davidson County Schools

Sex offenders are not allowed to reside within 1,000 feet from a child-care center, school or park. However, this does not include home schools or institutions of higher education.

(Lexington Dispatch, 7/21/08)



Homeschooling will allow gymnast time with "elite" coaches

Mary Scott Alexander wants to be an elite gymnast one day, maybe even compete in the Olympics. So the Charlotte 11-year-old plans to be home-schooled starting in the fall. That will make it easier for her to practice more at her training center, Southeastern Gymnastics. ...

And the staff knows how to train elite gymnasts. Four of them, including director Ludmilla Shobe, have coached on national levels in Eastern Europe. It's rare for an N.C. gym to have such a coaching pedigree, and it's likely a reason Southeastern has developed many standouts.

(Charlotte Observer, 7/20/08)

N.C. Homeschool News 7/20/08

Asheville public schools shrink while nonpublic schools grow


Public school officials in Asheville are wondering why a significant number of parents are taking their children out of the system rather than send them to Asheville Middle School. Homeschooling is mentioned as one alternative, but just as an observation rather than a problem. (Asheville Citizen-Times, 7/20/08)



New Christian school is a hybrid but doesn't fit homeschool definition

A new "university model" Christian school opening this year in Boone will offer services to homeschoolers and incorporate a certain amount of home instruction in their full program. However, parents should be aware of the state's legal definition of homeschooling and be sure their family's educational program clearly fits one definition or the other to avoid becoming inadvertently truant. (Boone Mountain Times, 7/17/08)


Reminder: Homeschooled sixth graders need new vaccines, too

The New Bern Sun-Journal continues the statewide series of articles about new school vaccination requirements, which includes homeschoolers as well as those in traditional schools.
(New Bern Sun-Journal, 7/14/08)


Wilmington family interviewed for TV report on homeschooling


The family of Brett and Ashley Teeter are featured in this story from WWAY-TV in Wilmington.
(WWAY-TV, Wilmington, 7/13/08)



Homeschooled Motocross rider wins big in Tennessee event


Taylor Futrell, 17, of Clinton, N.C., was the winner in four races at the Kawasaki Team Green Motocross Championships, held at Muddy Creek Raceway in Bountville, Tenn. Futrell won the Schoolboy Classic after winning the MX Lite, MX A Pro, and College Boy races in the same event. This was his first professional outing in six years of motorcycle competition. (Tri-Cities Sports.com, Kingsport, TN, 7/15/08)

N.C. Homeschool News 7/13/08

NEWS



N.C. newspaper sponsors homeschooling blog


In what may be a first in North Carolina, the Hendersonville Times-News is hosting a homeschooling blog on their newspaper's website. Homeschooling in Henderson County is edited by Kerry Jones, a western N.C. native and mother of two homeschooled sons, and features a weekly listing of "opportunities and events" as well as news and announcements of interest to homeschoolers.




N.C.'s vaccination rules held up as standard for U.S. homeschoolers


An article in the Journal of Law, Medicine, and Ethics worries that unvaccinated homeschoolers are a public health problem, and holds up North Carolina's requirements as a good example for other states. Homeschooling researcher Dr. Milton Gaither (Messiah College, PA) reviews the article here and notes that a desire for privacy should not keep homeschoolers from joining the debate:

[H]omeschoolers do themselves and others a disservice when they remove their voices from this important public discussion in an quixotic effort to go off the grid. But given the lack of evidence in this article, it is by no means clear that homeschoolers are in fact off the grid on this issue.

(Milton Gaither, Homeschooling Research Notes, 7/11/08)




Homeschool family business is one of Charlotte's "top food experiences"


The Charlotte Observer recently highlighted Waxhaw's New Town Farms as one of Charlotte's "culinary 50":

A lot of hands keep Charlotte's local-food movement growing. But Sammy and Melinda Koenigsberg are the roots. He was co-founder of the Matthews Community Farmers Market. Their farm was one of the first in the area to add Community Supported Agriculture subscriptions. They're both active in Charlotte's Slow Foods chapter. Oh, and they home-school eight kids. Their enthusiasm for local food is infectious.

(Charlotte Observer, 6/17/08)

N.C. Homeschool News 7/06/08

NEWS


Apologia publisher purchased by N.C. homeschool leaders


Apologia Educational Ministries, publisher of the Apologia Science textbook series, has been purchased by Davis and Rachael Carman of Waxhaw. The Carmans, long term board members of North Carolinians for Home Education, plan to expand the publisher's business into non-science curriculum and practical and inspirational books, and have already signed on Zan Tyler and Deborah Bell while retaining Apologia founder Dr. Jay Wile. (Read the full story on NCHSN)


Editorial: Homeschoolers "should be willing" to submit to Social Service inspections

The Rocky Mount Telegram's July 2 editorial says homeschoolers "should be applauded" for their efforts to "give their kids a leg up and to protect them from unwanted outside influences." However, their recommendation doesn't mesh with the positive comments:

Quite often, public and private school employees intervene and report suspicious behavior to social service officials. Sometimes schools are able to save good kids from bad parents.

But there is no one to protect home-schooled children from abusive parents.

Because of that, home-school families should be willing to submit to more oversight, perhaps in the form of occasional visits from social workers.

(Article: Rocky Mount Telegram, 7/2/08 - Letters to the Editor can be submitted here.)

On again? Raleigh newspaper includes homeschoolers in tax credit

Amid mounting opposition from public school organizations, the special needs education tax credit again includes homeschoolers, according the Raleigh News & Observer -- but is unlikely to come for a vote this session. (News & Observer, Raleigh, 7/3/08)

EXTRA - Apologia publisher purchased by N.C. homeschool leaders

(Special to NCHSN) Apologia Educational Ministries, the publisher of the Apologia Science textbook series, has been purchased by Davis and Rachael Carman of Waxhaw, N.C. Davis serves as administrative vice president with North Carolinians for Home Education. He and his wife Rachael are popular speakers and long term leaders in state and local homeschool circles.

Davis said his plans include expansion of the company's product line to include non-science curriculum as well as other practical and inspirational homeschooling books. Well-known author and speaker Zan Tyler was hired by Davis to acquire authors and be the primary editor. Deborah Bell has already been signed by the company for several books in the coming twelve months. Founder and author Dr. Jay Wile will continue to write and speak for the company's existing line of creation-based science curriculum.

Davis and Rachael will continue to live in Waxhaw, near Charlotte, and maintain the company's publication center in Indiana. They are currently homeschooling their seven children and plan to graduate their oldest next year. (NCHSN Exclusive)

N.C. Homeschool News 6/29/08

NEWS


Education Committee excludes homeschoolers from special needs tax credit bill


The House Education Committee this week approved changes to a tax credit bill that would prevent special needs homeschoolers from qualifying for a benefit worth as much as $6000 per year.


Though neither the House nor the Senate versions of the bill specifically mentioned homeschooling, the wording of the proposal would have allowed home educators to apply because N.C. law considers them a form of nonpublic school. The committee's changes will disqualify homeschoolers from participating in the program if it passes.


The bill has enjoyed bipartisan support in the legislature, but the state teachers' lobby, the N.C. Association of Educators, has voiced strong opposition. (Rocky Mount Telegram, 6/25/08)


References: House Bill 388 (version 1) = Senate Bill 2059 (version 1)


NCHE officer says violent acts not related and not about homeschooling

Kay Bindrim, regional director for North Carolinians for Home Education, told the Rocky Mount Telegram that the recent trial and conviction of Lynn Paddock in Johnston County was "clearly a child abuse case and not a home school case."

A second death, a 13-year-old who was being homeschooled out of compliance with the law, occurred in Edgecombe County this month. "I don't see how the two go together," Bindrim said. Bindrim is president of the Christian Homeschool Association of Rocky Mount. (See related article below). (Rocky Mount Telegram, 6/29/08)

SCHOLARSHIPS

Morgan Gray Scholarship awarded to China Grove homeschooler


Bryson Nesbitt of China Grove has been selected to receive the Morgan R. Gray Scholarship, worth $825. The scholarship for Rowan County homeschoolers was founded in memory of Morgan Gray, an 11-year-old homeschooler who was killed in an auto accident in 2001. Bryson will be attending Catawba College this fall. (Salisbury Post, 6/25/08)


PEOPLE

Homeschooling growing for a variety of reasons in Rocky Mount

A positive story in the Rocky Mount Telegraph, including NCHE's Kay and Tommy Bindrim and several other homeschooling families in the area. (Rocky Mount Telegraph, 6/29/08)

N.C. Homeschool News 6/22/08

NEWS

Homeschoolers may need booster shots under new vaccination rules

Following up on the earlier announcements, homeschoolers who are older than 12 on August 1 and have not had a tetanus/diptheria/pertussis vaccination in the past five years will be required to have a booster shot to keep their vaccinations up to date. The new rule applies to students in all forms of school, not just homeschoolers. (Rockingham, Richmond County Daily Journal, 6/19/08)

Social Services report finds fault with themselves, but suggests watching homeschoolers too

A Social Services commission investigating the death of Sean Paddock in Johnston County released its report this week, finding that procedures at three social services agencies were unable to predict or prevent the 4-year-old's death. Recommendations included the suggestion that the Division of Non-Public Education seek more funding to allow more inspections of home schools, but no changes were suggested to the state's homeschooling statute.

Remarkably, local media reports focused on the homeschooling recommendation, bypassing several pages of findings on the process which allowed Sean's foster family to adopt him and his siblings in spite of questions raised during the adoption process.

On Friday, North Carolinians for Home Education released a brief statement to its membership, pointing out that there was "no causal relationship" between homeschooling and child abuse.

Sean's mother Lynn Paddock, who was homeschooling Sean's older siblings, is serving a life sentence for murder and child abuse. (NCHSN Exclusive)

ACADEMICS
NCHE announces 2008 scholarship winners


Seven homeschool graduates were named in NCHE's 2008 Scholarship Program at their annual conference, May 24, in Winston-Salem.


John Calvin Young of Smithfield received the Don and Linda Lassiter Scholarship, NCHE's first renewable, four-year award, sponsored by Johnston County couple of that name.


Kelsey Rushing Farson of Davidson and Jared Michael Hostetler of Hendersonville received the HINTS Support Group Scholarships, sponsored by the Charlotte organization.


Timothy Carl Kroboth of Charlotte, Andrew Stephen Woods of Winston-Salem, Shana Marie Hakanson of Wilson, and Christina Elizabeth Banner of Conover received the NCHE Scholarship (North Carolinians for Home Education press release)


Apex homeschooler wins $10,000 scholarship from drug manufacturer

Jordan R. Hill of Apex has been awarded the $10,000 Steven C. Chellevold Memorial Scholarship by the Schering-Plough Corporation. Jordan plans to attend UNC-Chapel Hill. (Raleigh News & Observer, 6/xx/08)


PEOPLE


Aberdeen homeschooler is finalist in Miss N.C. Outstanding Teen


Charity Haskins of Aberdeen, Miss Fayetteville Outstanding Teen, was named one of the top three scholars in the Miss N.C. Outstanding Teen pageant on Saturday. Charity, a 17-year-old, was one of ten finalists in the state competition in Raleigh. (WRAL, 6/21/08; Fayetteville Observer, 6/19/08)

N.C. Homeschool News 6/15/08

NEWS

STATE - Bill provides tax credits for special needs students in nonpublic schools

Two bills in the N.C. General Assembly (H.388 = S.2059) would provide parents a tax credit of as much as $3000 per semester for qualified expenses to provide special educational services to their children in nonpublic schools. According to the House bill's primary sponsor, Rep. Skip Stam (R), the tax credits estimated at $18 million would cost the state about $2 million, but would save counties $6 million -- and allow parents to seek the best possible educational support for their child, if they need to look outside the public school system. Video of the press conference is available courtesy the John Locke Foundation. (The Locker Room, 6/10/08)

ACADEMICS

BURKE - Two Burke County homeschool grads appointed to service academies

The Morganton News-Herald reports that Gordon Fein has been appointed to the U.S. Military Academy (West Point), while David Gillette has been appointed to the U.S. Air Force Academy. Both had already received nominations to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy when they received word of the second appointments this week. (Morganton News-Herald, 6/10/08)

GUILFORD - Homeschool mother contemplates "mission accomplished"

Linda Vestal of Gibsonville writes for the Greensboro News & Record. Her June 11 column, which was also posted on Red Orbit under the title "Mission Accomplished", reflects on her daughter Hannah's graduation from homeschooling. (Greensboro News & Record, 6-11-08)


HAYWOOD - Local association graduates four homeschoolers

The Haywood Christian Home Educators recognized and celebrated the graduation of four seniors at a ceremony held May 9 at Dellwood Baptist Church. (Asheville Citizen-Times, 6/14/08)

JOHNSTON - Another homeschool graduate heading to West Point

David Auge of Smithfield has been appointed to the U.S. Military Academy (West Point), following in the steps of his father who also graduated from the Academy. (NCHSN Exclusive)

ARTS

WARREN - Homeschooled brothers from Raleigh to perform at historic concert venue

Carter and Wyatt Coleman of Raleigh are featured violinists in the annual student concert at Cherry Hill plantation in Inez, N.C., on June 15. The two brothers have studied violin since the age of four and have won numerous awards and recognitions. (The Warren Record, 6/13/08)

AWARDS

CABARRAS - Pack 94 awards "Arrow of Light" to six scouts

Joshua Bakita, Joshua Cowles, Scott Darden, David Mason, Steven Patton and Patrick Taylor, all homeschoolers, received the Arrow of Light award at graduation ceremonies for Pack 94 last month. The award is the highest achievement in Cub Scouts. (Charlotte Observer, 6/12/08)

N.C. Homeschool News 6/1/08

NEWS

BURKE -- Seven homeschoolers graduated at commencement ceremonies of the Burke County Home Educators, held at the Old Burke County Courthouse, May 31. (Morganton News-Herald, 5/31/08)

AWARDS

JACKSON - Sylva homeschooler wins bronze in international project competition

Martha Hall of Sylva has received a bronze medal in the 1st International Sustainable World Energy, Engineering and Environmental Project Olympiad, held in Houston, Texas, May 1-5. The competition included students from 52 countries and 38 states. (Carolina Newswire, 05-22-08)

N.C. Homeschool News will be back shortly

North Carolina Homeschool News will take a short break for the North Carolinians for Home Educational Annual Conference in Winston-Salem and a well-deserved family vacation. Please check back for the next edition, coming soon.

N. C. Homeschool News 5/25/08

ACADEMICS

JACKSON - Sylva homeschooler Martha Hall received a bronze medal in the 1st International Sustainable World Energy, Engineering and Environmental Project Olympiad, held in Houston, Texas, May 1-5. The competition included students from 52 countries and 38
states. (Carolina Newswire, 05-22-08)

PEOPLE

CATAWBA - Rod Helder, director of the N.C. Division of Non-Public Education, is on the agenda as a presenter at the 2008 Love to Learn Conference, to be held at Catawba Valley Community College, Hickory, NC, on August 16. (website)

N.C. Homeschool News 5/18/08

NEWS

STATE -- The 24th annual NCHE Conference and Bookfair will draw thousands to Winston-Salem this week. Keynote speakers are Debra Bell, author of The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling; Dr. Jeff Myers, head of the Myers Institute for Communication and Leadership; Shelley Noonan of Pumpkin Seed Press; and author and counselor Paul Tripp. Events will include 90 workshops and sessions; a book fair covering over 50,000 square feet of exhibition space; a college and camp fair; a music festival hosted by Piedmont Bible College; an all-star basketball game; and two full high school graduation ceremonies. (North Carolinians for Home Education)

STATE -- Teenage victim of N.C. plane crash was a homeschooler from Florida
(St. Petersburg Times, 5/18/08)

McDOWELL -- Mom who homeschooled her son after he was spanked by his charter school talks about it on Dr. Phil (WSPA-TV, Spartanburg, SC, 5/16/08)


SPORTS

GUILFORD -- The first annual State Homeschool East-West All-Star Basketball games will take place on Friday, May 30th at Greensboro College at the Hanes Gym on West McGee Street. The girls will play at 5:00 p.m. and the boys at 6:30 p.m. The event is hosted by the NCHE Athletic Conference and is being held in conjunction with the NCHE Conference in Winston-Salem.


PEOPLE

CATAWBA -- Lisa Baxter, the daughter of Jerry and Tammy Thomas of Sherrills Ford, has received a four-year scholarship worth $100,000 from Berea College (Charlotte Observer, 5/18/08)

N.C. Homeschool News 5/11/08

SPORTS

Salisbury -- Jessie Whitesides, a homeschool graduate from Yadkinville, plays outfield for Catawba College's Lady Indians softball team. Here, she scores in the season finish playoff game against Mars Hill. (Catawba College, 4/7/08)


PEOPLE

Durham -- Homeschoolers Heather Lane and Brianna Holbert are "veteran volunteers" at the Duke Homestead historic site. Here, they are part of the small group planting tobacco seedlings while a larger group of visitors looks on. (Durham News, 5/10/08)

Kannapolis -- Homeschooler Amanda Burris has published her first novel at age 17. Remember the Dance: The Story of Nora Shanahan is a romance set in Ireland during the 1840s. (Concord & Kannapolis Independent Tribune, 2/11/08)

N.C. Homeschool News 5/4/08

NEWS

ALAMANCE -- School board candidate calls for public schools to use homeschool curriculum. At least, that's what I think she said -- read the comments of Rebecca Stumpfig in the article. (Burlington Times-News, 5/3/08)

McDOWELL -- Family begins homeschooling after 12-year-old son is paddled at school. (Asheville Citizen-Times, 5/1/08)

SPORTS

ROWAN -- The Cabarras-Rowan Homeschool Stallions defeat in-state rival Raleigh Warriors in Marietta, GA, to win a berth in the Homeschool World Series (Salisbury Post, 5/1/08)

UPDATE: More from reader Cindy Vedder: Our son Jared plays for the Raleigh Warriors. We were at the game. They almost came back and won in the 7th inning. They were down 9-3 at the start. Then followed five or six consecutive hits and a walk. The game winning double play was a "line drive" to the first baseman, who caught it and tagged first. So it ended 9-7. It was a heart-breaker for our team. I hope the Stallions do well in the Homeschool World Series!

N.C. Homeschool News 4/27/08

NEWS

STATE -- Republicans from the 2nd Congressional District have elected a homeschooled high schooler as part of their delegation to the Republican National Convention this summer. John Calvin Young, son of Hal and Melanie Young of Smithfield, was selected as an alternate delegate to the Convention, to be held in Minneapolis in September. John Calvin, 18, has been active with Republican campaigns and Teen Age Republicans for several years, and will be majoring in political science and economics at Washington and Lee University in Virginia this fall. (NCGOP 2nd District website, 4/26/08)

WARREN -- Letter writer says that state senate candidate Chuck Stires supports school choice, including homeschooling (Virginia/North Carolina News, 4/23/08)

BERTIE -- South Mills homeschoolers visit alpaca shearing in Windsor
(Hampton Roads Virginian-Pilot, 4/27/08)


SPORTS

PENDER -- Homeschooled member Joshua Butrim shares the team's recognition for "Safest Handling of Firearms on the Line" in 4-H District shooting competition at Camp Tuscarora (Wilmington Star-News, 04/22/08)


PEOPLE

BUNCOMBE -- Homeschooler finds interest and diversity in discussions of "Blue Moon Group" (Asheville Citizen-Times, 4/27/08)

N.C. Homeschool News 4/20/08

NEWS

STATEWIDE -- Homeschooling is mentioned as part of the education platform of gubernatorial candidate Sen. Fred Smith (Leland Tribune, 17 Apr 2008)

CABARRUS -- State senate candidate Thomas Hill says state should encourage homeschooling as an answer for school construction costs (Charlotte Observer, 17 Apr 2008)

ORANGE -- Editorial calls for refundable education tax credits, and notices that they cover homeschoolers in some states (UNC-Chapel Hill, Daily Tar Heel, 14 Apr 2008)


SPORTS

DAVIDSON -- Davidson County Community College Foundation Scholarship Golf Tournament will fund scholarships that include homeschoolers from Davidson and Davie
counties. (Lexington Dispatch, 14 Apr 2008)


PEOPLE

HAYWOOD -- Homeschool father called "The Michaelangelo of Maggie Valley" (Waynesville, Smoky Mountain News, 16 Apr 2008)

MECKLENBURG -- Homeschool mother Tina Witt wins one of fifty tickets from the Charlotte Diocese to see the Pope in D.C. (WSOC-TV, Charlotte, 14 Apr 2008)

N.C. Homeschool News 4/13/08

NEWS

NATIONAL -- N.C. homeschool mother Jennifer James, founder of National African-American Homeschool Alliance, is part of an article on the growth of homeschooling among black families. She estimates they make up 10% of the homeschooling population, which is an increase over the 5-6% estimate I heard from other advocates and researchers several years
ago. (New York, The Village Voice, 04/08/08)

DAVIDSON -- Community college holds third homeschooling conference to promote dual-enrollment options. DCCC has also used the conference to recruit homeschoolers for their Early College program, which is a public high school. (WFMY-TV)

DURHAM -- The team from Quest Homeschoolers of Durham advances to the world finals of Odyssey of the Mind, to take place at the University of Maryland this summer (The News & Observer, Raleigh, 04/09/08)

HENDERSON -- Letters from students in the Henderson County Homeschool Association are included in the time capsule of the newly renovated Henderson County Courthouse dedicated this week (The Times-News, Hendersonville, 04/12/08)

WAKE -- Class of homeschoolers takes part in wild bird banding with N.C. Museum of Natural History (The News & Observer, Raleigh, 04/11/08)


PEOPLE

NATIONAL -- Former North Carolinian and Environthon coach Mary Sund takes her success with Envirothon to Arizona, where her team from the Home Educators of Yuma takes a third place finish in state competition. (The Sun, Yuma, AZ, 04/05/08)

CUMBERLAND -- Fayetteville homeschool mother Patti Katter featured in story about military wives (The Daily Tar Heel, Chapel Hill, 4/1/08)

CUMBERLAND -- Fayetteville homeschoolers send thanks to local Food Lion for sponsoring their two-day debate tournament (Fayetteville Observer, April 3, 2008)

DAVIDSON -- A 9-year-old Lexington girl is homeschooled due to a rare blood disorder; a fund raiser to defray her medical costs is planned for April 19. (The Dispatch, Lexington,
04/11/08)

N.C. Homeschool News 3/31/08

SPORTS

HENDERSON: Three of the state's top four Level 7 gymnasts are homeschoolers and heading to the state championship at Elon University (Hendersonville Times-News - March 29, 2008)

PEOPLE

GASTON: Mount Holly bluegrass band founded and led by the homeschooling Flowers family (Gaston Gazette - March 24, 2008)

N.C. Homeschool News 3/23/08

NEWS

STATEWIDE -- Republican gubernatorial candidate and former state Supreme Court justice Bob Orr calls for tax credits for "approved expenses" as part of his educational strategy ensuring parents are partners in the educational process. He does not mention homeschools explicitly in the policy paper on his website.

MECKLENBURG -- Over a thousand families are homeschooling in the Lake Norman area, according to this story. (Charlotte Observer, 03/02/08)

ACADEMICS

DURHAM -- Quest Homeschoolers of Durham will be competing in the state Odyssey of the Mind competition April 5 in Greenville. "Earlier this month, 1,118 students from 69 schools and organizations showed off their creativity in the Eastern Region competition. Teams advanced to the state finals by excelling in events such as writing and performing humorous skits on why dinosaurs became extinct and developing a balsa-wood structure that weighs no more than 15 paper clips but can support a huge amount of weight." (Raleigh News & Observer, 03/19/08)

MECKLENBURG -- Kelsey Rushing Farson, the daughter of Jak and Teresa Farson of Davidson, has been named a 2008 Morehead-Cain Scholar, one of the most prestigious scholarship programs in North Carolina. The scholarship to the University of North Carolina is worth over $80,000 and pays for summer programs and a laptop computer in addition to full tuition for the univeristy. The Morehead Scholarship was renamed last year after a $100 million donation from the Gordon and Mary Cain Foundation. Congratulations Kelsey! (Greensboro News-Record, 3/12/08)

SPORTS

STATEWIDE -- Homeschool teams from Greensboro and Wake Forest were reported as favorites in the 12th annual East Coast Basketball Championships at Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA. (Lynchburg, VA, News-Advance, 03/19/08)

BUNCOMBE -- The Western Carolina Athletic Association Trailblazers established their credibility in a 1-1 tie against Enka High School in Asheville. (Asheville Citizen-Times, 03/23/08, with photo) According to Ernie Hodges, president of North Carolinians for Home Education, rules for the N.C. High School Athletic Association do not allow homeschooled athletes to be members of public school teams; however, there is nothing that restricts homeschool teams from competing against the public schools, as in this case and others around the state.

CLEVELAND -- Gardner-Webb University's women's softball program signs a homeschooled star from Virgina, where she led her club teams to national championships. (Gardner-Webb
University press release, 03/17/08)

ORANGE -- Hillsborough's Euroclydon Storm downs the Binghamton Blaze in quadruple overtime, 90-86, at the East Coast Home School National Basketball Tournament in Lynchburg, VA. (Binghamton, NY Press & Sun-Bulletin, 03/19/08)

RANDOLPH -- Jonathan McNeill of Asheboro won the state K-12 chess title and a $1500 cash scholarship at the N.C. State Scholastic Championship, sponsored by the N.C. Chess Association, February 22-24 in Charlotte. He will be representing the state at the G.M. Arnold Denker Tournament of High School Champions in Dallas this August. (Susan Polgar, 02/25/08)

PEOPLE

ASHE -- 2007 champion speller Josiah Wright, a homeschooler from Fleetwood, will give introductory remarks to the contestants of the 2008 Winston-Salem Journal Regional Spelling Bee. (Winston-Salem Journal, 3/24/08)