This past spring, I had the opportunity to attend three homeschool conventions where I engaged with young families searching for the right curriculum and seeking wisdom from experienced homeschoolers. I was grateful for the special encounters as well as the discussions about the Christian faith and science, with people of all walks. I also met some educators and discovered their new resources which I want to share with you here.
MASSHOPE April 2023
When offered to lead a Vendor’s workshop, I spoke about Michael Faraday and James Clerk Maxwell, the featured scientists of Lightlab who were also devout Christians. Read about them in a previous article “Meet Faraday and Maxwell". The next day, a family who shared the same veneration I have for J.C. Maxwell, surprised me by introducing their sons James, Clerk and Maxwell ! By the end of a lively conversation when we discussed the need for the world to know more about him, we exchanged information for future follow-ups.
Enjoying my delightful visitors James, Clerk and Maxwell!
CHAP May 2023
The hightlight of this conference was my guest Heidi Vertrees who shared the Lightlabetc table with me. I met Heidi Spring 2020, when she enrolled in a Teachers Workshop with her friend Sandy. They both did an excellent job teaching all 12 lessons at their church, alternating between outdoor classes and online videos due to COVID. Heidi has also published “Victor Survives Being a Kid”, and she teaches writing to homeschooled children. Check out this delightful book and her other services at newsongpress.net.
I was grateful for Heidi’s help since she was very well equipped in presenting Lightlab to the visitors, allowing me to converse at length with others. I especially recall a young father, also a Physics instructor, who believed in God but not the deity of Christ. I shared with him about my faith journey from a cultural christian to an agnostic, until I committed myself to Christ without ever looking back again. Of course, I mentioned scientists Michael Faraday and James Maxwell who were devout Christians, which surprised him greatly since that information is not revealed in most textbooks. I sure hope our conversation brought him closer to the Lord, and I wonder if we will meet again next year at the same convention. Please say a prayer for him!
Heidi Vertrees and my daughter Miriam at CHAP, managing the table on the first day of the convention
HEAV June 2023
Since it was the 40th Anniversary of HEAV, we celebrated by offering 40 diffraction glasses. This convention drew a large crowd and allowed many opportunities to encourage those considering homeschooling. Kirk Cameron was the featured speaker of the convention, but unfortunately I was too busy to attend his talks.
I recall talking to an amazed grandparent who was browsing the many isles of exhibitors, before he attended his grandchild’s graduation. He was amazed by the vast selection of resources available to the Homeschool community!
HEAV was actually the largest among all the three conventions that I attended. I also had time to shop and purchased a couple Astronomy resources, since I was planning to teach that subject at MACHEN Science Camp in July.
Collection of Resources from all conventions:
Whenever I get a chance to get away from my booth, I try to meet other vendors to learn about their products and ministries. It is my pleasure to introduce them to you in the order I met them during Lightalbetc’s journey from MASSHOPE to HEAV.
CS Lewis Study Center managed by a very knowledgeable christian couple
The Desbois Tutoring and Enrichment who attended the talk on Faraday and Maxwell
Great Wolf Lodge that offer fun weeks for homeschoolers
CEF MA is a MA branch of Child Evangelism Fellowship
The Wilds of New England a Bible-based Christian camp
Colonial Williamsburg offers inexpensive programs to homeschoolers
Generations a new thriving Christian curriculum with various topics
Homeschool Astronomy offer a variety of homeschool lessons that can be downloaded
At the end of the HEAV convention, my husband and I spent a few days in VA beach. Enjoy the video I took of the sun, finding out later it was the Earliest Sunrise of the year!
NEXT FOR LIGHTLABETC I am looking forward to scheduling the online workshops that I promised to those who purchased books. These will be from the selection listed on Lightlabetc/for-teachers page, which also include workshops for older youth.
We invite you to share lightlabetc.com with other homeschooled families, churches and Christian schools. All the while, I appreciate your prayers as I influence the youth to be equipped with knowledge and to encourage them to be the Daniels of the future.
Daniel 1:4
Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science,...