Coming: MassHOPE Convention

The Massachusetts Homeschool Organizaion of Parent Educators, or MassHOPE, has released the details of their 18th Annual Christian Homeschool Convention. The theme this year: “Teach Them to Walk in Truth” based on 3 John 4:

I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. NASB

The keynote speakers this year are Doug Phillips and Chris Klicka, two veteran homeschool dads who are extremely accomplished in many other ways. More information about them can be found in the MassHOPE brochure:

DOUG PHILLIPS is the founder and director of Vision Forum, a discipleship and training ministry that emphasizes Christian apologetics, worldview training, multi-generational faithfulness, and creative solutions whereby fathers can play a maximum role in family discipleship. He is a passionate communicator with a heart for home education and the restoration of Christian family and culture to the glory of God. As a constitutional attorney, Doug served six years at Home School Legal Defense Association and as Director for the National Center for Home Education. Doug and his wife, Beall, have eight children --- Joshua, Justice, Liberty, Jubilee, Faith Evangeline, Honor, Providence, and Virginia Hope. They live in San Antonio, Texas.

CHRIS KLICKA is Senior Counsel of Home School Legal Defense Association, an 80,000 member nonprofit legal organization dedicated to protecting the rights of parents to homeschool. He served as Executive Director of the National Center for Home Education, the lobbying and research branch of HSDLA, for six years, during which time he drafted federal legislation, lobbied on Capitol Hill, and provided expert testimony before the U.S. Congress. Since 1985, Chris has successfully represented over 3500 homeschooling families, requiring him to deal with thousands of public school officials, social workers, prosecutors, and police officers. He has argued before four state supreme courts and several state appellate courts and has appeared before a dozen state legislatures and state boards of education to testify on behalf of homeschoolers. His book, Home Schooling: The Right Choice, has been heralded as “the standard-bearer of books on homeschooling” and has sold more than 45,000 copies. Chris’ newest book, Home School Heroes, just published in 2006, follows the struggle and triumph of homeschooling in America. Chris and his wife, Tracy, homeschool their seven children in Warrenton, VA.

In addition to these renowned speakers, the MassHOPE organizers have added a Teen Track with classes about creation and evolution. From Mission: Imperative!, these offerings run the gamut from Ancient Civilizations to The Pillars of Evolution to sessions on spiders and dinosaurs. I am sure my sixteen-year-old daughter will attend some of these. The younger set (ages 5-11) has a Children’s Program available for them as well. Their theme for the weekend --- Mission Unconditional: Secret Agents for God’s Love.

I, of course, am interested in the workshops on homeschooling through high school, sessions like:

- Avoiding Transcript Trauma
- Homeschooling the College Bound
- Teaching Teenagers to Think Critically
- Course Options to Diversify Your High School Program

It promises to be a fun-filled, educational time. If you are interested in attending, download the registration form on the MassHOPE website and mail it in as soon as possible. And don’t forget, the convention has a vendor hall for all your curriculum needs, with many companies offering free shipping for the entire weekend.

Plan now. See you there!