Homeschool HUB News Update--December 17

Homeschool HUB News Update--December 17 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 January 14--Bowling at Strikes and Spares, 1:00-3:00, $5/pp January 14--HUB Games Night at Niles Police Station Complex January 21--Homeschool Skate at USA Skate 1:00-3:00, $3/pp including skate rental. HERE'S THE BUZZ: 1) Tubing and Cross Country Skiing at Five Pines 2) Niles Extended School Community Update 3) Upcoming Plays 4) Harlem Globetrotters - Homeschoolers Group Rate 5) Scholarship Contests for grades 6-12 6) Volunteer on MLK Day/Honor Dr. King 7) Tennis Class for Homeschoolers - reduced rate 8) Time for Juniors and Seniors to sign up for MME test 9) Free Junior Tennis Clinic at Notre Dame     1) Tubing and Cross Country Skiing at Five Pines Tubing/Skiing days at Five Pines will be January 14 & February 11 from 10 am - 2pm. Costs are Tubing or Skiing $6 both for $9.  Hope to see you there!   **New this year** Five Pines is requirig a "Assumption of Risk & Release Form" to be filled out by parents of each participant.  If you are accompanying your child, you may fill one out at Five PInes.  If you are sending your child/ren with someone else, they will need to have the form in hand, filled out by parent,  before they can participate.  The form is available for download through the attachment in this email.     2) Niles Extended School Community Update The deadline for registering is January 14th.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact Gail Bliss at 269-683-0439 or by email at blissfamily@gmail.com.     3) Upcoming Plays   Mainstage Theatre at Lake Michigan College is presenting the educational performance of historic  "John Henry".  Tickets have been reserved for the 10 am performance on February 3, 2011.  The cost is $3 per seat and paid reservations are required to secure your seat.  Please contact Diane Day, 269-445-1900/269-370-4589, no later than January 17, 2011.   Bethel College Theatre Department is presenting "Cinderella" February 10, 11 & 12.  They have graciously provided us with a discounted matinee performance on February 10 at 9:30 am.  Tickets for this performance are $5 per student, teachers attend free.  Paid reservations are required and tickets may be purchased through Diane Day, 269-445-1900/269-370-4589.  There is limited availability so please reserve soon.   4) Harlem Globetrotters - Homeschoolers Group Rate!   Ever see the Harlem Globetrotters in action??? There is an opportunity coming up to do just that and at a discounted price! They will be at Notre Dame at the Purcell Pavilion, Friday January 21, 2011. All homeschoolers, and their families and friends are invited to join us in this event! The cost is $15.00 per ticket at our price! (They are regularly $28.00.) So we are getting a great deal with this!   We only need 20 people for this rate, but can have up to 200. Ok, gang, who wants to join us?? Please let me know by Monday the 15th. For more info email me at: justmolly77@ aol.com or you can call or text me: 574-850-5899   You can check them out online at www.harlemglobetrotters.com   I always wanted to go as a kid but never had the opportunity, now we all do!     5) Scholarship Contests for grades 6-12   VA Sponsored Youth Competitions   1) They have a high school patriotic art contest with an entry deadline of March 31st.  Top prize is $10,000.  The info is here:  https://members.ladiesauxvfw.org/eweb/images/Patriotic%20Art%2009-10.pdf.   2) They have a high school public speaking contest with a top prize of a $30,000 scholarship.  Here is the description from their web site:   HOW TO ENTER: Students should first draft their essay based on the 2011-2012 theme: "Is There Pride in Serving in Our Military?" Students should then record their reading of the draft to a CD. The recording should be no shorter than 3 minutes and no longer than 5 minutes (plus or minus 5 seconds).   Entries begin at the Post level. Once the student has created their essay and completed burning the audio version to a CD, they should submit their typed version, CD and the Voice of Democracy entry form to their local participating VFW Post no later than November 1, 2011.   More info and entry forms to download are here: http://www.vfw.org/Community/Voice-of-Democracy/    3) They have a junior high (grades 6, 7, 8) essay competition with a top prize of a $10,000 savings bond.   HOW TO ENTER: Students should first ask a teacher or youth group leader to supervise their progress in the competition. Then the student should contact a local participating VFW Post and establish a contact person who is a member of that Post or its Ladies Auxiliary.   Next, it's time to start drafting considering the 2011-2012 theme: "Are You Proud of Your Country?" Essays must be no less than 300 words and should not exceed 400 words and should be submitted to the Post, along with the completed Patriot's Pen entry form no later than November 1, 2011.   More info and entry forms are here:  http://www.vfw.org/Community/Patriot-s-Pen   All entries must be submitted to a VFW Post competition. If you have difficulty identifying a sponsoring Post in your area, call the Patriot's Pen national office at: (816) 756-3390, ext. 220 or e-mail: swilson@vfw.org. 6) Volunteer on MLK Day/Honor Dr. King   "Everyone can be great because everyone can serve."  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.   To honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, consider serving as a volunteer making it a day on rather than a day off in the recognition of his birthday.   ACTIVITIES   FOCUS:    Mentoring WHERE:    Lake Michigan College , Napier Ave , Benton Harbor WHO:      People attending the annual M.L.K. Day breakfast and program.  WHEN:     Monday, Jan. 17 from 7:45 to 10 a.m. ACTIVITY: Reflect on who mentored them and/or how Dr. King impacted their life writing their thoughts on a public display.  Consider becoming a mentor.  EAT:      You are invited to the breakfast and program but please RSVP to Kathy at LMC 927-6197.    FOCUS:    Provide encouraging cards to homebound individuals WHERE:    YMCA of Benton Harbor/St. Joseph, 3665 Hollywood , St. Joseph           YMCA of Buchanan/Niles, 905 Front St . , Niles WHEN:     Monday, Jan. 17 through out the day.  ACTIVITY: 1)  There will be a table in the lobby of each YMCA where individuals can stop and create cards to be delivered to homebound individuals with their Meals on Wheels.  It will brighten their day to be remembered on a cold winter day.  You can dedicate an hour or more to monitor the table at the YMCA, encouraging people to make cards or making cards yourself.  Idea: Make a card with a quote from Dr. King honoring his legacy.  2)  Making cards can be a service learning activity where ever children, youth or adults are gathered together.  Cards will be passed on to Senior Nutrition Services and delivered with Meals on Wheels.  Make cards at home with your kids, at work with coworkers or at church with friends.  Later that week:   FOCUS:    WE CAN! promoting a healthy lifestyle for children WE CAN! Ways to Enhance Children's Activity and Nutrition WHERE:    Emergency Shelter Services, 645 Pipestone, Benton Harbor           Church in Niles (details to follow) WHO:      Emergency Shelter Services hosts a monthly support group for individuals and families who coming out of homelessness.  WHEN:     Wednesday, Jan. 19 in Benton Harbor , 6 to 7:30 pm           Wednesday, Jan. 26 in Niles , noon to 1:30 pm ACTIVITY: Everyone will have a meal together.  The adults will have a presentation about the life and legacy of Dr. King, the children will do activities focusing on nutrition, exercise and healthy living. TASKS:    1)  Transport clients from their home to meeting place and back home again. 2)  Meal: donate food; prepare food, serve the meal, or do clean up. 3)  Children: lead older children in activities, assist children as needed, care for toddlers and babies not able to do activity.    If you cannot come for entire time perhaps you can participate for part of the time and/or help with preparing or donating.    Want to get connected or have questions? Contact: 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   7) Tennis anyone?   The HUB has an excellent opportunity for students who want to try their hand at tennis or continue instruction they started at another time. The Lakeland Athletic Club in Niles (on 3rd St.) offers a tennis class just for homeschoolers at a much reduced rate. The class is currently listed to take place on Wednesdays starting on March 9 and runs until June 1. The day is flexible--those interested could change the day if it's more convenient on another day for everyone. Each class is 1.5 hours long and is $10.50 a class--for 13 weeks that's a total of $136.50 (compared to $260 at the normal rate).   There are currently 6 kids enrolled and we need at least 2 more for this class to take place. This class is also listed as a "community resource class" through both the Berrien Springs and Niles homeschool programs. If you're enrolled in either of those programs, you can sign up for this class AT NO COST TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. Please email me @ farmgirlbeth@gmail.com or call my cell @ 219-628-4322 if you or someone you know is interested.     8) Time for Juniors and Seniors to sign up for MME test   The Michigan Merit Exam is the yearly assessment test used by the public schools.  If your student is in 11th or 12th grade now is the time to contact your local public high school to arrange for your student to take the exam in early March.  The school needs enough notice to order the correct number of tests.  This gives you a free ACT college entrance exam score that can be used to apply to college.  More info is located here:  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/MME_article_3.15.07__190607_7.pdf.   If your student tends to do very well on standardized tests (above 95th percentile or so) they may also use the MME test scores to apply for a Byrd scholarship.  It is a $1,500 award that is annually renewable.  It is base on a combination of the student's MME score and gradepoint average, both of which must be very high in order to qualify.  Info on the scholarship is located here:  http://www2.ed.gov/programs/iduesbyrd/index.html.     9) Free Junior Tennis Clinic at Notre Dame   Sponsored by the Notre Dame Men's Tennis Team and the South Bend Community Tennis Association.  When:  Jan 15.  9am - 10:15am for age 14 and under.  10:30am - 11:45am for high school players. Where:  Eck Tennis Pavilion on Notre Dame campus.  Off Twykenham just north of Angela/Edison across from the soccer field Note:  Please bring a clean pair of non-marking tennis shoes to change from street shoes/boots. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LINKS TO SHARE: NASA's Space Place for kids - lots of fun things to do! http://spaceplace.jpl.nasa.gov/en/kids/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CLASSIFIEDS Looking for a group?  Join the HUB! There are several benefits of membership including a travel club and a resource library that includes things like books, games, laptops, video cameras and other items to borrow. 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 at www.hshub.org  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.