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Home Schooling Works

THSC would like to congratulate Arielle Buckner. Arielle is the Category 3 First Place Winner in the annual poetry contest sponsored by the Young Voices Foundation. Category 3 covers kindergarten through second grade.

Arielle is currently a kindergartner. Young Voices Foundation received well over 1,000 entries to the annual poetry contest, making this a great achievement.

Read other home school success stories.

Tim Tebow/Collin Klein Bill Filed

Working to Expand Opportunities

We spent the better part of this week in Austin working with legislators on key issues important to the home school community in Texas. A week ago today State Representative Harold Dutton (D) of Houston filed HB 1374, which would allow home school students to participate in UIL activities in the school in whose district they reside. UIL was created in 1913 for all Texas students.

In 1915 eligibility was restricted to white, public school students. According to testimony in the Leeper vs. Arlington ISD case, at this time, 80% of the students in Texas were home schooled. Although minority students were allowed to participate in UIL beginning in 1967, home school students are still excluded.

We are referring to this legislation as the "Tim Tebow bill," since he was a home schooled student who played with a public school team in Florida and later earned a scholarship to the University of Florida. Once at the University of Florida, he won a Heisman Trophy in 2007 and now plays in the NFL.

Read the rest of Tim’s blog.

Around the Web

50 Mac & Cheese Recipes

Kids’ Questions About Daylight Savings Time

Design Your Dream Garden

2.3 Million Home Schoolers Saving Taxpayers $16B

~ Michael F. Haverluck, OneNewsNow.com

Academic and socialization aspects of homeschooling in American aren't the only plus for children and the nation.

Even though many conservatives argue that the current administration has done little to cut the budget or taxes, the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) contends that homeschoolers have saved taxpayers billions.

"Families engaged in home-based education are not dependent on public, tax-funded resources for their children's education," NHERI founder Dr. Brian D. Ray states. "The finances associated with their homeschooling likely represent over $16 billion that American taxpayers do not have to spend since these children are not in public schools."

Finish reading this article.

Child Trophies

~ Jacinda Vandenberg - growinghomeblog.com

If there's one thing I've observed in 13 years of being home schooled and now as a second-generation home schooling mom, it's that home educators seem particularly susceptible to turning their children into trophies of achievement. This is not an argument against home schooling (I sing its praises all the time!), but rather, a reminder (mostly to myself) to guard against the temptation to show off our children in an attempt to prove our "greatness" as a teacher.

John S.C. Abbot in his excellent book, The Mother At Home, records the response of a preacher after being highly commended by one of his parishioners following a sermon:

"Be careful, my friend," said the clergyman, "I carry a tinder-box in my bosom."

If a great man of God so easily admits his propensity to an inflamed ego, how much more dangerous do we make things for ourselves and our children when we place them in situations where they're sure to be flattered?

Read the rest of this blog post.

Events Around Texas

April 3, May 2 - THSC Capitol Days
April 8 - Houston Children's Museum
March 20 - Bob Bullock Museum
April 20 - Texas State Home School Track and Field Championships
April 29-May 3 - WaterWorks Education Center

THSC Resources and Member Benefits

THSC REVIEW Magazine

Check out the electronic version of the THSC REVIEW Magazine.
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This magazine has encouraging articles written by those who have been there/done that to help you in this great adventure of home schooling!

THSC Member Benefits

When you join THSC Association or renew your membership, you immediately receive member benefits and discount opportunities.

This week's featured member benefit is:

CollegePlus! Coaching

$250 off $2,997 CollegePlus tuition

Don’t forget to "spring forward"
beginning 2:00 a.m. on March 10th!

Liberating a Concentration Camp and
Other Real-Life Testimony from World War II

Jimmy Gentry was only nineteen years old when, as a member of General George Patton's 3rd Army, he was one of the first liberators of the Dachau concentration camp on April 29, 1945.

Mr. Gentry is an incredible storyteller who recognizes the importance of passing on true history from generation to generation by sharing his real-life experiences. Mr. Gentry is 86 and has such a sharp mind. He tells his stories of the war as if he were there yesterday. His generation is few in number and even fewer in the number of those who can recall with such clarity the detail of the war and also the ability to relate the hand that God had in it.

Your family has the opportunity to see Mr. Gentry at Founders Baptist Church in Spring, Texas on March 22nd. Admission is free. Find out more.

Whom have I in heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Psalm 73:25-26

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The articles in this newsletter reflect the freedom of home educators in Texas to choose from a wide variety of home school philosophies and teaching methods. Opinions and attitudes expressed in articles do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of the Texas Home School Coalition. THSC does not endorse or advocate any one method or philosophy or any views expressed when clicking away from this newsletter. The board encourages each home educator to seek God's will in determining what is best for him, his school, and his students.

Publication of advertisements does not signify endorsement of items or services offered.