Homeschool HUB News Update--March 4

Homeschool HUB News Update--March 4 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 March 11--Bowling at Strikes and Spares, 1:00-3:00, $5/pp March 10--HUB Board of Directors Meeting, 7 pm at the Niles Police Complex No HUB Game Night this month March 18--Homeschool Skate at USA Skate 1:00-3:00, $3/pp including skate rental. HERE'S THE BUZZ: 1) New at the website! 2) Request for Host Families (for 2011/12 school year) 3) High School Oceanography Opportunity 4) Kalamazoo Homeschool Expo 5) Mud Lake Bog Project 6) Garden Internship for High School student 7) 8) 9) 1) New at hshub.org Science contest for young naturalists in grades 7 -12 here:  http://www.hshub.org/Contests.html Info on summer drama camps at Amish Acres here:  http://www.hshub.org/ Random Fun Stuff with another Rube Goldberg machine, and a Candid Camera like prank in Germany here: http://www.hshub.org/Random_Fun_Stuff.html   2) Request for Host Families (for 2011/12 school year) This looks like a great experience for a homeschool family! We are looking for volunteers who are interested in possibly hosting an exchange student for the 11/12 school year. We have students 15-18 years old from around the world that will be arriving in late August for 5 or 10 months. We need host families for these students. We have students interested in a variety of activities including  all kinds of sports, scouts, youth groups, piano, art, dance music, reading, math/science, skiing, baseball, soccer, volleyball, hiking/camping, basketball, choir, band, drawing and painting. Without host families, we would not be able to help these students achieve their American Dream! Host families need only to provide a bed for the student and meals at home. Students can share a room with another kid. All other expenses are the student's responsibility. Host Families can consist of all make-ups such as single parent families, singles, couples with no kids, retirees, empty nesters, etc. These students make great mentors to younger children as well.   Host Families provide the following to host a student: -          A bed for the student (students can share a room) -          Meals at home -          Loving, caring, environment for the student   Students come with the following: -          Ability to speak English at a high school level -          Complete Health Insurance -          Spending money for anything they need including hygiene items, school supplies, clothes, long distance phone calls, etc) -          Open mind about their American experience   We have students from all over the world including:  Australia. Brazil, Italy, Denmark, Japan, Mongolia, Spain, France, Germany, Turkey, Thailand, Colombia, Korea, Slovakia, China, Taiwan, Belgium, Mexico, and many more. Your help is greatly appreciated, as we have several students to place with good host families! Exchange students can be a positive influence on your family, school, and community! If you are interested and would like more information, please contact me as soon as possible so that we can give the exciting news to the student that their American dream is going to come true! We are also looking for a few local coordinators as well. This is a paid, flexible part time position. Visit our website for details and to apply. www.chinet.org/ayp   Sincerely, Lisa Cabadas Area Administrator- Michigan Cultural Homestay International (CHI), a non-profit organization Email: chilisa@chinet.org 877-706-2508 toll free 313-580-9594 cell www.chinet.org/ayp 3) High School Oceanography Opportunity Ocean for Life program This is a summer field study at a national marine sanctuary.for which high school students may apply.  If accepted, all expenses are paid.  The 2011 field study will be held in Santa Barbara, California and on Santa Cruz Island hosted by Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary from July 14-26, 2011.  Applications are done online, and the deadline is March 7.  Here is the link: http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/education/ofl/app.html 4) Kalamazoo Homeschool Expo The Expo is Saturday, March 12 from 8 am-4pm.  See attached flyer for details. 5)  Mud Lake Bog Project Hi everyone, As some of you may know, I have been working with a group of students in a class called "Environmental Conservation". We call it the "Bog Class" because we've essentially adopted Mud Lake Bog in Buchanan, Michigan, learned about it, experimented on it, and have been having a lot of fun there. (Well, getting poison sumac wasn't in the category of "fun", but I think you get the idea....) The kids in the class have come to the conclusion that the greatest threat to the bog and to wetlands in general is lack of awareness. So they've designed an awareness campaign -- and it involves you! (You didn't even know we were talking about you...) They would like you to visit the blog they've created and become a Follower -- it's easy to do. Just go to this address: http://bogblog1.blogspot.com/ There you will learn about some of the things they've been doing in the bog including removing the very invasive glossy buckthorn, going on a night owl trip, and more! Plus, you can join in on the challenge which they would appreciate greatly. You can also go to their facebook page:  Mud Lake Bog. Friend them. And have your friends Friend them. They'd like that a lot, too. Wherever you go, once you're done following and friending, send a link to your own friends so they can do the same. Anyone who visits these pages will be entered into a drawing for a free spring tour of the bog led by members of the class. If you have your own blog or website, please consider featuring. They want to get 100 Friends and Followers in a short amount of time -- sort of an experiment in social networking as well as spreading the great work they've been doing! Won't you help them out? Best ~ Beth Denton 6) Garden Internship for High School Students (app due March 7) If your student is a high school junior or senior and would like to work and learn at Fernwood during this summer, see the job description and application here (deadline March 7): http://www.fernwoodbotanical.org/webdata/general/2011%20Internship%20Application.pdf   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LINKS TO SHARE: Check out the new links on www.hshub.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 (free, members only). 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   MATH TUTOR Need Help With Math? (Grades 7-12, South Bend/Mishawaka area)   My name is Caleb Noble.  I'm a private math tutor (and former homeschool student) in South Bend. I have a bachelor's degree in mathematics and over two years of tutoring experience, ranging from pre-algebra to calculus. As a former homeschool student, I know the challenges that parents can face, particularly with high-school math, and I have experience with the Saxon math curriculum (both as a tutor and as a student). I can meet with you and your child in your home or at any other location in the South Bend/Mishawaka area.  To set up an initial meeting or if you have any questions, you can reach me at caleb_noble@hotmail.com or at 574-229-4657. First session's free! Have something for sale, free or trade?  Advertise here! Homeschool groups are welcome to advertise their group, too.  It's free! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LETTING IT RIDE: Amazon.com--Please come to www.hshub.org before you shop at Amazon.  You can either shop the Associate Store listed in the Menu bar or click on the "Help the Homeschool HUB - Purchase at Amazon" link just below the Menu bar. By using this link to Amazon The Homeschool HUB will earn money through Amazon's Associates program on everything you purchase. So whenever you think "Amazon" please remember your purchase can help The Homeschool HUB. 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.