Homeschool HUB News Update--November 19

Homeschool HUB News Update--November 19 Homeschool HUB phone: 269-240-6094 email: homeschoolhub@yahoo.com   website: www.hshub.org Editor: Andrea Bikfalvy   The information below is offered to you as a service.  Please research and decide for yourself the value to your family.  The Homeschool HUB does not endorse any programs or services other than those offered by the Homeschool HUB.     Send information to be added to the update no later than the Thursday before the week you want it to appear:  homeschoolhub@yahoo.com ON THE CALENDAR: Details for the following events are on the calendar at: www.calendar.yahoo.com/homeschoolhub HERE'S THE BUZZ: 1) Berrien County Homeschool Spelling Bee 2) Drama Opportunities 3) Accompanist Needed 4) Free Christian Lecture 5) College Scholarship Opportunities 6) HUB Christmas Party 7) Bittersweet Ski Area Discount Cards are Here! 8) Volunteer Opportunities 9) Niles Parent Partnership Starting - Meeting Monday 1) Berrien County Homeschool Spelling Bee   I have confirmed the dates at The Chapel Evangelical Free Church (4250 Washington Ave., St. Joseph, MI) for this year's spelling bee, so check your calendars and request your lists!   The Berrien County Homeschool Spelling Bee will be Friday, May 20, 2011, at 10:00 a.m., usually lasting until 1:00 p.m.  There will be one practice, which is set for Monday, May 9, 2011, at 3:00 p.m.  This will take one to two hours.   There are lists for kindergarten through 8th grade.  We use words from the Spelling Workout curriculum from Modern Curriculum Press, plus a simple kindergarten list.  It is not necessary to use the Spelling Workout curriculum.  If you prefer, your student can just study from the lists.  Even if you are using the curriculum, get a list to use before the bee because duplicate words have been eliminated from grade to grade.   You can request your list by calling at 269-849-0172 or email at mewmegna@sbcglobal.net I will ask for participation commitments in March 2011.  I expect that the fee will remain at $3.00 per student.   Be sure to include the names of all participating students and the grade list you wish to study.  If you are not sure which grade to use, I can send lists from additional grades.  To determine which list to use, test your student on some words from a list he has not yet looked at.  If he already knows approximately 50% or more of the words, go to the next grade level up and test again.  If your student knows very few of the words, or has a difficult time learning spelling words, go to a lower level.  The bee should be a fun challenge.  We don't want to make our students hate spelling!   If you have any questions please call or email me at the number or email listed above.  Happy Spelling!  Michele Megna 2) Drama Opportunities Lullaby of Broadway II It's that time of year again! Auditions for L.O.B. II.....Saturday, January 8th at 1:00 p.m. The auditions will be held at the Train Museum Theater located at 721 S. Main Street and they will include ages 7-Adult. We will teach the song and dance at the auditions.  Please come with a thorough list of schedule conflicts. Premier Arts Ambassadors We have a new opportunity for actors ages 12-18.   We are starting an Ambassador group!  This group will be representatives for Premier Arts at special functions and they will perform a Y.E.S. show for local schools. Once you become a member of the group, you will be required to attend rehearsals on Monday and Wednesday evenings, and you will pay group dues of $25.00 per month. Craig Gibson and Sue Frost-Mayse will be the directors and advisors. Ashley Frost will be the choreographer, and Liesl Bell will be the vocal instructor. Audtions will be held on December 14th and 15th at 6:00 p.m. at the Train Museum Theater located at 721 S. Main Street.   If you wish to audition, you must pick up an audition packet at the Box Office, 131 Tyler Street.  This packet will include a song, and a reading that you should prepare for the auditions.  You can pick up the packet anytime after November 21st. Questions:contact sue@premierarts.org We are offering a Christmas Camp for the first time ever! When:  December 27, 28, 29, 30 Where:  Location to be determined (in Elkhart) Times:  9-2 daily with a performance on December 30th at 7:00 p.m. Theme:  Since we can't go anywhere for Christmas...we will bring Disney to Elkhart! The camp will include selections from Disney Classics, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Pocahontas, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast...to name a few. Cost:  $195.00 Ages:  7-13 The children will be responsible for their own lunches for the camp. Snacks will be provided each day. Special offering:  If you want to purchase the "Gift of Christmas Camp" for a loved one, we will provide a specially wrapped gift with a camp gift certificate enclosed. The special child in your life can be surprised when they open up the gift on Christmas morning! -------------------------------- Save the Dates!   Lullaby of Broadway II  Feb. 24-27 Music Man and Music Man Jr.  July 15-17 (at the new Lerner Theater!) Pinocchio  October 14-16 A Christmas Carol    December 9-11 -------------------------------- Contact Sue Frost-Mayse   sue@premierarts.org Website   www.premierarts.org 3) Accompanist Needed Dolly Edwards needs a pianist to accompany her for a school recital.  She plays trumpet.  The song is Dedication by William Polz.  Date is Dec. 4.  Location is Edwardsburg, but not sure which school yet.  Time 11:11 am.  She  has the sheet music.  Please call her or me (Meg) at 269-683-3163 or email me at emeggke@sbcglobal.net. Thanks! 4) Free Christian Lecture If God is all-good and all-powerful, why is there evil and suffering in our world?  This problem is one of the most common reasons that atheists give for not believing.  It also is one of the hardest questions that Christians ask when tragedy strikes their families.  Dr. Roy Gane, Seminary Professor at Andrews University, will address this question on Friday evening, December 3, at 7:00 pm at the Pioneer Memorial Church Youth Chapel. 5) College Scholarship Opportunities Scholarship Opportunities- applications are available in the Financial Aid Office at Bethel College for the following scholarships: Boren Scholarships- for students pursuing study abroad.  Application and information is  available at www.borenawards.org  .  Deadline is February 10, 2011. Dorsey-Gray Literacy Scholarship- open to all students.  Additional information is available at www.altheadorseygray.com .  Deadline is April 2, 2011. U.S. Bank Internet Scholarship-  open all students.  Application available at www.usbank.com/scholarship .  Deadline is March 2011.   ROTC / MILITARY PROGRAMS Army ROTC- Learn about leadership and full-tuition scholarship opportunities.  Additional information is available at www.nd.edu/~army . Air Force ROTC- It's a challenge. It's an opportunity. It's a head-start on a lifetime of success within the Air Force and a dedication to succeed in all you choose to do. Simply put, Air Force ROTC is a college program that prepares you to become an Air Force Officer. Additional information is available at www.nd.edu/~afrotc/ SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH SERVICES- Try the following FREE websites for scholarship information:  www.fastweb.com  www.edfed.com  www.brokescholar.com  www.WeeklyScholarshipAlert.org  www.salliemaefund.org 6) HUB Christmas Party Our December Games Night will also be a Christmas Party!  We will have a Christmas treat exchange (cookies, candy, fudge, whatever you want to make).  Bring a minimum of 2 dozen and package them in groups of six.  Take as many home as you bring.  Bring a snack to share and your best holiday spirit.  More details to come. 7) Bittersweet Ski Area Discount Cards are Here! Bittersweet Ski Area Discount Cards are Here for the 2010 - 2011 Season! For each student card (up to high school age 18 yrs and younger) fill out a form and send in with money.  For each adult card (out of high school and above) fill out a form and send in with money.  The ski/snowboarding discount cards are available for EVERYONE.  Forward or send this to anyone interested. Get your forms in early...this has been a warm year and we could have an early season!  We have been skiing in the past on Thanksgiving weekend!  Think Winter! See attachments for all the information... 8) Volunteer Opportunities Do you have a talent to share and love senior citizens? Brentwood Assisted Living in Niles is setting up the weekend schedule for 2011 and would love to have you participate.  They are looking for individuals or groups to come anytime between 1 and 4 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.  Perhaps you have a hobby that you could talk about or share - seniors enjoy hearing about new and interesting things.  They especially love music, bring your guitar or piano music to play or sing your favorite tunes.  If you are a teen and play an instrument in the band or orchestra, this would be a good opportunity to gather some friends and volunteer together.  One woman came and shared how she made quilts - what are you willing to share?  To find out more contact the Volunteer Center . If Niles is not close to your home and this sounds like a fun option - contact the Volunteer Center we will help you find a place to volunteer closer to home. As we head into the holiday season many people begin to think about what they can to share out of their abundance or how they could teach their children a lesson in sharing.  The Soup Kitchen has reported to me that they have plenty of volunteers for both Thanksgiving Day and Christmas since they have a regular team of volunteers that provides food and support each year.  So I will save you a phone call.  Here are a few other ideas for you to consider: 1)  A couple in Bridgman, where the wife is receiving hospice care would love to have a home cooked meal on Thanksgiving Day.  Perhaps you cook a large quantity of food and have some to share.  Call the Volunteer Center for details if you would like to provide a meal. 2)  Prepare the whole meal or parts of the Thanksgiving Day meal for the men staying at the Salvation Army Men's Shelter in Benton Harbor .   If you or your family would like to volunteer to serve it or join the celebration, call for details.  A friend of mine went with his family; they played checkers with the men while his daughter played the piano - making it more like a family gathering. 3)  Donate the items in a basket for a Thanksgiving Day dinner.  Contact the Food Line with the United Way of Southwest Michigan at 982-4100 and they will pass it on to a household that has contacted them about their need or been referred by a local organization. 4)  A project that you can do together at home as a family is to make cards for people who are homebound and receive Meals on Wheels.  It brightens their day.  They can have a holiday theme or just be of a general theme, since they will share them after the holidays.  You can drop off the cards at one of the Volunteer Center offices or at Senior Nutrition, Napier & Colfax in Benton Harbor .  You can also make cards for military personnel.  The Blue Star Mothers will be sending cards and letters through the year - even after the holiday. If you would like to consider other options - take a look at our web site: www.volunteerswmi.org and link to 1-800volunteer.org. Debra Panozzo Adult and family volunteer coordinator Volunteer Center of Southwest Michigan 269-983-0912 ext 303 St. Joseph 269-683-5464 ext 322 Niles www.volunteerswmi.org 9) Niles Parent Partnership Starting - Meeting Monday Please see attached an advertisement for the Niles Community Schools version of the Parent Partnership.  An informative meeting will be taking place on Monday.   If you have any further questions please email Gail Bliss blissfamily@gmail.com or call her at 269-683-0439 or 574-340-1025 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LINKS TO SHARE: Human Anatomy http://www.innerbody.com/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CLASSIFIEDS Looking for a group?  Join the HUB! There are several benefits of membership including a travel club and a resource library. Members receive first chance at events and classes when availability is limited.  The cost of membership is only $24/year.  Information about becoming a member is on the website www.hshub.org     GUITAR LESSONS Strum Strum Strum (Imagine your child doing this.) Strum Strum Strum (Contact homeschooling dad Hugh Duncan for guitar lessons in Buchanan or Saint Joseph.) Strum Strum Strum (269-983-2888) Strum Strum Strum. SAXON MATH SALE As a fellow homeschooler I want to share that Classical Conversations is holding a 3-day sale on Saxon Math books. For the sake of blessing others, Classical Conversations is providing this savings as a thank you to their own program members and to the extended homeschooling community. For 3 days only, from 8:00 a.m. EDT November 19th through 9:00 p.m. EDT November 21st Saxon Books are 30% off at www.classicalconversationsbooks.com.  I invite you to pass this sale along to your members so that they may be blessed by it! Serving Christ through Home Centered Education, Crystal Pfeifer Michigan State Manager CCScribbleCCC-transparent cpfeifer@classicalconversations.com www.classicalconversations.com www.classicalconversationsbooks.com Have something for sale, free or trade?  Advertise here! Homeschool groups are welcome to advertise their group, too.  It's free! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LETTING IT RIDE: The Homeschool HUB is collecting used textbooks.  Contact Diane Day:  joharding_20@yahoo.com or 269-445-1900. The Homeschool HUB is continuing to collect Campbell Soup labels, Campbell's Chunky Soup labels, Campbell's Healthy Request labels, Campbell's Select harvest, Franco-American, Pepperidge Farm, Spaghettios, Swanson, V-8 Beverages, V-8 Fusion, Prego Italian Sauces and Campbell's Food Service.   Give your labels to any board member or bring them to our homeschool functions. --AND-- We are still accepting Boxtops for education labels.  You can find these on many products. Go to Boxtops for Education.org for more info, and then SAVE SAVE SAVE  those labels.  Each one nets 10 cents and every 10 cents adds up. You can give them to any HUB board director or bring them to any of our functions that we will be having.  Thank-you! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DISCLAIMERS: While the Homeschool HUB believes that these events or opportunities may be of value to home educators, announcements do not constitute an endorsement by the Homeschool HUB, or its Board of Directors. It is the responsibility of individual parents to determine the appropriateness of any event or opportunity for their children. Participation in any event is voluntary and the participant assumes complete responsibility and liability for themselves, their family, anyone accompanying them, and their personal property.