Convention informationinside!

Footsteps For fours

tree trunk

tree trunk

tree trunk

spring

spring

spring

spring

BJU Press Footsteps For FoursAn exciting, colorful K4 program that your class won’t want to miss!

Packed with colorful visuals and teaching ideas, Footsteps for Fours engages preschoolers with interactive learning segments and weekly stories about the Martin family, their friends, and their backyard Teaching Tree.

Lesson topics include

Phonics and prereading

Math

Science

TEXTBOOK PROGRAM!

Available spring 2009

Find out more at

www.bjupress.com/go/footsteps.

w w w.bjupress.com1.800.845.5731

Heritage Studies

Art and music

Cooking

NEW!

Heav Board of directorsAnne Miller | President / Director Williamsburg  |  president@heav.orgAl Linder | Vice PresidentManassas  |  vp.heav@comcast.netDavid Sherman | Acting TreasurerWilliamsburg | treasurer@heav.orgRick Boyer | Board MemberRustburg  |  learningparent@aol.comCherrie Moore | Board MemberVirginia Beach  |  cherrie@heav.orgPatrick Ryan | Board MemberPurcelleville  |  pryan@heav.org

advisory BoardYvonne Bunn | Murfreesboroybunn@heav.orgFlorence Feldman | Virginia BeachFlowNow@aol.comLinda Linder | Manassaslinda.heav@comcast.net

Karla Sherman | Williamsburg

Heav staffYvonne Bunn | Director of Homeschool Supportsupport@heav.orgFlorence Feldman | Convention Directorf lo@heav.org

Carol Clark | Office Manageroffice@heav.orgHelen Wright | Financial Managerf inance@heav.orgJoshua Fisher | Webmasterjosh@heav.org

Publications staffAnne Miller | Director of Publications & Marketingamiller@heav.orgKatherine Loop | Asst. Director of Publications & Marketingkloop@heav.org

Mary Kay Smith | Magazine Editoreditor@heav.orgAmanda Lassiter | Advertising Directoradvertising@heav.orgSarah Kohrs | Update Manager update@heav.org

Kathleen Dillie | Update Copy Editor

Chris Ellyson | Update Editor Anna Dykhoff | Update Graphic Designer

Susannah Miller | Graphic Designersusannah.miller@gmail.com  

HEAV BoArd & StAff

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Features10 Homeschooling in the Holy Land Jeannie K. Ryan

12 Israel Travel Tips Jeannie K. Ryan

14 Have Kids—Will Travel Dale Bartlett

16 Fly Free and Get Paid! Dale Bartlett

18 Celebrating Lincoln's 200th Birthday Michele Zavatsky

20 The Wise Traveler (Quotes)

Departments4 From the Editor Mary Kay Smith

5 Letters

6 From the Director of Homeschool Support Yvonne Bunn

7 Freedom Watch

8 Virginia Kids Did It!

22 Classified Ads

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contents

Send address changes to: Home Educators Association of Virginia, 2248-G Dabney Road, Richmond, Virginia 23230-0745; Fax: 804-278-9202; E-mail: office@heav.org; Phone: 804-278-9200; or Web: www.heav.org. For fastest ser-vice, send your former and new addresses. Check your mailing label to see if you are a member; if not, join today!

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Convention InformatIonPages 12 & 13

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o ftheplacesthatIhavevisitedinEngland,oneofmyfavoritesistheWinchesterCathedral.InsteadofjustreadingaboutdifferentperiodsofBritishhistory,here

isaplacewhereyoucanseetheeffectsofit.Sincethecathedralwasbuiltandremodeledoverseveralcenturies,youcanseechangingarchitecturefromthechangingculture.Inthisonebuilding,thereareroundedNorman(Roman)archesinthenorthtranseptandvarioussmallchangesallthewaytothenave,whereyouseepointedGothicarchesofthetypestillusedtoday.Medievallifeisshowninthe12th-centuryilluminatedpagesoftheWinchesterBibleandthefloorthatislaidwith13th-centurytiles.

Checkoutthestainedglasswindows,andyouseeevidenceofCromwell’sshort-livedprotectorateofthe17thcentury.InhiszealtoridEnglandofanythingroyal,hissoldiers alsowentafter theoldcathedrals.Theypulleddownthemortuarychests attheWinchesterCathedralandusedthebonesoftheoldkingsasmissilestobreakthestainedglasswindows.Thelocalpeoplegatheredallthepiecesand,whenthemonarchywasrestored,thecolorfulglasswasusedtomakenewwindows—nolongerwithapat-ternorscene,butbeautifulnonetheless.Whatavisualreminderofatumultuoustimeinhistory!(Theroyalbonesweregatheredtooandputallinoneboxsincetherewasnowaytoidentifythem.Ithinkthere’sanotherlessonintheresomewhere.)

Ifthat’snotenough, literature loverswillfindJaneAusten’sgraveinWinchesterCathedral,andupinthegreathalloftheWinchesterCastle,thehugeroundtableofKingArthurreferencedbySirThomasMallory.

Thereisnothingquitelikegoingtoaplacetounderstanditshistoryandculture.Travel isawonderfulwaytoschoolyourchildren—andalsoagoodwaytoreinforcepatriotism.Manytimeswehavereturnedfromatripextra-thankfulforwhatwehaveintheUnitedStates.WeappreciatedfreedomofspeechwhenweunderstoodthefearHenryVIII’scourtiersmighthavehadinseeingthecarvedhumanfacesintheevesofhisgreathallinHamptonPalace,puttheretoremindeveryonethatthekinghad“eves-droppers”everywhere.Weappreciated freedomof religionwhenwestood inOxfordwhereLatimerandRidleylittheir“candlethatwouldneverbeputout.”WeappreciatedtherighttoafairtrialwhenwetouredtheTowerofLondon.

Whatdoyouwantyourkidstoseeandunderstandandappreciate?OurwhirlwindtriptoSouthernEnglandwasfocusedonBritishliteratureandTudorhistory.InthisissueJeannieRyantellsabouttakingherkidstoIsraeltounderstandtheirheritage.Itneednotbetoafarawayplace,butmaybeplanningatripsoyourkidscanbemoreim-mersedinhistorywouldbeagoodwayforyoutoaccomplishyourgoalstoo.

from tHe editorMary Kay Smith

index to advertisers

ThepurposeofThe Virginia Home Educa-toristoprovideinformation,resources,anden-couragement to Virginia homeschool parents.The views expressed in this magazine do notnecessarilyreflectthoseofHomeEducatorsAs-sociationofVirginia.

The Virginia Home Educator is sent quar-terlytoVirginia’shomeschoolingfamilieswith-outcharge.Toreceivea freesubscription,signupatwww.heav.org.

Toinquireaboutadvertisingorsubmittinganarticle,please contactHEAVatPOBox6745,Richmond, Virginia 23230-0745; or e-mail usat advertising@heav.org or editor@heav.org.HEAV reserves the right to edit for style andspaceortorefuseanysubmissiondeemedinap-propriateforourpublication.

Permission is granted to reprint any newsitems from this magazine, providing propercreditisgiven;allothermaterialiscopyrighted.Forreprintpermission,pleasecontacttheeditorateditor@heav.org.

©2009HomeEducatorsAssociationofVirginia

submission deadlines:Summer2009(Issue3)—June15Fall2009(Issue4)—September15Winter2010(Issue1)—December1Spring2010(Issue2)—March15

Bayside .........................................................................5BJU Press ................................................................IFCBread Beckers .......................................................... 9Bryan College Distance Learning .............. 16Busch Gardens ..................................................... 20Camp Painkatank ................................................ 17 Chalk Dust Company ....................................... 22Chandler Portable Welding ........................... 22Colonial Williamsburg Foundation ............ 21DIVE Into Math .................................................... 21Edway Online ........................................................ 22FACE .......................................................................... 19Grace Preparatory School ............................ 22GWC Academy Online High School ...... 22Hampton Parks & Recreation  ....................... 9Home School Foundation ............................. 21Keystone National High School ................. 19Math-U-See ............................................................ 17Patrick Henry Collete ......................................... 5Ravenbrook Publishers .................................... 22Regent University ............................................. IBCRogers Center for Learning .......................... 16Six Flags .................................................................... 15Superior Water Systems ................................. 22 Through My Lens Photography .................. 19Triangle Educational Assessments ............. 20

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BiBle BroadCasting network ProgramIheardYvonneonBibleBroadcastingNetwork(BBN)todayand

lookedyouuponline.THANKYOU!ThemessageyougavewasDEFINITELYprovidential!MaytheLordcontinuetoblessyou.

April Garcia,TampaBay,Florida

JusthadtodropyoualinetoletyouknowhowverymuchIenjoyedhearingYvonnespeaktodayonBBN.Shemademewanttohomeschool(oratleasttryit)andIdon’thaveanyonehere!Iknowitwasablessingtothemanywhowerelistening,andanencourage-menttomanywhoarewonderingiftheyshouldhomeschool.

Georgie Davey,Charlotte,NorthCarolina

The Bible Broadcasting Network (BBN) aired two how-to-begin-homeschooling workshops in January—“Introduction to Homeschool-ing” and “How to Begin Homeschooling.” BBN shares the Word of God around the world in several languages on the Internet and oper-ates AM and FM radio stations in 14 countries in North and South America—it reaches more than 200 million people worldwide. You can purchase Yvonne's presentation from the HEAV online store at www.heav.org/store.

Patrick Henry college

For cHrist & For liberty

Purcellville, Virginia

Patrick Henry College is certified by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and accredited by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools.

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t herearemanyexcitingwaystolearn,andtravelisoneofthem.Regardlessofthedistance,adifferenttypeoflearningtakes

placewhenyoutravel.Insteadofjustreading,studentscandiscoverbyexploring,touching,observing,andimagining.Whatfun!

Youcangoonfield trips to localhistoricparks,plantations,ormuseums,or youcan take tripsonboats,planes,or trains tofarawayplaces.Youcanplanyourtraveltofitexactlywhatyouarestudying,oryoucanexposeyourchildrentonewtopicsofinterestthatyoumaywanttostudyinthefuture.Yourjourneyofdiscoverycantakeyoutotheothersideoftheglobeordowntowninthecitywhereyoulive.Itcanbewithyoursupportgrouporonlywithyourfamily.Hands-onlearningcanbeagreatinspirationandmotiva-tionforyourchildren!

Now,Iwouldn’tencourageyoutobeonthegoeveryday.Aconstantgo-go-gomentality can increasepressureon your childandhavenegativeresults.However,givingyourchildtheoppor-tunity to learn outside the typical homeschool setting canmakelearningfunandverymemorable!

doing more tHan tHe minimumWhenIwasinschool,thehighlightofmyelementaryschoolyears

wasouroneandonly,end-of-the-yearfieldtriptoJamestown.Whatanexperience!IcanstillrememberthesmellofthecampfireintheIndianvillageoutsidetheJamestownfort.IremembertouchingthehardenedmudwallsandthatchedroofedhouseswhilesecretlyimaginingwhatitwouldbeliketobeasettlerlivinginsidethissmallfortbesidetheJamesRiver.Duringthatfieldtripasparkwasfanned—Idiscoveredhistoryinanewwayand,forthefirsttime,Ilovedit!

Ashomeschoolingparents, it’s so easy to think,“Let’shurryandgetthejobdone.We’lldoEnglishandmath,thenwe’llreadafewpagesinourhistoryorsciencebooksandbefinishedfortheday.”Butwehavethefreedomtodosomuchmorethantheminimum.Wecanexpandlearningfromthepagetoactualexperiences!

WhatcouldbemoreexcitingforastudentthanputtingonaCivil War soldier’s uniform and lining up for inspection at NewMarketBattlefield?Or reachingdown into thecoldwater in thetouchtankatNauticustopickupabumpystarfish?HowexcitingwoulditbeforateentodiveandtwistandturninaflightsimulatorattheVirginiaAirandSpaceCenter?OrthinkofthefunitwouldbeforapreschoolertowatchasheepshearingatChippokesPlanta-tionandthendyeandcardthewool!

working witH museums and ParksHEAVcontactsmuseums and state andnationalparks across

theCommonwealthtoarrangespecialHomeschoolDaysandOpenHousesforhomeschoolfamiliesbecausethisisanimportantpartofeducation.Wewanttosupportandencourageyouinyoureffortstogive your children theverybest learningexperiencespossible.Weknowitcanbeachallengeforone-incomefamiliestoaffordtheseeducationalexperienceswithouthavingspecialprogramsavailable.

from tHe direCtor of HomesCHool suPPort Yvonne Bunn

Lastyearat theAnnualConferenceof theVirginiaAssocia-tionofMuseumsattheHomestead,HEAVpresentedworkshopstohundredsofmuseumdirectorsexplainingthebenefitsofworkingwithhomeschoolers.Wewerealsoinvitedtopresentanin-serviceworkshopfordocentsatoneoftheSmithsonianMuseumsinWash-ington, D.C. Museum directors quickly saw how homeschoolersbenefitfromfreemuseumopenhousesorspecialdiscountedpric-ing,andhowmuseumsbenefitfromsellingmembershipsorgettingreturnvisitsfromnewlyinterestedfamilies.

Sponsoringmuseumevents,speakingtosupportgroups,andtraveling to book fairs has taken HEAV more then 9,000 milesacrosstheCommonwealththispastyear.Bytalkingwithyouandansweringyourquestions,we’velearnedsomuchaboutnewwayswecanserveyourinterestsandhelpyoualongtheway.

a HomesCHool travel adventureWhile Iwashostingahomeschooleventat theVirginiaAir

andSpaceCenteronthedowntownHamptonwaterfrontlastfall,acurioushomeschoolfatherandsonapproachedtheHEAVtableandquizzicallyasked,“Whatareyoudoinghere?”

I gave him some literature and responded with informationaboutHEAV.Itoldhimwewereco-sponsoringHomeschoolAp-preciation Day at the museum. When I asked if he would like tosign-up forourweeklyUpdate andfindout aboutothermuseumevents,hesaidhewouldloveto,butwasonanout-of-statefieldtripofsortswithhisson.

Afterseveralhourstouringthemuseum,thisdadstoppedbyagainonhiswaybacktohissailboat.HesaidhewouldtalkwiththeFloridahomeschoolorganizationsandencouragethemtobuildaworkingrelationshipwiththemuseumsinhisstate,too.

“Isn’thomeschoolinggreat?”hecommentedwithasmileasheheadedtowardtheexitdoor.Ilookedbackandsawhimputhisarmaroundhis sonas theywalked toward their sailboat tocon-tinue theirhomeschool travel adventure....Iwonderwhere itwilltakethemnext?

For a list of HEAV co-sponsored museum events for homeschoolers, vis-it www.heav.org and click on “Events.” Also, sign-up on our website for free weekly Virginia Homeschool Updates that include announce-ments of upcoming events. Need a hotel, plane ticket, or car rental? Take a look at EduTravel at www.edutravel.org! You’ll find prices very comparable to Travelocity and other discount sites, plus 40% of the commission from your pur-chase will go to HEAV!

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from tHe direCtor of HomesCHool suPPort Yvonne Bunn

virginia army guard reaCHes out to HomesCHoolersInMarch2008,VirginiawasselectedbytheNationalGuard

Bureautobethepilotstatefortwonewprogramsaimedatdiver-sifyingtheArmyNationalGuardandassistingcollege-boundstu-dentsinreceivinganeducationatthenation’stopcolleges.OneoftheinitiativesistheArmyNationalGuard’shomeschoolprogram.

Themissionof this program is to connectVirginia’s home-schoolingfamilieswiththegreatopportunitiestoservetheCom-monwealthandtheircountrybybecomingmembersoftheArmyNationalGuard.TheArmyNationalGuardalsowantshomeschoolgraduatestobeabletotakeadvantageofoneofthemilitary’sbestcollege-benefitspackages.Someofthebenefitsthathomeschoolersarenowabletogetincludeupto$20,000inenlistmentbonuses.Otherbenefitsinclude:

• 100%federaltuitionassistancetocovertuitionandfeesnottoexceed$4,500peryear;

• An additional $6,000 of state tuition assistance per year for itsmemberswhoattendcollegesinVirginia;

• TheMontgomeryGIbill,whichpaysupto$11,124forcol-legeorotherapprovedtechnicaltraining;

• TheNationalGuardGIBillkicker,whichprovidesadditionalfundingupto$12,600forenlistedsoldiersforcollegeorap-provedtechnicaltraining;

• Leadershiptrainingandcareerskills;and• Low-costhealthanddentalinsurance.

TheArmyNationalGuard alsooffers three-year full-tuitionscholarshipsthatcanbeusedatanyschoolnationwidethathasanArmyROTCprogram.Thisincludesalmosteveryfour-yearschoolinVirginiaaswellasnationwideschoolsrangingfromUniversityofSouthernCaliforniatoHarvardUniversity.Infact,studentscanuseNationalGuardeducationbenefitsinanyofthe50statesandfour territories (D.C., Guam, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico).LastyeartheArmyNationalGuardawardedover21milliondol-larsinscholarshipsthroughArmyROTCandwouldliketoaward30-50milliondollarsforschoolyear2009-2010.

Theeligibilityrequirements forhomeschoolersprovideseveraloptions.Ahomeschoolerneedstoprovideahomeschooldiplomaandtranscriptfromtheparentorguardian,accompaniedbyathirdpartyverificationmemorandum.ApplicantsfortheNationalGuardhavetobeacademicallyclassifiedasjuniorsandbeatleast17yearsold.

The Army National Guard homeschool officer for VirginiaisCaptain John Scottwho,withhiswife,currentlyhomeschooltheir three children.CaptainScott travels throughout theCom-monwealth to inform interested students and families about theopportunitiesandbenefitsavailabletothosewhochoosetoservein theArmyNationalGuard.Ifanyhomeschoolorganizationorgroupofparentswouldliketohaveaformalbriefing,CaptainScottcanbecontactedat757-373-7228or john.scott5@us.army.mil.Forgroupsof10-25students,theNationalGuardcandoaspecialaudiovisualpresentationthatincludesaninformationbriefing,freefood,andsomegiveawayitems.

virginia legislature Passes College finanCial aid Bill for HomesCHool graduates

HomeschoolgraduateswhoareacceptedtoVirginiacollegescanqualifyforfederalfinancialaidandsomestatefunds;however,they have been locked out of money from the Virginia Guaran-teedAssistanceProgram(VGAP).TheVGAPisaneed-andmerit-basedundergraduategrantprogramandaverageyearlyawards in’07-’08were$3,671foracommunitycollegestudentand$3,848forafour-yearcollegestudent.

Lastyear,ahomeschoolgraduatewasawardedaVGAPschol-arshipherfirstsemester,butafterreceivingthefundshersecondse-mester,thecollegeremovedthegrantstatingshedidnotqualifyforthefinancialaidbecauseshehadbeenhomeschooled.TheVGAPscholarshipeligibilityguidelinesstate,“StudentswhoobtainaGEDorcompletehomeschoolingarenoteligible.”Dissatisfiedwiththeunfair treatmentofhisdaughter, thedadcontactedSenatorKenCuccinelli(R-Fairfax).SenatorCuccinelli,ahomeschooldadhim-self,actedimmediatelybyfilinganemergencybill,SB1547,sincethedeadline forfilinganormalbillhadpassed.Themotionwasgranted,asimplebillwasdrafted,anditquicklypassedtheSenateEducationCommitteewithoutopposition.

Afterreviewingthebill’swording,HEAVcontactedSenatorCuccinelli’s office by phone and e-mail to express our concernsaboutwording thatwould inadvertently setprecedent andcreatemoreoversightforhomeschoolers.SenatorCuccinellidefinitelyhadnointentionofincludingdetrimentallanguage—hispurposewasclearlytohelphomeschoolers.Ourlobbyist,OscarWalker,visitedhis office numerous times to clarify our concerns and request achangeinwording.

HEAV,VaHomeschoolers, andHSLDAcarefully considerednewlanguagethataddressedourconcerns.Wecametoaconsen-suswithhelpful input from theStateCouncil ofHigherEduca-tionforVirginia(SCHEV),andsubmittedthelanguagetoSenatorCuccinelli’soffice,requestingheintroduceasubstitutebillintheHouse.Withallhomeschoolorganizationsinagreement,andeachincontactwiththesenator,hewaseagertomakethechangeswerequestedandincludeadditionalclarifyinglanguage.Thenewver-sionofSB1547hasnowpassedboththeHouseandSenate.

Originally, the language did not clearly address how home-school graduates (including religiously exempt students) wouldmeet the eligibility requirements for VGAP, particularly gradepoint average or class rank. The new language requires SCHEVtodevelop“empirical alternativeequivalentmeasures” forhome-schooleligibilityforstatefinancialaidprograms.HEAV,VaHome-schoolers,andHSLDAwillworkwithSCHEVtoestablishpolicythatwillbereasonableforhomeschoolersandfairtoallstudentswhoapplyforfinancialaid.WeexpectSB1547tobesignedbythegovernor.

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virginia kids did it!

Congratulations to Pathfinders 4-H Community Service Club fortheirsuccessfulserviceproject.Everyyear,membersagesfiveto18vvspendtheir fall fundraisingandgarneringdonationstofundtheirannualThanksgivingfooddrive.Thisyear,theywereabletopackseventy-twoboxeswithfoodthatfedmorethanthreehundred people in their area! “This is our biggest project everyyear,”saidclubpresidentCamdenCantwell.“Morethanhalfofourfundsgotowardthisevent.”TheclubismadeupofhomeschoolersbasedinHenricoCounty.

Congratulations toKimberly Suits(Virgin-ia Beach), who finishedeighth place for PonyEquitation for VHSA –VirginiaHorseShowAs-sociation.Shealsoplacedseventh over fences andeighthontheflat(outof34 participants) during

theNovemberstatefinalshorseshowinLexington,Virginia.SherodeGlencoeJigger,ownedbyRoseoldianFarminVirginiaBeachwhereshetrainswithBudSmithandAmandaFritelli.

ForVBHSA(VirginiaBeachHorseShowAssociation),herlo-calassociation,shewastheReserveChampioninOpenEquitationoverFencesonbothGlencoeJiggerandAllMyDaddy’sMoney!HeraccomplishmentasReserveChampionwillbelistedintheVir-giniaHorse Journal.RidingGlencoeJigger, shewon thirdplaceinHoffeimer,VBHSA’sversionofPonyEquitation,whichalsoin-cludeshorsesintheirdivision.AndshewoneighthplaceinOpenEquitationontheflat,ridingAllMyDaddy’sMoney!

Congratulations to nine-year-old Leah Eller (Gainesville)whoqualifiedforthe2008USAGymnasticsNationalTOPsTest-ing inHouston inOctober.Leah,who trainsunderCoachJuanCarlosPalmaofWoodbridge,wastheonlygymnastfromNorthern

Virginia to attend. While there, she rankedinthetop25,makingherpartoftheTOPsnationalteam.Leahwillbemovingontotheelite level,withtheeventualgoalofpartici-patingintheOlympics.

TOPsisaTalentOpportunityProgramfor female gymnasts ages 7-11 and theircoaches. During the summer, gymnasts areevaluatedonphysicalabilitiesatthestateorregionallevel.Frommorethan2,500partici-pants nationwide, 300 gymnasts qualify toparticipateintheNationalTOPstesting,andthenapproximately60gymnastsmakeuptheTOPsnationalteam.

Congratulations to Virginia’sfirsthomeschoolcross-countryteam,coached by Michael and Marcia Rose,whoparticipated in theAAUCross Country State Championshipin November! The seven-memberteam from Richmond and Hamp-tonRoadscompetedexceptionallyintheirindividualagegroups.

Justin MontgomeryfromNor-folkwasStateChampion(youthdivi-sion)!Alltheresultsareasfollows:

• 2ndplaceLogan Marshall Raw-lings: VA Homeschool 8 andunderagegroup/2k—11:14.9

• 3rd place Michael Rose: VAHomeschool8andunderagegroup/2k—11:15.7

• 5thplaceMichaela Rose:VAHomeschool8andunderagegroup/2k—12:47.0

• 3rdplaceNoah Montgomery:VAHomeschoolage9group/3k—16:16.2

Kimberly Suits on Glencoe Jigger

Pathfinders 4-H Community Service Club

Pictured right to left: Noah Mont-gomery, Michaela Rose (front), Na-than Montgomery (back), Michael Rose. Not in picture: Logan Mar-shall, Stephen Franges, and Justin Montgomery. Photo taken by Tony Gibson of www.fotografiqimages.photoreflect.com.

Leah Eller with Marta Karoyli, head of the U.S. Women's Gymnastics Team

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• 3rd place Nathan Montgomery: VA Homeschool age 12group/3k—14:54.0

• 4thplaceStephen Franges:VAHomeschoolage12group/3k—20:57.5

• 1stplaceJustin Montgomery:VAHomeschoolage14group/4k—18:49.1All seven athletes qualified for the National Cross Country

MeetinAlabamainDecember.MichaelandMichaelaRoseofVir-giniaBeachcompetedinthatmeetandplaced55thand57thinthePrimaryBoysandPrimaryGirlsDivisions.

Congratulations to fourth-graderEmmeline Blake(Mathews),winner of the2008MathewsMar-ket Days Poster Contest. Her art-work had a central image of NewPoint Lighthouse, surrounded bytenvignettesthatdepictedMathewsCounty’s relational history to theChesapeakeBay.Herfirst-placewin-ningdesignwaschosenforalimited-edition signed and numbered printandofferedforsale.

Saturday, April 18, 2009 � 10am-5pmMill Point Park � Downtown Hampton

Experience the SIGHTS, SOUNDS & TASTES of over 30 countries!Don’t miss this unique opportunity to expose your

children to the world around them. FREE. For all ages.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

www.hampton.gov/parks(757)727-8311

ADDITIONALSPONSORS:

PRESENTINGSPONSOR:

Coalition for Youth

Festival offers the opportunityfor Girl Scouts to complete

badge requirements!

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B ringbiblical,ancientandmodernhistory,andcurrentandfuturepropheticeventsalltooneplace.Thenmixinsomegeography,archaeology,andtechnology,andyouhave

thehomeschoolteacher’sultimatefieldtrip—betterknownasIsrael.MyhusbandandIhadlongwantedtobringourfamilytothePromisedLand.Wehad

eachvisitedtheLandbeforeweweremarriedandbelieveditwasourresponsibilityandprivilegetoseetoitthatourchildrendevelopedarealloveandrespectforthepartoftheworldwheretheLordlivedandwillreturn.WesawourtakingthemtoIsraelasawaytoshareourpersonalheritageaswellasHis.

We talked,prayed, andpondered thisundertaking,but thecatalyst forus to see itthroughwastherealizationthatouroldestchildwouldsoonbegraduatingfromcollege.Itwas“nowornever”forallofustogotogether.

Aspreviousvisitors,wewerereasonablyconfidentthatwecouldfindourwayaroundthecountry.Wedeterminedwewouldforgothetypicaltourpackages,planourownitiner-ary,andrentacar.However,weareafamilywhorarelytakeeventypicalvacations.Couldwepulloffsuchabigone?

Ourpreparationbeganinearnestayearbeforeweleft.Weagreedasafamilyonthevarioussacrificesandsavingsnecessaryforustosecurethefunds.Wealsodedicatedthatschoolyear’shistoryclassestoanintensehistoricalandgeographicalreviewofthearea.

BythetimeweboardedourflighttoTelAviv,evenournine-year-oldcouldtellthedifferencebetweentheDavidicKingdom,andtheBabylonian,Greek,Roman,Crusader,andOttomanperiods(wethrewtheMamluksinjustforfun).Weeachhadaprettythor-oughknowledgeofthegeography,topography,andzoology.

exPloring israelWestillgotlost.ArrivinginTelAviv’sBenGurionairport,wesecuredourrentalvan

andmadeourwayupthecoast.Sleepingovernightinanapparentlywell-concealedhotel(ittookusaslongtofindthehotelinthetownasitdidtodriveupthecoasttothetown),weawoketoadazzlingviewoftheMediterraneanSeaandanamazingIsraelibreakfast.WemadeaquickvisittothebeachandthenwereofftoCaesarea,theruinsofthegreatHero-dianseasidetownwhereevidenceofPontiusPilate’sreignwasfound,andwherePaulgavehisdefenseofthegospelbeforebeingsenttoRome.

WethenspedofftoTelMegiddoorHarMegiddo(Armageddon)—onceknownasKingAhab’schariotcity—whichoverlooksthelovelyJezreelValley,drovebyElijah’sMt.CarmelwithafewdetoursaroundHaifaandAkko,andthenheadedovertotheSeaofGalilee.

WestayedatPeniel-by-GalileeYMCAnearTiberias.Myhusbandhadworkedthere

manyyearsago.Thegardensarebreathtak-ing,butthebuildingshavefallenintosomedisrepair.Hotelinvestorswouldbeeasytofind, but Eddie, the director, believes theplace has a higher purpose. He overseesan amazing work with Jewish, Arab, andotheryouth.Hehostsmusiccamps,wherethecampersmustpracticeandplayclassicalmusictogether(notalking=nofighting),andthenpresentaconcertatcamp’sendfortheparentsandcommunity.Eddiebelievesthisworkismorevaluablethansimplyturn-ingtheYintoahotel.(IfeveryougototheGalileearea,besuretostopbyandencour-ageEddie inhis laborof love.Better yet,stay in one of the guest rooms! You havea gorgeous view of the sea; access to thebeach, chapel, and gardens; and breakfastservedontheterrace.)

The Galilee area is one of the mostbeautifulplacesonearth.Itiseasytounder-standwhyJesusspentsomuchtimethere.The chasm by the Cliffs of Arbel clearlyshowsthewayHemusthave journeyedtogettherefromNazareth.Thischasmistheonlypassagethatcouldbetraveledbyfootfromthere.Standingonthetopofthecliffsyoucanseetheentirenorthernsectionofthecountry.Youcangazeat the snow-cappedpeakofMt.HermonintheGolannexttoSyria.YoucanalsoseenorthwestintoLeba-non,andsoutheastintoJordan.Wededicat-edadayeachtoexploringtheGalileelakeregionandtheGolanmountainregion.Westoodat a sourceof the Jordan (YorDan)River where the snows and springs fromHermon meet, we baptized our childrenintheSeaofGalilee,andwelaterswamintheDeadSeawhere the Jordanends.ThebiblicalimageryJesususedof“livingwater”wouldhavehaddeepmeaningtothepeoplewhohearditbecausethewaterintheirlandissovaluableandbeautiful.

NotriptoIsraelforaChristiancouldbequitecompletewithoutavisittoNazareth,butfirstwestoppedtoseeZippori’s“MonaLisa of the Middle East” mosaic and hikethroughBetShe’an,Israel’slargestarchaeo-logical dig and the place where King Saulandhissonsweredisplayedposthumously.

Finallyitwastimetodrivesouthonourway“up”toJerusalem(youalwaysgo“up”toJerusalem).FindingourwayviaHwy90gaveustheopportunitytogothroughtheJudean wilderness where Jesus fasted andwastempted.TodayitisstillhometoBed-ouins,camels,ibex,andmilesoflittleelse.

Jerusalemisatoncepast,present,andfuture.Itisatypicallargecity—noisyandcongested—yetthereisnootherplacelike

Homeschooling in the Holy Land Jeannie K. Ryan

l 11

itontheearth.TheOldCity,comprisedoffourdistinctquarterswithinitsancientwalls(Jewish,Muslim,Christian,andArmenian),issurprisinglyintegrated:JewishpeopleshopintheArabMarket,andArabmerchantswillhelpyoufindtheperfectChristiansouve-nir!TheNewCityhaswonderfulshops,restaurants,museums,andtheatrical events. Standingon theMountofOlives lookingoverthewallsatthevariousshrinesandthegravesofmanyhopingtobeamongthefirsttogreettheMessiah,youcanseewhyJesuslovedthisplaceandweptoverher.

After a day’s journey down to the Dead Sea, the Ein GediReserve where David fled from Saul, and the fortress of Masa-da—Herod’sarchitecturalwonderthatprovidesinspirationtothisday—weweregrateful for the simplepleasures of awarm room,freshpitabread,andfalafel(Israelifastfood).

Thenearlycountry-wideobservanceofShabbat(theSabbath)is convicting for busy American pilgrims, and we had to adaptour Friday schedules to accommodate the early closure of everypublicplace.ThebustlingandcrowdedShuk(openmarketfilledwith merchants of fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods, andnearlyeverythingelseknowntoman)iscompletelyquietbymid-afternoonFridaysoallcangethomeandpreparetheeveningandnextday’smeals.Mostrestaurants,parks,andevengasstationsareclosedtoo.Relativequietforanentiredayeachweekisauniquetestimonyofanation,people,andfaiththattracesitsrootstoCre-ation andfinds its destiny in the words of the prophets and theprayersofthefaithful.

Perhapsyou, too, shouldvisit Israel—theultimatefield trip.AndprayforthepeaceofJerusalem.

Jeannie K. Ryan is a homeschooling mother of six, a freelance writer, and a painter. For other suggestion about your own trip to the Holy Land, e-mail her at PJRyan721@aol.com. Put “Israel” in the subject line.

Ifyougowithatourpackage,besuretheleader’sagenda is similar to yourown.There areChristian,Jewish,andseculartours,aswellasthosetailoredtospecialinterests.Ifyouopttogoindependently,makesure you have good maps. We purchased laminatedmapsof Israel and Jerusalemaswell as thedetailedIsrael road atlasbyCarta. (Get theonewith spiralbinding,availableinmanyIsraelibookstoresandhotelsandalsoatAmazon.com.)

Besensitivetoculturalrealities.The predominate, overallreligiousexpressionisJew-ish.Thepredominate Christian religious expression is eitherRomanCatholicorOrthodox.NotalltheArabsareMuslim;someareChris-tian.ManyoftheArabsareIsraelicitizens.

TheNationalParkandNatureReserveshavemergedtheirorga-nizationsandnowissueaGreenCardticket.Foronepriceyoucanvisiteverynationalparkandnaturereserveinthecountry.Itisgoodfor14days.ThisticketalsogivesyouadiscountrateonthecablecaruptoMasada’sfortress.Ifyouplanonvisitingatleastsixparksorreservesitiswellworththeprice.AsofthiswritingthereisnotaGreenCardforchildren’sfees,soyouhavetodosomefiguringtoseeifyouwillvisitenoughparkstocoverthenormaldiscountedfeeforchildren.

Hireatourguideforaday.WehiredaguidetohelpusnavigatesomeoftheholysitesintheOldCityofJerusalem.Shetoldusinterest-ingfacts,knewthebestentrances,andhelpedusbesureourbehaviorandapparelwereappropriate.

Buywaterandtakeitwithyoueverywhere.EatwhereyouseeIsrae-liseating.AromaCafé(Israelichain)isagoodsandwichchoice.

Walkalotbeforeyougosoyouarepreparedforallthehiking.Takegoodshoes!

don’t miss• TheRomanaqueductthatjustsitsoutinaparkinglotnorthofCaesarea• The model of Jerusalem during the Second Temple period, now

housedattheIsraelMuseuminJerusalem• YadVashem(not for young children):Memorialtothevictimsofthe

NaziHolocaust• DavidsonCenterintheOldCity,Jerusalem:ongoingarchaeologicalmuseum• TheRampartswalk:walkthetopoftheOldCitywalls• FloatingintheDeadSea(shortsandashirtareappropriateifabathing

suitwon’tdoforyou,butdon’tmisstheexperience.Gointhewater.)

resourCes• IsraelTouristBureau–www.goisrael.com/tourism_eng• IsraelNationalParks–www.parks.org.il/ParksENG• DanielCarmel’sSeaofGalileeWorshipBoatTours www.seaofgalileeworshipboats.com

IsraeL TraveL TIps

Holding up the pillars Bet Shean. Left to right: Nicholas, Abigail, Gabrialle, Joshua, Cherise, and Joseph.

Ancient Roman aqueduct ruins looking across the Mediterranean Sea on the coast by Caesarea.

more speakers & workshops online - 119 workshops in all!

other great speakers including janice campbell • tammy duby doreen morgan • kerin morgansue becker • yvonne bunnrick & marilyn boyer & many others!

www.heav.org

plus...

voddie Bauchaumn Cultural War n Education and Worldview: How Education Effects World-

view, and What That Means for Your Child

n Biblical Manhood: What He Must Be According to Scripture

(men/Fathers & Sons only)

steve Demmen Finding Hope in the Valleys of Life n The Family That Stays Together Stays Together n Slaying Lions and Honoring Parents

Jessica Hulcyn High School: Mentoring the

Head and the Heart n Choosing Curriculum Like a Pro n You Don’t Have to Live in a Pig Pen to Homeschool n Discovery Learning Fosters

Critical Thinking

Joel salatinn Working with Your Kids so They

Will Want to Work with You n Turn Your Home and Yard into a Profit Centern You Can Farm: The Entrepre-

neur’s Plan to Start and Succeed in a Farming Business

Carol topp, cpan Wanna Be a WAHM? The Pitfalls

and Possibilities of Being a Work at Home Mom

n How to Start and Manage a Homeschool Organization:

Boards, Budgets, & Bylaws n Is Your Homeschool Group Ready

for the Next Step? Becoming a 501c3 Tax-Exempt Organization

n Budget Is a Dirty Word: Money Management for Those Who Hate

to Manage Moneyn Small Business for Teenagers

inge Cannonn Why and How You Should Teach Your Children Etiquetten Toddlers and Preschoolers

(Ages 2-5) n Transcript Bootcamp – A Special Convention Feature!

Jonathan Brushn From Homeschool to College:

What Parents and Students Need to Know to Make the Right Decisions About Higher

Education n Taking Your Faith to College

Robert andrewsn Parenting - Mission Impossible:

If You Choose to Accept It (and You Have!)

n Exploring Courtship: Finding a Mate in Treacherous Times

Debbie strayern Overcoming Burnout and Walking in Your Calling to

Homeschool n The Natural Approach to Teaching Thinking n Understanding Teaching and

Learning Styles n Leadership Luncheon: Grace for Leadership

adam andrewsn “It’s Onomatopoeia, Mom!” Using Children’s Stories to Teach Literary Devices n Literary Keys: Unlocking the

Meaning of Classic Booksn Teaching the Classics from Seuss to Socrates—Literary

Analysis for Everyone n What Is a Classic, Anyway?

Teaching Great Books: The Why and the Wherefore

Carol Barniern Don’t Miss the Gift in This Childn HELP! How Do I Teach This Highly Distractible Child - Parts One & Twon A Prodigal Speaks Out n If I’m Diapering a Watermelon,

Then Where’d I Leave the Baby?

Dianne Craftn Brain Re-training to Remove

Learning Glitches n Chemistry of Dyslexia, ADD, & SI n Hidden Allergies: Impact on

Learning n Identifying Blocked Learning

Gates in Children of All Ages n IQ: Can It Be Changed? n Right-Brain Math

Mike snavelyn Aunt Lucy? n The Hunters and the Hunted n The Puzzle of the Grand Canyon

Wade Myersn Entrepreneurship: Providing

for Our Familiesn From Start to Finish: Building a

Successful Family-based Businessn Finance Your Business–Without

Going into Debtn Before You Launch : The 50 Most

Important Things You Need to Know n Before You Launch: Evaluate a

Real Idea n Q&A Panel: Get Your Questions

Answered!

HEAV’s 26th Annual Homeschool Convention • June 11, 12 & 13

simple. relevant. lasting.

preregister today and save!

no BRoCHURe — it’s all online!This year’s convention has all the great features you've come to expect—and more! But to keep costs low, we’re asking you to help us save thou-sands by viewing the convention information online. If you would like the information mailed to you, just give us a call and we will happily send it.

Schedules, registration and children's program info, exhibitors, speaker bios, workshop descriptions, hotels, and more, as well as downloadable church bulletin inserts and fliers to give to your friends and neighbors, can all be found online at www.heav.org.

tHe enCoURageMent anD HelP yoU neeD toDay!You’ll find support for every stage of life—from preschool to high school to college and beyond—and information on teaching your child, parenting, getting organized, record keeping, starting a business, and MUCH more.

WHat yoU HeaR Has tHe Potential to CHange yoUR life!HEAV’s convention is a life-changing experience for many. Come bring the family and be challenged, encouraged, equipped, and inspired to make a lasting difference in your home.

find it all at www.heav.org.

(spouses are always free!)

QUestions? Call: 804-278-9200 visit: www.heav.org e-Mail: registration@heav.orgregister online today at www.heav.org!

Preregistration oPtions Mbrs / non-MbrsFull 3-Day Convention (spouse free) ❏ $55 ❏ $70 $______ includes all shopping (ucs & exhibit hall) & workshopsFriDay only (spouse free) ❏ $40 ❏ $55 $______exhibit hall, ucs & workshopsSaturDay only (spouse free) ❏ $40 ❏ $55 $______exhibit hall, ucs & workshopsShopping only (spouse free) ❏ $20 ❏ $25 $______exhibit hall (th.-sat.), ucs (fri.-sat.) & choice of keynote session

granDparentS (non-homeschooling) Free $______

QualiFying parentS oF preSChoolerS Free $______❏ eldest child under 5 ❏ first heav convention

teen/young aDultS (13 & up) $20/one; $40/two or more $______

‘tweenS (10-12) $20/one; $40/two or more $______

ChilDren’S program $20/child per day ❏ fri. ❏ sat. $______

Donation (thank you!) ❏ scholarship ❏ general $______

heav memberShip $35 per year ❏ new ❏ renewal $______❏ $75 sustaining member ❏ $750 lifetime member

granD total $______

payment methoD ❏ check/money order ❏ mastercard ❏ visa card #______________________________________exp. date_____________signature_________________________________________________________

leaDerShip lunCheon contact the HEAV office

volunteer i’d like to volunteer! please contact me for:specific area ________________________________ ❏ wherever needed❏ thursday ❏ friday ❏ saturday

PReRegisteR & Pay online!

FREE

OFFICE USE ONLY: ORG#_______________

(names and dob of children registering for the children’s program)

FREE

(names and dob)

(names and dob)

(names and dob)

other great speakers including janice campbell • tammy duby doreen morgan • kerin morgansue becker • yvonne bunnrick & marilyn boyer & many others!

www.heav.org

simple...

relevant...

lasting...

please don’t let them miss it!TELL YOUR FRIENDS.TELL YOUR ONLINE COMMUNITY.TELL YOUR CHURCH FAMILY.

features...

get the word out...

naMes as tHey sHoUlD aPPeaR on naMe tags

parent/s___________________________________________________________

grandparent/s_____________________________________________________

teen/s & young adult/s_____________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

‘tween/s____________________________________________________________

children for children’s program_________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

address____________________________________________________________

city____________________________state___________zip_________________

phone (______)_____________________________________________________

e-mail__________________________________❏please send newsletter

to preregister, send form and payment to: heav, p.o. box 6745, richmond, VA 23230-0745; or preregister online at www.heav.org. preregistration deadline: May 22—after that, register at the door.

OFFICE USE ONLY: PMK/RCD_______________________________

*complete details online

nneW! TRANSCRIPT BOOTCAMP

nneW! CHESS TOURNAMENT

nfRee! GRANDPARENTS*

nfRee! PARENTS OF PRESCHOOLERS*

ntHis yeaR’s leaRning tRaCks:

nPRESCHOOL—LEARNING BEGINS

nSTRUGGLING LEARNERS

nPARENTING TEENS

nHIGH SCHOOL & COLLEGE

nDADS

nENTREPRENEUR

nSUPPORT GROUP LEADER LUNCHEON

nneW! SPECIAL LEADER SESSIONS

nSINGLE PARENTS’ LUNCHEON

nCHILDREN’S PROGRAM

nGRADUATION CEREMONY

n119 DYNAMIC WORKSHOPS

nExHIBIT HALL WITH 290+ BOOTHS

nUSED CURRICULUM SALE

sCHolaRsHiPs alWays availaBle!

© 2008 shabby Princess Designs of www.shabbyprincess.com

14 l

sanddollars.The fact is thatonethousanddollarsprovidedonlysmalltripsoflessthanfivenightsandwerenomorethan700milesroundtrip.Thisisalsoanaverage.Takingintoaccountthatsinglepeople travel more than families, the average family could easilydoubleandeventriplethecostforthesamesmalltrip.

“Now,whatifItoldyouthatforthesameamountofmoneyandmaybeevenlessthanyouwouldspendgoingtoDisneylandforaweek,youcouldspendtwoweeksormoreinEurope.Wouldyoubeinterested?ThekidsmighthavetotradeMickeyfortheEiffelTowerorswimminginahotelpoolforswimminginaclear lakeoftheSwissAlps.Ormaybeyouwillhavetotradealong,hotcarrideforanairplaneridewithTV’sandmoviesinfrontofeveryseat.MaybeyouwillhavetosubstituteatourofthestudiowheretheyfilmedJawsforthebeautifulcityofSalzburgwheretheyfilmedThe Sound of Music.AmIgettingyourattention?Andtothink,allthisforlessthanyouwereplanningtospendanywayonavacationonly700milesaway.”

CHeaP or even free airfareTherearemultiplewaystogetcheapandevenfreeairfare.The

oneweusethemostis…the “frequent flyer” –Manypeoplebelievethatfrequentfly-

ersarepeoplewhotakenumerousflightsayear.Yearsagothatwasprobablytrue.Previously,pointswerebasedonlyonactualmilesflown; today, however, nearly every purchase a familymakes canaddmilestoanaccount.Forourfamily,thesinglelargestcontribu-torofpointsisthecreditcardoffereddirectlybytheairline.Asyoucompare frequent flyer plans, also check out each airline’s creditcard plan to see which ones accumulate fastest and/or have theleastrestrictions.Someplansofferdoublepointsforcertaindollarsspent,somehavenofeesthefirstyear,andsomehavefeeswhichmaybewaivedifyouask.Whenyoutakefulladvantageofairlinepartners (flying and non-flying) and use your airline credit cardjudiciously, the cumulative effect is fargreater thanwhat canbegainedbyevenveryfrequentflying.Thinkofitasmultiplemoun-tainstreamsofpointsallflowingintoahugereservoir.

w hentheBartlettfamilygoesonvacation,wedon’tgojustaroundthecorner.Wehavetraveledtheworldvisitingsuch

places as England, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy,Spain, Canada, Belize, Honduras, Mexico, and throughout theU.S.Andwehaveaccomplishedthisforlessthantheaveragefam-ilyspendsforaweekatDisneyland.Tosaythatourfamilyofsixhasthetravelbugwouldbeanunderstatement.Tothemajorityofpeoplethiskindoftravelwouldseemfaroutofreach,butourfam-ilyhasdiscoveredincrediblewaystotraveltheworld—mostofthetimeforjustthecostoffoodandfun.

St.Augustinewasquotedassaying,“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”Thisissotrue.Thesoundsofourexistence,thecadenceofourlives,andthemelodiesofourheartsareallrepresented,enveloped,molded,andembodiedinthemyriadofpeoplewhomwemeetalongourjourney.Thesepeopletoucheveryfacetofourlives,givingushopeinmomentsofdespair,ecstasyinmomentsofpassion,victoryinstruggle,andcourageinconflict.Wefeelthattounderstandothersandtheworldatlarge,weneedtobecomeexplorers.Travelinghasexpandedourworld.

OnepersonmightfallunderthespellofacountrysideinIre-land while walking the paths of green rolling hills; another willwalk in the footstepsof incrediblemenandwomenofhistory inRomeorParisorLondon;someoneelsemightdiscovertheseren-ityoftheSwissalpsasheswimsinacrystalclearlakecreatedfromtheglaciersabove.Themagicoffamilytravel isthat itknowsnoboundaries—iterasesthem.

Ourgoalnowistohelpotherfamiliesexplorethewondersofthisincredibleworldandtomeetandmakefriendswithpeoplewhowill change the way we all think and feel about it. The problemarises—howonearthcanwepayforit?Oftenthefamilyvacationisdeterminedmorebythefamilybudgetorhowmuchwewanttoaddtoourcreditcards,thanbywherewereallywanttogo.WehopethefollowingexcerptfromourbookHave Kids—Will Travelwillhelpstirtheexplorersinyourfamily.

“AccordingtotheTravelIndustryAssociationofAmerica,theaverage traveler, on their longest trip, spent a little over a thou-

Have Kids­—Will Travel Dale Bartlett.

l 15

go during the off or not-too-off season – This is anotherwonderfultoolforthehomeschoolingfamily.Becauseschoolcanoftenbepickedupandmovedatanytime,homeschoolingfamiliescan take advantageof non-peak times.Technically,winter is thecheapesttimetovisitEurope,butyearsof livinginthenorthernUtahmountainshasmademywifeallergictocoldweatheraswellasreluctanttocarttheheavycoats,hats,andglovesneededtosur-viveaFebruarydayinLondon.Instead,wetendtomakemoreofourtripsinthespringorfallwhenhotelratesarestillcheaperthanthebusy summer seasonandwhen there are fewer tourists.Oneofour visits toFrance in early springoffered a fewdaysof crispweather,butnothingwecouldn’thandle.Duringthistimeofyearitisalsoeasiertoobtainfreefaresusingpointsaccumulatedasfre-quent-flyermiles. CHeaP or even free Hotels

Thereareways toget freehotel roomsandvery inexpensiverentalhomesliketheoneinwhichwestayedinthebeautifulTus-canhillsoverlookingFlorence,Italy,whichslepteightforlessthan$60anight.Ourfavoriteway,however,is…

free through Home exchange – There are many cost-con-sciousfamiliesjustlikeyourswhoarewillingtoexchangehomes.ThisconceptgoesbacktoEurope’sroyaltywho,whenonvacation,simplycalledupakingordukeandaskediftheycouldusetheircastle.Thesedaysitisaseasyasgoingonline.

Wehavehadoffers forhomes inBelgium,France,Germany,South Africa, England, and throughout America. The offer inSouth Africa was incredible. The property was part of a privategamepreserveedgingagainsttheoceanwhereyoucouldsitatopcliffsandwatchthewhalesswimby.

Exchanges involveminimal risk;most exchangers are stable,

Have Kids­—Will Travel Dale Bartlett.

upper-middle-class folks who love traveling. While anoccasionalglitch is inevitable,mostparticipantshavenothingbutpraise forthe program. Our favorite site is www.Jewettstreet.com wheretheyhaveaHaveKids–WillTravelaffiliation.Thisallowsyoutoexpandyoursearchtofamilieswhoareoflikemind.

Usingthemanytipswehavelearned,ourfamilyhasbeenabletotraveltheworldinexpensively.Muchofourtravelisactuallyfree.We have spent more than a month traveling through Germany,Switzerland, Austria, and France and only paid for three nightslodging.Afewyearsago,ourtriptotheNortheastUnitedStatesfora“RevolutionaryWarTour”lastingtwo-and-a-halfweekswasrightaround$700forallsixofus.Thatincludedairfare,rentalcar,hotel,food,andsouvenirs.OftenwespendthreeweeksinEuropeforatotalfamilycostofaround$2,500.Thatisone-tenthofatypi-calcostforatriplikethat.

Ifyouareinterestedindiscoveringmorewaystotravelcheapandfree,andalsoreadaboutwheretoeat,whattodoabouttrans-portation, what activities to do, and what to take, you can readmoreinourbook,Have Kids—Will Travel: A Guide to Inexpensive Family Travel Anywhere in the World—Most of It Free.Thecostis$12.95andincludesshipping.Visitusonthewebatwww.have-kids-willtravel.com.Ifyouhaveanyquestionsyoucanalsocontactusathavekidswilltravel@sisna.com.

Dale and Michelle Bartlett make their home in the mountains of Northern Utah. They have been married for 21 years and have four children. They are a homeschooling family and understand the budget struggles that brings, but they have been traveling cheap and free since their youngest was three. Their hope is to equip other families to be international explorers through inexpensive travel.

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CurrentlyI’minSeattleonmywaybackfromVancouver,Cana-da.Theweekbefore,IwasinAlbuquerque,NewMexico.Both

ofmyreturnflightswereoverbooked,andinbothcasesIreceived$400forvolunteeringmyseatandagreeingtotakethenextflight.

Theamazingthingis,Ididn’tpayfortheoriginalseatinthefirstplace!Eveninwhatisconsideredbymostexpertstobeaslowtimeofyearfortheairlineindustry,itisstillagoodtimetolookforflightsthataremorelikelytobeoversold.Whilesomeconsideroverbookingatremendousinconvenienceandheapcondemnationontheairlineindustryforsuchpractices,weloveit.

Foraslighttwo-hourdelayinmytravelplans(inthecaseofmySeattleflight),Iwascompensatedover$900bytheairlinesinthelasttwoweeksalone.IntheAlbuquerquecase,theflightwasthenextmorning,sotheyalsopaidformyhotelanddinner(over$150)ontopofthe$400flightvoucher.

Findingflightsthataretypicallyoverbookedisn’talwayseasy.Itdoes,however,geteasierthemoreyouflyandnoticepatternsthatemerge.Manyairlineshavecutbackonthenumberofflights,whichhasallowedforaslightincreaseinyourchances.Isayslightbecauseright nowpassenger count is alsodown.Theyhave also switchedfromusingthebigplanesonmanyshorterandmid-rangeflightsinfavorofthesmallerregionaljets.ThesearetheflightsI,personally,lookforandwhich,inthepasttwoflights,havemorethanpaidoff.

Duringholidayseasons,youmayhaveahigherchanceoftakingadvantageofbumpsituations.Thisiswhatyoudo:Ifyouhaven’tbookedyourflightyet,lookatwww.jewettstreet.com,yourfirstchoice for home-exchange flights that are nearly full (check theavailableseatsbeforepurchasing).Lookforsmallerregionaljetair-craftflyingthatroute.Booktimesanddaysthataretypicallyhigh-er-volumeflights(morningoreveningonMondaysandFridays).Thenarriveatyourgatebeforetheticketagentsdo.Assoonastheyarriveandhavesettledin,askiftheythinktheflightmaybeover-sold.Ifyes,volunteerrightthen.Youmayormaynotbeneeded,butmakesureyouarefirstontheirlist.Thenifyouareneededandtheyhavegivenanamount,askifthatisthebesttheycando.FormySeattleflighttheywereonlyoffering$200,butIendedupwith$400justbyasking.Notbadforatwo-hourwait!

Iftheyonlyneedonepersonandyouaretravelingwithyourfamily,youwillneedtodecideifitisworthitforoneoftheadultstocatchthenextflight.

Fly Free & Get Paid!Dale Bartlett

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Celebrating Lincoln’s 200th Birthday Michele Zavatsky

theentirecountry thisyear.During thesemajor events, historical sites “beef up”theirexhibits.How?Theyaddmoreguidesin character, maybe add new action mov-ies, create new animatronics, and finally,increase their colorful immersion spaces.What kid can resist all the stimulation!Before you leave the celebration, why notpurchaseasouvenirtalltophatoranold-fashionedtoytoremembertheoccasion.

living History re-enaCtments & outdoor dramas

Gobehind the scenesofapioneervillageorbehind enemy linesof aCivilWarcamp.Famousbattlefieldsandoldcabinsmaylookdull andunattractiveonanormalday,butadd re-enactors inperiod attire andyou’vegotthekids’attention.Eachfall,aneloquentspeakerdelivers theGettysburgAddressorthe Emancipation Proclamation. Period,costumedtownsfolk“setupshop”amongstsoldier camps. See fur trading posts, kidsinfantry,barbershopmedicine,andold-fash-ionedgames.Areasofwoodcarving,black-smithsandspinningandweavingsurrounddemonstrations of muzzle loading andshooting.Often, thegift shopon site sellswonderful little toy soldiers or play figuresthat kids canpurchase anduse to re-enactagainathome.Period foodscookedonanopenhearthareforsaletoo.Can’tyoujust

it’s Abraham Lincoln’s 200th Birthday,and America is celebrating! Abraham

Lincolndefinesthe idealofwhat itmeanstobeanAmerican.WerememberAbrahamLincolnbecause:

• He overcame being poor and unedu-catedtobecomeourcountry’sgreatestPresident;

• As American’s 16th President, hefought to keep the nation from split-tingapart;

• He believed that all people are equal–justliketheDeclarationofIndepen-dencesays.Thisbicentennialperiod is anexcellent

timetoget involved inyourtown’scelebra-tionsofLincoln'sbirthday,toreadagoodbi-ographyofPresidentLincoln,ortoplansometripstoLincolnattractionsorevents.

Here are some suggestions to unlockthe amusing, adventuresome side of Lin-colnhistory.

Big CeleBrationsMajor historic anniversaries like Lin-

coln’s200thBirthdayin2009arebigcel-ebrations. Places like Springfield, Illinois;Lincoln City, Indiana; Hodgenville, Ken-tucky; Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Sharps-burg(Antietam),Maryland;andWashing-ton,D.C.,arereallygettingintothis.The“ForeverFree”travelingexhibit is touring

smellthekettlecorn,applecider,barbeque,andbeanstew?

no museumsAtleastdon’ttellthemyou’regoingto

amuseum!Whichdo you think your kidswill respond to better—a famous person’sboyhood home or a history museum? Theboyhoodhome, right?On theway, try in-troducing them to the fun side of historybyreadingabookaboutLincolnoutloud.Another trick: plan an hour or two, notanafternoon.Beginyour tourwithabrieflook at the orientation film, then lead thekids through a scavenger hunt and rewardthemwithaprizeafterwards.(Note:Manymuseumsnowofferhuntsyoucanaskforatthe ticket counter, and thegift shopoftenprovidessmallprizesuponcompletion.)Thewebsitewww.lincolnbicentennial.govhasakids’pagelinktoreadinglistsandanHonestAbequizkidscantakeaftertheirvisit.

want aCtion? WalkinthefootstepsofoneofAmer-

ica’smostfamouspresidentsonthestreetsof Springfield, Illinois, or Gettysburg,Pennsylvania.Visit thetrainstationwhereLincoln arrived, or the house where thepresidentfinishedtheGettysburgAddress.Weekendtrainridesarefunandthere’susu-allyagoodice-creamshopordepotrestau-rantattheturn-aroundstop.

Yourkidswillhavesomuchhands-onfun and meet such interesting characters,they’llhardlyknowit’sahistorylesson.Inaddition,manyexcellentLincolnattractionsare just minutes from outdoor recreationandamusementstoevenoutyourtrip.

Want more ideas about how to plan your next family trip with a history stop woven in? You can find more than 6,000 places and events included in Kids Love Travel Guides—fam-ily travel guides to exploring “kid-tested” places in 12 different states. Michele Zavatsky and her family did the work so you don’t have to. To find out more, visit www.KidsLove-Travel.com. Also look for Michele and the Kids Love Virginia booth at the HEAV con-vention later this year.

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sCienCe CamP/roBoCamPVirginiaCommonwealthUniversity,Richmondwww.superchargedscience.com/camp.htmJune15-17

Joinusforawildweekofhands-onscience!Blastrockets,wireupcircuits,buildrobots,spinlaserbeams,andtakeanintergalacticspacetour in thishands-on scienceworkshop.ScienceCampandRobo-Camparebothtaughtbyarealmechanicalengineer,airplanepilot,astronomer,universityengineeringinstructor,androcketscientist!

Whatwill your child learn?Rocketry—chemical reactions andoxidation.Kidsblastarocket.

Electricity—electromagnetismand circuitdesign.Kidsbuild aburglar alarm. Engineering—wiring, remote controls, and chassisdesign.Kidscreatearobot.Lasers—electromagneticspectrumandrefraction. Kids construct a laser light show. Astronomy—planets,galaxies,supernova,andblackholes.Familiesgetanon-evolutionaryspacetourfromarealastronomer.

ScienceCampisheldfrom9a.m.to1p.m.forkidsagessevento12yearsold.RoboCampisheldfrom2p.m.to6p.m.forkidsages12to18yearsold.Reserve your space today!

travel virginia in 2009!A wonderful resource for you to plan your statewide trips is

www.virginia.org. Click on “Events” and you’ll find informationforeverypartofthestate.Asamplingisbelow.

St. James House Opening1300CharlesStreet,Fredericksburg540-373-1569•www.apva.org/stjameshouseApril20-25,1p.m.to4p.m.

This small, gambrel-roofed house is a fine example of an eigh-teenth-century gentleman’s house. The St. James House wasbuiltbyJamesMercer,first judgeoftheGeneralCourt inFreder-icksburg, and contains a collection of period furnishings, includ-ing silver, glass, porcelain, and furniture. The house serves as aresidenceandisonlyopenthreetimesayearandbyappointment.AdmissionFee:Adults$3/Childrenagessixto18,$1

Dolley Madison’s Birthday at Montpelier 11407ConstitutionHighway,MontpelierStation540-672-2728•www.montpelier.orgMay20,9:30a.m.to5:30p.m.

CelebrateDolleyMadison’sbirthdayatMontpelier.Birthdaycakeforall,andfreeadmissionforthosewhoshareDolley’sbirthday.

VisitorsfromaroundtheworldoncetraveledtoMontpeliertopayhomagetoJamesMadison,fatheroftheUnitedStatesConstitu-tionandthefourthpresident,andtoenjoythelegendaryhospitalityofhiswife,Dolley,whosegraciousnessandstyleinspiredtheterm“FirstLady.”

The 2,650-acre estate includes an unhurried tour of theongoing restoration of James & Dolley’s historic home, Du-Pont & Madison galleries, hands-on fun for kids, active archaeo-logical excavations, two miles of hiking trails through the 200-acre old-growth forest, Madison family and slave cemeteries,museumshop,cafe,andbreathtakingBlueRidgeMountainvistas.AdmissionFee:Adults,$14/Childrenagessixto14,$7

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ownership over what they’re producing and stand confident in life. They become not only good students but life-long learners.

Coming to virginia

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Theworldisabook,andthosewhodonottravelreadonlyapage.

~ St. Augustine

Travelandchangeofplaceimpartnewvigortothemind.

~Seneca

There are only two emotions in aplane:boredomandterror.

~Orson Welles

Ifyourejectthefood,ignorethecus-toms,andavoidthepeople,youmightbet-terstayhome.

~James Michener

There are no foreign lands. It is thetraveleronlywhoisforeign.

~Robert Louis Stevenson

Hewhodoesnottraveldoesnotknowthevalueofmen.

~Moorish proverb

Twenty years from now you will bemoredisappointedbythethingsyoudidn’tdothanbytheonesyoudiddo.Sothrowoff the bowlines, sail away from the safeharbor.Catchthetradewindsinyoursails.Explore.Dream.Discover.

~Mark Twain

Whenyoutravel,rememberthatafor-eigncountry isnotdesigned tomakeyoucomfortable.Itisdesignedtomakeitsownpeoplecomfortable.

~Clifton Fadiman

One’sdestinationisneveraplace,butanewwayofseeingthings.

~Henry Miller

©2009 Busch Entertainment Corporation. All rights reserved.

Bring your family to BuschGardens for an educationalday with over-the-topthrills. Experience ourcool education programsand add some gravity toyour fun.

To learn more visitbuschgardens.com/group.Enter promotional codeBGHMSCHL09 for tickets.

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$39Single-DayAdmission

tHe wise traveler

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UniqUe All-OccAsiOns Gift ideAs!Browse through 100s of beautiful scenic, floral, and nature photographs by Seth Fisher in 3 sizes of prints and high-quality, blank note cards at: throughmylensphotography.com. Attention! Been putting off a family picture? Having a spe-cial event? Need a portrait for the holidays? Give us a call at: 757-877-6902 for on-location photography!

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want Clean water? Christian homeschooling families who operate a water treatment company can solve your home, work, and  industrial water-quality  issues. Remove iron stains,  foul odors, discolor-ation, impurities, and worries, both for drinking and whole-house applications. Serving Vir-ginia and North Carolina since 1991. Visit our website at www.superiorwatersystems.com or call Dave at (757) 438-4802. free estimates and guaranteed results.

Grace PreParatory School Stafford County offers a unique Christian educational model designed to assist homeschooling parents in educating their children through a home-and-school partnership that fosters both excellence in academics and growth in faith and whole-hearted service. Come and see! Open Houses scheduled for early spring and summer. Call us at 540-657-4500 or visit www.graceprepschool.org for more information. Located at the Stafford Baptist Church Building. Mention this ad and receive $50 toward your family's registration fee!

Chandler Portable Welding & FabriCation More than 25 years experience! We come to you! Trailer Fabrication & Repair, Heavy Truck Repair, Railings & Window/Door Bars, Tank & Cannister Fabrication & Repair, Speciality Welding Projects, Highway Steel Billboards, Boat/Barge/Ship Building & Repair.

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Convention InformatIonPages 12 & 13