Homeschool Excellence Day
by Susan Richman
(from winter 1997-98 issue of PA Homeschoolers newsletter)
Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make Homeschool Excellence Day such a fine success once again. About 300 homeschoolers attended the all-day event held at the Harrisburg Capitol Building on Sept. 30, 1997, and many visited their representatives and senators. The many student projects in art, history, and science were tremendous, showing a broad range of interests and learning. Our press release about the success of homeschool graduates was also well received.
At the rally at 1:00pm four state representatives who are homeschooling fathers addressed the overflow crowd, sharing why they, too, felt called to homeschooling for their own children. Rep. Tom Armstrong (R) even shared that in part his family had now made the decision to homeschool based on the positive record demonstrated each year by homeschoolers in PA, as shown at our regular events in Harrisburg and reports in the media. Rep. Sam Rohrer (R), who has been homeschooling for many years, told about the fine success in both character development and academic success of his own children and homeschoolers in general. Rep. Thomas Yewcic (D) and Joseph Petrarca (D) also spoke on their beginning homeschooling experiences, especially enjoying the closeness that homeschooling is bringing to their families.
Our special thanks to the many homeschoolers who made the day possible, including Sue Means who organized the project fair, Gary and Marie Robbins who were in charge that day, and the many homeschool parents who volunteered their time as judges. The students who took the time to create and share their projects and artwork are also highly commended—your fine quality work has really shown once again that homeschoolers are learning in an active, unique, and very responsible way. Without your lively displays, Homeschoolers Excellence Day would not have been possible!