Home schoolers convention in Richmond June 10-12, 2010

I received a phone call this week from a 20-something mom of two who was looking for information about home schooling. Her oldest, she said, was ready to begin kindergarten.

As a fourteen-year home school veteran who served on the local support group's Board of Directors for a decade, I have fielded dozens of calls over the years from those wanting information about educating their children at home. The difference in the latest inquiry? It was a home school friend's daughter calling ... a daughter whose mother had taught her and who was now preparing to home school her own children.

If you home school or even if you are just thinking of home schooling, the 27th Annual Home Educators Association of Virginia (HEAV) convention is the place for you next weekend. Curricula, science projects, manipulatives, art supplies, reading books, demonstrations, workshops, lectures, used curriculum sale ... there is much available at the convention as you begin or continue your home school journey.

The highlight of the convention weekend is Saturday afternoon's graduation of home schooled high school students from throughout the Commonwealth and beyond. Both my children participated in the HEAV graduation in Richmond, bringing closure to that portion of their educational experience before heading to college.

Check out this year's convention program to pre-plan your day(s), learn more about speakers, and map out where your favorite vendors are located. That book you saw in a catalog? There's nothing like talking with the vendor and actually handling the curricula to see if it fits your needs.

Held Thursday through Saturday, June 10-12, 2010, at the Richmond Convention Centre, the convention is a fulfilling experience with more materials available than can be imagined. For those beginning the journey, it's an affirmation that many walk the path with them and they are not alone. As they have for 27 years, HEAV's resources provide strength, encouragement, information, and the tools necessary for a successful educational experience.

Home Educators Association of Virginia Convention ... maybe I'll see you there!