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HEAV's Virginia Homeschool Update

February 3, 2009

Above the Fold
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Box Tops for Education Please Don't Throw Away Those Empty Boxes!
Before you toss that next food box or can, check to see if it has a Box Top label. You'll be surprised by all the products that do! You can turn those labels into cash for your homeschool support group--and for HEAV! Each box top label is worth 10 cents!

Now 10 cents might not sound like a lot, but it adds up fast! Thanks to those of you who submitted labels or shopped through the Box Tops Marketplace, HEAV recently received a check for $3,500! Those little labels can support homeschooling in a BIG way.

Now Is the Time to Submit Your Labels!
Box Tops are only submitted twice a year, and the February 15 submission deadline is fast approaching. HEAV must RECEIVE the Box Tops by February 15 to submit this winter. Any labels received after that date will not be submitted until the next deadline in September. Follow the details on our website to send the tops you've saved to HEAV!

Unsure What Products Have Labels?
View a list of products containing Box Top labels.

Special Opportunity for Food Lion Customers
If you shop at Food Lion, you can earn bonus Box Tops all year long! View more details about the Food Lion specials.

Find out more about the Box Top program on our website at www.heav.org/events/boxtops/index.html!


Colonial Williamsburg presents Homeschoolers Experiences Colonial Williamsburg presents Homeschooler Experiences
Explore Colonial Williamsburg's Historic Area during February 21-March 8, 2009, and discover a variety of activities and special programming for homeschoolers. Take time to experience Revolutionary City®, our interactive, outdoor street theater! For more information, see the link below.

http://www.history.org/History/teaching/groupTours/SchoolandYouth/homeschools.cfm

 


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How to Get Your Child off the Refrigerator and onto Learning February's Top Pick - Free Shipping!
How to Get Your Child off the Refrigerator and on to Learning
By Carol Barnier
Reviewed by Linda Trumbo, homeschool mother of five and past publisher of the "How to Homeschool Newsletter."

"If you have a fidgety, wiggly, or ADHD child, this book will provide practical ideas as well as encouragement from a mom who has learned God's wisdom for homeschooling her own ADHD child.... I found this book to be 'a keeper' because it has so many creative ideas for teaching and loving." Read the entire review.

Get free shipping on How to Get Your Child off the Refrigerator and on to Learning for the month of February! Order your copy here for $15.29 (members)/$16.99 (non-members).

Carol Barnier Don't Miss Carol Barnier's Workshops at the June Convention!
Carol Barnier, the author of How to Get Your Child off the Refrigerator and on to Learning, will be speaking at the HEAV convention! Her workshops not only leave you laughing, but also leave you with a bundle of practical material to use right away. Her organization, "Open Gifts," is dedicated to helping others to rejoice in the unique ways we've each been created and to see that these differences ARE the gifts. With much humor and fervent desire to "put on God's spectacles," Carol invites each of us to plunge into the delicious process of opening these gifts sent to us by our heavenly Father, learning to use our uniqueness to live out the wondrous plan He has made on our behalf. Mark your calendars for June 11-13, 2009, and register for the convention today!

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Upcoming Homeschool Success Seminars
Don't miss these great opportunities to get your questions answered and learn valuable skills! Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, or just confused about where to begin or what to change, an afternoon at a Homeschool Success Seminar might give you just the encouragement, ideas, and jumpstart you need!

Vicki Bentley COMING TO NORTHERN VIRGINIA - THIS WEDNESDAY!
High School 101: Blueprint for Success
Springfield, Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Vicki Bentley, mom of 17 homeschooled students, shares the secrets to mapping out a successful high school course of study, and shows why the high school years are the most important years to homeschool. She covers planning; recordkeeping; preparing for college admission and/or apprenticeship, military service, or other options; and much, much more. Don't miss this you-can-do-it seminar! Read more and register today.


Yvonne Bunn COMING TO LYNCHBURG - THIS SATURDAY
How to Begin Homeschooling: What You Really Need To Know!
Lynchburg, Saturday, February 7, 2009
Are you ready to begin homeschooling? Get your questions answered and use the information from this seminar to get off to the right start! What are the first things you should do to get started? What does the law say? Where can you get curriculum? What kinds of records should you keep? Where can you get help? Maximize your success with practical ideas from Yvonne Bunn, a veteran homeschool mom who has helped thousands of families begin homeschooling. Read more and register today!

Janice Campbell WORKSHOP RE-SCHEDULED!
SAT Essay Prep Workshop - Are you ready for the SAT essay?
Due to a conflict with our speaker's schedule, the SAT Essay Prep Workshop has been rescheduled. It has been moved one week later to Thursday, February 19, 2009. For those of you who haven't signed up yet, you still have time! We have four spaces left! Call 804-278-9200 to reserve your place.

Workshop Description: Is your high school student preparing to take the SAT this year? Is your student intimidated by the new SAT essay? Would he or she benefit from learning and practicing writing strategies for timed essay questions? If so, Janice Campbell's Beat-the-Clock Essay workshop offers just what your student will need to overcome writer's block and create an easy-to-read, well-organized essay--within a short time! Read more and register today.

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Supercharged Science Camps Register Now for June Supercharged Science Camps!
Richmond, Monday through Wednesday, June 15-17, 2009

Enjoy three wild days of hands-on science at these camps co-sponsored by HEAV and Richmond Regional Home Educators, and led by real mechanical engineer, airplane pilot, astronomer, university instructor, and rocket scientist Aurora Lipper.

Science Camp (for ages 7-12) - Blast rockets; wire up burglar alarms; play with lasers; build whirling, zipping, dancing robots; and more! Kids learn basics in aerodynamics, physics, electromagnetism, robotics, engineering, and astrophysics and take home everything they build. Cost: $140 plus $55 material fee.

RoboCamp (for ages 12-18) - Launch rockets, wire up homebuilt robots and sensors, build laser light shows, and much more during the three-day teen science-and-engineering camp. Kids learn basics in circuitry, robotics, engineering, optics, and astrophysics and bring home everything they build. Cost: $140 plus $85 material fee.

Special for HEAV Members: Registration price includes bonus DVD, which contains several additional experiments in aerodynamics, electricity, robotics, and optics you can do after the camp! Limited to the first 100 HEAV members to sign up. (Retail Value: $25)

View more information and register online today, or contact Supercharged Science at 805-617-1789.

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FREE EVENT - THIS FRIDAY
Reagan Symposium: The Future of the American Presidency
Regent University has extended an invitation to homeschoolers 16 and older and their parents to attend the fourth annual Reagan Symposium, held on February 6, 2009, from 9 a.m. till 4 p.m. at Regent University.

At the symposium, eight of the nation's leading scholars will address what the future holds for the world's most powerful and prestigious office. Admission is free.

Note: Childcare is not provided, and organizers request parents not bring children under 16 years of age, as the program is not suitable for younger children due to its strong academic nature.

You can find out more and register for the symposium online at www.regent.edu/reagan. The deadline for registering for the free lunch was January 30; however, you can still register for the symposium at the website above.

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Patrick Henry College Congratulations - Patrick Henry College Wins Moot Court Again!
Patrick Henry College, a college supported by the Home School Legal Defense Association, recently captured their third National Championship in the 64-team, 128-competitor field American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament. Patrick Henry also won the trophies for the top three teams, as well as other honors. These are remarkable achievements in an extraordinarily competitive tournament! View pictures and read more on the website.

http://www.phc.edu/20090120.php

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Website Reminder
Remember to check the websites of your favorite museums, historic sites, or cultural groups for updates, or subscribe to their newsletters. Space limitations keep us from publicizing all of the events that may interest your family!

If you need ideas on field trips, check past Virginia Homeschool Updates to find events or sites we have listed in the past. You may also want to consult the Virginia field trip information we have on our website.

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Help Wanted! UPDATE HELP NEEDED
Do you love gathering information? We're looking for someone to oversee collecting and evaluating resources for the Update. Position typically takes 5-10 hours per week; $75/month stipend provided. If interested, please contact Katherine at kloop@heav.org or 703-352-0681.

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1) Homeschool Items
View All Homeschool Items
1.1 Janice Campbell: Beat-the-Clock Essay Workshop - Gainesville - Register by February 13
1.2 Thomas DiLorenzo: History and Economics Lectures - Colonial Heights - February 17-18
1.3 Home Educators' Weeks - Colonial Williamsburg - February 21-March 8
1.4 Andrew Pudewa: Institute for Excellence in Writing - Colonial Heights - February 18-21
1.5 "We Make History" Living History Day - Harper's Ferry Area - May 9
1.6 What Do I Do with All These Contests?
1.7 Article - Buying a Dictionary?

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2) General Interest Items
View All General Interest Items
2.1 History Lectures and Exhibits - Richmond and Elsewhere - February
2.2 Free Kennedy Center Performances - Washington, DC - February
2.3 Answers in Genesis Presentations - Richmond - Register by February 6
2.4 Free Answers for Darwin Seminar - Lynchburg - February 15-17
2.5 Space Scholars Intern Program - Greenbelt, MD/Wallops Island, VA - Apply by February 17
2.6 Free Guitar Orchestra Mini-Concert - Norfolk - February 17
2.7 Science and Engineering Apprenticeship - Applications Due February 27
2.8 Needed: Christian Camp Counselors - Williamsburg - Apply Now
2.9 Grand Magnolia Ball - Loudoun County - RSVP by April 24

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3) Cool Sites for Homeschoolers
View All Cool Sites for Homeschoolers
3.1 Free Christian Historical Fiction - Expires February 12
3.2 Notebook and Pray - Free Pages on the President
3.3 How to Teach Science and the Periodic Table Even to Younger Kids
3.4 Black History Month - Do You Know All of These People?
3.5 Top 10 Tips - Get Little Children into Classical Music
3.6 CLEP Lesson Plans and Yahoo Group

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4) Parting Thought - Astronomers Declare February No Longer a Month
Emboldened by their success in declaring Pluto not a planet, the International Astronomical Union determined this week by a close vote that February is too short to be considered a true month. It has, however, been granted the newly-created status of "dwarf month." February shares this dubious distinction with several other calendar time spans, including Christmas Vacation, How Long Your New Year's Resolution Lasted, and The Time Between When You Were Supposed to Get Your Oil Changed and When You Actually Did.
- Adapted from a piece by Michael Haber

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5) Worth Repeating
"The classroom must and will become an arena of conflict between the old and the
new--the rotting corpse of Christianity, together with its adjacent evils and misery, and the new faith of humanism."
- John Dunphy, in the article "The New Faith of Humanism and Teachers," published in the January/February 1983 issue of the Humanist Magazine.

Hear a Christian radio program on Humanism in the public schools from Coral Ridge Ministries here.

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6) Verse of the Week
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
- Isaiah 5:20 (KJV)

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7) Homeschool Laugh of the Week - 20 Great Reasons You Homeschool
Homeschool Laugh of the Week
REASON #15
"You Can Wear Pajamas to Class and Not Be Kicked Out..."

Written and illustrated by Jim Erskine. Reprinted with permission. Jim Erskine also manages www.HomeschoolFreebieOfTheDay.com, where you can find a new free homeschool resource every weekday.

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Submit an Item
Know of an event, contest, or resource that would be of interest to homeschoolers? Please submit it using our online form at www.heav.org/update_submit.html.

Note: We compile information for publication at least two weeks prior to send-out date, so please submit items as early as possible (preferably one month in advance). HEAV reserves the right to accept or reject any material submitted.

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Disclaimer
The Virginia Homeschool Update is produced by Kathleen Dillie (copy editor), Chris (editor), Anna Dykhoff (graphic designer), Katherine Loop (update manager), and Anne Miller (director of publications & marketing).

HEAV does not necessarily endorse the above-mentioned resources, nor guarantee the accuracy of information found on any external resource we may mention. If you find anything wrong on our website, please let us know so we can correct it.

HEAV diligently researches each link prior to publication. However, we recommend you, the parent, fully examine websites before allowing your children to surf them without supervision.

Copyright © 2009 by the Home Educators Association of Virginia. All rights reserved. You are free to pass along all or part of this Update, but please include the following credit line when you do: "Taken from HEAV's Virginia Homeschool Update, a free newsletter for Virginia homeschoolers. You can sign up at www.heav.org." You may modify this credit line if needed, but please credit HEAV and link to the HEAV website (www.heav.org).

Home Educators Association of Virginia - Supporting Homeschooling in Virginia Through Information, Legislation, and Resources


Home Educators Association of Virginia

e-mail: update@heav.org

phone: 804-278-9200

web: http://www.heav.org