Photography Challenge

My name is Derek Schnepper. I am 15 years old and counting the days until I turn 16 in March. I've always been homeschooled. And, yes, I like it.

I'm issuing a monthly photography challenge to anyone who wants to join me.

First, set up your own Shutterfly account. Ask me to join: http://www.DerekSchnepper.shutterfly.com. Shutterfly pictures can easily be downloaded for printing and to your Facebook account.

Challenges will begin February 1, 2010 and run monthly ending January 31, 2011.

February's challenge:
Black and white photos

If you are a homeschooling teen in the Chicagoland area, check out EON Teens on Facebook. It's a group designed to network with other teens in the area.

InHome Conference - Registration is Open

Registration is OPEN!

Registration has begun for the
13th annual InHome Conference

March 18th – 20th
Pheasant Run Resort & Spa, St Charles, IL

Go NOW to www.inhomeconference.org to register online!

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Featured Speakers:
John Taylor Gatto, Resa Steindel Brown, Jim Weiss, Blake Boles

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The InHome Conference features hundreds of workshops for children, teens, adults, and families! You’ll be amazed at the variety! KIDS LOVE IT!

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Fun Events include Meet & Greet, Talent Show, Family Dance, Teen Dance, Children’s Craft Fair & Flea Market, & Imaginarium Fair

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Hotel Amenities include an Indoor/Outdoor Pool (swim outdoors in winter!), On-site Dining, Lobby Bar, Terrace Cafe, Bourbon Street, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream

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And don’t forget about our Exhibit Hall with free admission, daily raffle prizes, and great vendors!

Hurry – You don’t want to miss this conference!

Beat that late-winter slump by coming to the InHome Conference –
being surrounded by hundreds of like-minded homeschoolers is
the best pep talk you can get!

Join our Yahoo group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inhomeconference/ to ‘meet’ and chat with other conference-goers.

Shakespeare "The Tempest" at Wheaton College's Jukebox Theater

Jukebox Theater stages Shakespeare drama “The Tempest”

Wheaton College’s Jukebox Theater is staging “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare, March 24 -27. Shakespeare’s play is a comedic romance of the highest caliber, filled with comic characters and vengeful villains, strange creatures and hapless sailors, a powerful wizard and his lovely daughter.

All performances begin at 8 p.m. and take place in Barrows Auditorium, located in the east wing of the Billy Graham Center at 500 College Avenue in Wheaton. Jukebox Theater is a student-run theater company at Wheaton College. Tickets are $3 and are available at the door. For more information, call 630.752.5015 or email jukebox@wheaton.edu.

Homeschool Gymnastics Class

Hello fellow homeschool group leaders! I’m just passing along some info about a potential new homeschool gymnastics class at Excel Gymnastics in St. Charles, IL. They already offer this daytime class for homeschoolers in Batavia, and if we can create enough interest they will bring a class to St. Charles! Please pass this along to all the local homeschoolers you know and ask them to contact Amy directly with their interest (Amy’s e-mail address is at the bottom of this message).

Thanks!
Kris Besic

Positive Connections Homeschoolers
http://www.meetup.com/Positive-Connections-Homeschoolers/


From: Positive-Connections-Homeschoolers On Behalf Of Amy
Sent: Thursday, January 14, 2010 10:44 PM
To: Positive-Connections-Homeschoolers
Subject: Homeschool Gymnastics Class!!

Hi everyone,

We've been doing gymnastics classes through Excel Gymnastics in Batavia. I was talking to one of the managers after class today and he said they would open up another class to homeschoolers in their St. Charles location if there was enough interest. I told him that I would contact members of our group to see if there is any interest. We love these classes and the coaches (at the Batavia location) are fabulous. We have done gymnastics classes through the park district and other locations and our experience at Excel far surpasses these other classes. This is a great opportunity for exercise and I have even seen boosts in my kids self esteem since starting these classes. They offer classes for preschoolers at the same time, which is very nice for families with younger kids as well. Benjamin is in the homeschool class and Gabi does the preschool class.....it works out great and they both love it. So, here is what they are proposing to offer to homeschool families:

Existing class is on Thursdays from 11:00-12:00 for kids ages 6 and up. They also have preschool classes (3-4 years) and a Kindergym (5 year olds) at the same time (the preschool class is 45 minutes long). The class is at Excel Gymnastics in Batavia (2301 Main St., Batavia).

New Class: Suggested day/time is Wednesdays at 11:00-12:00 at the St. Charles location (3N800 Peck Road, St. Charles). Coach Tony said that there would be a preschool class (45 minutes) at the same time and that they could also combine 4 & 5 year olds for a Kindergym class as well. The homeschool gymnastics class would be for kids ages 6+.

The new session starts next week, but they said they could start the new homeschool class anytime (eg, if families were not ready to start next week). They need only 4 kids to start the class! Please email me ASAP if you would be interested in this class for one or more of your kids. Please let me know how many kids and their ages....and which location you would be most interested in. A note on location.....We live out in Carol Stream, and for us (according to Map Quest) there is a 3 minute difference between the St. Charles and Batavia location. If you live further east of St. Charles there may not be much difference in travel time to either location. If there is enough interest to get a new class going I will contact Coach Tony at Excel and let him know so that they can move forward with making these arrangements.

Thank you!

Amy Sebastian
asebas0900@sbcglobal.net

Wonder Capes

http://www.wondercapes.com/index.html

At Wonder Capes we are looking to spark the imagination of children everywhere. With a little bit of creativity & magic we can create a whole wide world of wonder for kids of all ages. Won’t you join us?

For every 10 Wonder Capes sold, 1 Comfort Cape will be donated to a child at a Children's Hospital.

Comfort Capes are made with soft flannel fabric, for hospitalized children. The goal is to be soft to the touch. Something they can snuggle with. Keep them warm. Whatever they need or want their Cape to be.

Or you can choose to donate a Comfort Cape. Honor someone special, celebrate a special occasion, or give in memory of a loved one by making a donation to Comfort Capes in their name.