For years the Sonlight team has thought about a kindergarten American history program for ages 5-6. But we couldn't find a quality textbook or spine (a book that runs through the entire program as the foundation), that was interesting, age-appropriate, engaging, and people-focused.
A Kindergarten Curriculum Based on the Best Picture Books
After
almost two decades of seeking the perfect book, we finally had an
epiphany.
What
do young readers enjoy that older children tend to pass over?
Picture books!
Over the years, Sonlight’s book reviewers would fall in love with gorgeous, nonfiction picture books. But Sonlight doesn’t include many standalone picture books, because that would quickly become cost-prohibitive. At $10-$20 each, and each book easily read in a single sitting, a single Sonlight program built around picture books would end up costing over $3,000. It might be marvelous, but would certainly be out of most families’ budgets.
And
yet those picture books continued to call out, “Read me!”
What if we could build a textbook (a spine) that was a springboard to all the amazing picture booksavailable for American history?
So we created a book that introduces students to an enormous range of heroes and events from American history.
Heroes and Happenings, the History Spine
We are thrilled with the end result and you will be too! Sixty chapters, across two volumes, introduce children to a wide range of people and events. Some of them are well known, like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Some are far more obscure like Dave the Potter, an enslaved African American who inscribed rhymes on his pots at a time when the enslaved were forbidden from learning to read, or Temple Grandin, the autistic professor who transformed how people manage cattle.
Heroes and Happenings, the 2-volume history spine of Exploring American History AVAILABLE APRIL 1, 2020
Each chapter is approximately 1000 words, which takes around 10 minutes to read aloud. If all you do is read through these chapters, you’ll have an excellent introduction to American history.
You’ll cover American icons and and treasures such as
the four presidents on Mount Rushmore
the Declaration of Independence
the Constitution
the American flag
the Star-Spangled Banner
the Statue of Liberty
An inside look at Heroes and Happenings, the history spine
After Amy Lykosh did the original writing, a team of illustrators brought her words to life. Brianna in Product Development designed each spread in a beautiful layout. A team of editors suggested changes.
You’ll learn about events in almost every one of the 50 states. You’ll learn about people from a range of religions and ethnicities, with diverse skin colors and contributions. For animal lovers, we have a chapter focused on horses and a chapter with an amazing dog.
Many chapters include call-out boxes to explain something in greater depth. For example, when you cover Leif Ericson, the Viking explorer who reached North America back in 1001 CE, you’ll also learn about the Viking women who created the sails of those ships, using a drop spindle.
The Suggested Picture Books
And at the end of each chapter in Heroes and Happenings, you’ll find a box that asks, “Want to know more?” Some chapters suggest a single nonfiction picture book. Some have a half dozen or so. But if a character captures your attention, you can seek out those recommended picture books.
At the end of each volume, you’ll find dozens more recommendations, so if this program whets your appetite, you can read even more picture books.
If you don't have access to any picture books, that's fine. The textbook itself has enough information, illustrations, maps, and detail that, even if you are overseas, you will still get a solid biographical understanding of these different characters.
But
if you love the library, you have room to explore even more.
That’s the story behind the Sonlight book Heroes and Happenings, a two-part volume with 60 biographies of characters and events from American history.
A Jeopardy! Champion's Secret Strategy
It gave us a level of validation when, during production of Exploring American History, we read that Jeopardy! star James Holzhauer, the most winningest contestant ever, used children’s books as his secret weapon to become a game-show millionaire. He headed to the children’s section of the library to look for books “tailored to make things interesting for uninterested readers.”
The 4-day schedule includes timeline figures and seven additional history books. The 5-day version includes another three!
Enjoy a deeper dive into the Revolutionary War, Westward Expansion, the time of the Pilgrims, and more. As a complete program, this history curriculum is stunning.
Bible
The Bible portion of Exploring American History includes an album of memory songs and The One Year Bible for Children, an excellent overview of the stories of the Scriptures.
Readers
For the Literature portion of the program, pick the Readers according to your children’s needs. The collection of Fun Tales is the most obvious choice for K, but you have additional possibilities. Contact an Advisor if you need help choosing.
Read-Alouds
The Read-Alouds are a tremendous treat! There are seventeen marvelous books in the 4-day program, plus four additional titles in 5-day. Even if you opt for the 4-day schedule, these four additional books are well worth adding to your order.
Enjoy animal books, adventure books, and books about life in interesting places. With beautifully written, age-appropriate, and often humorous plots and appealing illustrations, this is a kindergarten homeschool curriculum to celebrate.
NEW FOR 2020 Sonlight's Kindergarten Program: Exploring American History
The Sonlight team has carefully curated the Exploring American History collection over many years. Early elementary is one of the hardest ages to find good books—children still have limited vocabulary and prefer short chapters, and not many authors are up to the task.
And if you are feeling a little bit sad because you do not have any children who are young enough for this new program? Honestly, for the price, just order this program, even if you don’t have a child aged five or six. It's a beautiful, beautiful program. You will be encouraged, and you'll be blessed.
Once I started using The Timeline Book and Timeline Figures regularly, I began to see their purpose. Then I came up with several methods to make timeline figures a meaningful part of our homeschool routine. To our surprise, timeline figures have become a fun, fast, and simple way to boost learning, just as Sonlight always intended.
What Are Timeline Figures?
Timeline Figures are black and white drawings of famous people and events printed on paper with a removable backing to reveal a sticker layer underneath, so they can easily be placed into The Timeline Book after cutting them apart. They can be colored in if you choose to make them appear brighter and more fun. The Timeline Figures are selected and identified in your Instructor’s Guide from the books you read throughout the year in your History / Bible / Literature (HBL) program.
One copy of The Timeline Book will take you through all levels. Our family likes to have one copy of The Timeline Book per child; others enjoy having one book per group of children doing the same level, or one book per family. In HBL 100 and up, timeline figures are suggested, but not provided.
Sonlight also include suggestions for other Timeline Figures from other levels. Not all historical figures that are discussed are placed in every year, so each year you are ensured a new batch of timeline figures to affix. These will be indicated by a different symbol in your Instructor’s Guide. You will notice those figures do not have stickers included. The timeline stickers for those figures can usually be found in a different HBL and will be added in another year. If you don’t want to wait that long, you can always write them in.
Why Use Timeline Figures?
Timeline Figures help my children sense how much time is passing. Younger children often have a hard time visualizing how far away ago the year 1612 was. They many not have realized Catherine the Great from Russia and George Washington lived during the same time period. Over the years, as you add more Timeline Figures, you can see your children actually forming connections between people they’ve read about in past years and people they’re currently studying.
Each time they look through The Timeline Book to find where a new figure goes, they create a new visual memory of people and events they’ve already discovered. This helps keep those names and events fresh in their memory banks instead of forgotten by the wayside.
Added Benefits of Homeschool Timelines
Not only do the Timeline Figures create reminders of what you are learning, but they also juxtapose a variety of learning styles and techniques, helping transfer short-term references into long-term knowledge.
Auditory: Your child hearswhat you are reading to them. They listen to stories about people, places, and events, and how they all tie in together. Then, they match the figure to the story.
Interpersonal: You and your child discuss the story. Your child may confer with you over which timeline figures to use and where to place them, and review about what else is happening in the world, where events took place and who was there.
Kinesthetic: Placing timeline figures helps learn events through movement and touch. Positioning timeline figures in The Timeline Book and paging through to find the right spot provides further stimulation.
Reading and Spelling: As children read the names and events on the timeline figures, they are further familiarizing themselves with often unique or hard-to-spell names and places. They are seeing how the words are spelled and used together to form titles such as King Henry VIII, Sir Galahad, and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Tips for Using and Remembering the Timeline Figures
Daily Enhancement: Look at the Instructor’s Guide ahead of time, and note where Timeline Figures are mentioned. Little symbols have been placed there to aid you. If you find these don’t stand out enough, consider highlighting them or using colored sticky flags to help them stand out on the page. This will make it harder for you to skip or forget them. Keep The Timeline Book and Timeline Figures in easy reach with your other books. You might consider getting a pocketed page divider or hole-punching the Timeline Figures so you can easily store them in your Instructor’s Guide, making them more convenient and less likely to interrupt your flow.
Regularly Scheduled Review: At the beginning of each year (or semester, week, or any given period of time), cut out the Timeline Figures you will need and identify where they go. Put them in a plastic baggie, or paperclip them to the top of the page. If you use a plastic baggie, poke a small hole in it, so it easily slips onto the loops of your binder, holding it in place on the week they will be used.
Sporadic Review: On the back of the figures, jot down which book and which week the Timeline Figures are mentioned in. Whenever you like throughout the year, or at the end of the year for a review, pull them out and place them in. See how much your children can remember. If you have trouble remembering where they were mentioned, you can refer to the back of the figure to help you find its place in the Instructor’s Guide.
Activities and Games to Help Timeline Figures Come Alive
Play a Map-Matching Game: Before placing the Timeline Figures in The Timeline Book, first place them on a map in the country of their birth, the country they had the most influence in, or move them around as you read to follow their travels. When you are finished discussing them, stick them into The Timeline Book.
Create a Timeline Game: Cut off or fold under the dates of the Timeline Figures and have your child try to see if they can place all the Timeline Figures in the correct order. Have them try again to see if they can beat their time. They can also tape or paste them together into a long line to create a different type of timeline.
Make it Meaningful: Keep the activities fresh by adding events and people that are meaningful to your family. Add pictures of relatives and ancestors to The Timeline Book on their birthdays to help show where they fit into history. Draw lines to keep time periods together. Add in current events that are meaningful and little-known historic events you discover along the way.
Keep it Visible: The Timeline Book can sit in a prominent area to increase visibility. Hang a simple strip of adding machine paper on the wall for a visible timeline. A wall timeline, however, is prone to fingerprints, and can be hard to move with you. Thus I prefer Sonlight’s notebook style timeline instead. But just seeing The Timeline Book can help make it easier to remember to do it and provide those extra benefits.
Timeline Figures are such a small part of your homeschool history curriculum, they might seem insignificant in light of all the other things your children are learning. However, these figures can bring together many key points and ideas and are a great way to provide more references for historical figures and dates without having to memorize. These simple figures provide a huge value!
Let us walk you through your curriculum selection process. It's easy!
Least of All by Carol Purdy, a Read-Aloud from History / Bible / Literature (HBL) A, is about a little girl who feels lost in a large family. Despite its brevity, Least of All has a depth of meaning that makes is a lovely book.
Because my own family is on the larger side, my two youngest girls relate to a child who feels less helpful than their older siblings. Even my older boys know what it feels like to be too little to do a lot of the work they wanted to help with.
Since we have a large immediate family and an immense extended family, we chose to make a small family tree of immediate family members and a few others. On a large piece of poster board, decorated the tree with photos and drew lines to show how people are related.
You can make your family tree as large as you wish. Talk about your family and help your child visualize how each person is really just one small person in a large tree but each person is also invaluable to the tree. Convey that the tree just wouldn’t be complete without them.
2. Talk About Names
The family of the little girl in the story gave her a name, specially chosen from the Bible. Talk to your children about their names the names of other family members.
What do their given names mean?
What’s the origin on their family name?
Why were those particular names chosen for them?
Sharing how much thought went into their name can help create a special sense of belonging.
Raven wants to help her family make maple syrup, but she is too small to be helpful. She wasn’t, however, too young to enjoy the syrup. Enjoy a treat made from maple syrup with your child: pancakes, waffles, candy, or popcorn balls.
Involving your child in the process of helping to prepare food for everyone and participating in planning the menu helps them feel included and cherished.
4. Make Homemade Butter
Our heroine in Least of All found a job churning butter—a fairly easy, albeit monotonous, task. Little ones love churning their own butter. All it takes is a pint of heavy whipping cream, a teaspoon of salt, and a jar with a lid that closes tightly.
Place the cream and salt in the jar, and have your child shake the jar. When the butter starts making different sounds, stop and investigate what’s happening.
The butter will be done after about 10-15 minutes of vigorous shaking. You’ll know it’s complete when the butter has separated from the cream and it feels like there’s something solid in the jar when you shake it. Rinse the butter with water, setting aside the buttercream. Smear your butter on anything you like: bread, broccoli, popcorn, a fillet of fish, or a steak.
5. Read the Bible
That most important task of all, being able to read the Bible, is the task Raven found most beneficial to her family. Your child, too, can begin to read the Bible from time to time. If your little one isn’t ready to read, find an easy children’s Bible like this one (also from HBL A) with illustrations that tell the story.
You can also pick out a word that will be repeated often, such as Adam in Genesis 2-4, or David in the story of David and Goliath, while you read to them. Each time you come to their word, pause, and let them read their designated word. This will help to bring a sense of fun and excitement about reading the Bible together.
Reading together will help your child feel connected to your daily readings and encourage them to continue reading on their own long after they no longer need your assistance.
Most of all, young children want to fit in and know they are important. Giving them small chores to do while you are cleaning or involving them in little things throughout the day help illustrates you find their contributions valuable. Most of us are already doing this, but I’ve found it never hurts to remind myself to be just a little more mindful of the ways I am including my children in everyday tasks and encouraging them to participate.
Hands-on History Kits make extension activities incredibly easy! The ideas, directions, and supplies are already planned and provided for you.
If I listen really hard, I can hear the sound of dominoes being mixed up on a wooden dining table. I vividly remember my parents, aunt and uncle, and grandparents having regular game nights. The dominoes game of 42 was usually the game of choice, and though I never quite understood how to play, I loved watching. From my grandfather’s cheating followed by his staunch denial, to my memory of laughter filling the room, game night was a time when I felt loved and safe.
Once I got old enough, I was invited into the family games, learning games like dominoes, Rummy, and various poker games from my grandfather. To this day, I still reap the benefits of what I learned in those games. Strategy, competitiveness, sportsmanship, and taking calculated risks were just benefits of those evenings at the table.
Now, our children love family game night. We try to get dinner on the table early about once a week and have a family game night. We have found that games are a fantastic way for children to learn as well. In fact, we attribute a portion of our kids’ abilities in math and language to the games we play each week.
Games make learning fun. We highly encourage other families to schedule a game night, and I have a list of great games to get you started building your game library.
1. Blockus
Blockus is one of my all-time favorite games. Similar to Tetris, Blockus is a strategy game that includes several color-coded geometric pieces. The goal is to place as many of your colored pieces as possible without being blocked by another player.
This game teaches spatial awareness, geometric problem-solving, and strategy. We love it!
Though the manufacturer recommends this game for ages 5 and up, we have found that it works best to introduce the game in late elementary to early middle school. That’s when kids seem to really be able to grasp the strategy part of the game.
2. Scrabble
Do I even need to explain why Scrabble made my list? Who hasn’t used a dictionary while playing Scrabble either to spell a word or to challenge an opponent's questionable play? We love this word-building game. The more complex words with more rare letter combinations will earn the player more points.
This is a phenomenal way to practice phonics and expand your child’s vocabulary. While playing this game, encourage a little friendly competition by challenging your child’s word choices. Have them look up the word in the dictionary to defend it at least a few times each game. Scrabble is listed for ages 10 and up, but I think any child who is reading proficiently can benefit from a game of Scrabble.
3. Monopoly
Just the other day, I heard a financial adviser on television say that the best way to teach a child finances is to play Monopoly with them. I would have to agree.
In the game of Monopoly, players buy, sell, and trade properties. Monopoly encourages children to take risks in investing their money. As they play, they can explore owning cheaper properties versus more expensive properties. They can decide whether buying houses and hotels are worthwhile. Taking financial risks in hypothetical situations can help prepare children for calculating their risk in adulthood. At a more basic level, Monopoly is a great game to teach the basics of math. My children are always very careful to tell each other exactly how much money they should get back in change when they pay a fee.
Monopoly can be a lengthy game, so I’ve found that 10 years old is generally a good age to introduce it. However, it can be enjoyed at any point after that.
Here’s a quick tip: to teach your child how to play, assign them the job of the banker only so they can watch while they handle the money, the property titles, and the houses and hotels. I would also recommend setting up the game in a place that it can be left out for a few days undisturbed so you can come back to it as you are able.
4. Right Start Math Games
Yes! We use Right Start Math games all the time! With just a few decks of cards and the Card Game book, you have hundreds of games right at your fingertips. The best part is that they are all fun, challenging, and engaging.
For the younger years, our favorite math game is Go to the Dump. Similar to Go Fish, Go to the Dump requires players to add two cards to make a 10 (or an 11 or a 9…there are multiple variations). While Go to the Dump is favorite for my littles, all my children have fallen in love with the Corners game as they get older. We play Corners all the time. In fact, it is one of only two games that I have loaded on my phone for my kids to play when we are out and about. In Corners, players work with multiples of 5 to earn points and create a web of cards.
Another positive about the Right Start math games is that there are games available for all ages and all skill levels. You can also tailor the games to what you are learning at that time. Learning multiplication? Then you’ll want to play Multiplication Memory! One of the greatest benefits we’ve discovered? We stopped using flashcards when we found Right Start Math.We have found that these math games completely replace the need for drill for our children.
5. Mexican Train
Mexican Train is a dominoes game which requires players to build trains of linking numbers. This game requires strategy and a little mental math at the end of the game when players are counting their points. In this game, points are bad. The fewer points you have, the better you are doing.
This can be a long game, even beating Monopoly in length, so we generally reserve this game for New Year’s Eve. Mexican Train has up to 16 rounds to completely finish the game, which makes it ideal for a long New Year’s Eve celebration. However, you can stop between rounds pretty easily if you choose. I would definitely recommend this game for ages 10 and up simply because of the length of the game.
6. Apples to Apples
Never have I laughed so much during a game than I did the first time I played Apples to Apples. This is a pretty simple game which requires a minimal amount of set up. It consists of a large set of cards with topics. Players have to choose the card in their hand that best fits with the topic presented in the middle. Then, players take turns being the judge to decide which card fits the topic card best. This is always so much fun because you find yourself changing your strategy according to who is the judge. We always have a lot of fun with this.
There are two versions of this game, the original, which I would recommend for teens and up, or Apples to Apples Jr, which is great for younger children. Children ideally need to be able to read well to play this game, but we’ve had fun partnering up with non-readers or simply helping them read their cards as we go.
7. The Game of Life
The Game of Life is another game which helps teach life lessons to young children. Children are able to get a small taste of adulthood through this game by paying bills, earning a paycheck, sending a child to college, and many more real-life scenarios. I’ve never played the older version of it, but some say it can be a bit harsh. The newer versions seem to be more gentle to younger children. However, the game recommendation is eight and up.
8. Chinese Checkers
My grandfather taught me to play Chinese Checkers when I was a kid, and I was immediately hooked. I was so obsessed with this game that I would play a solitary version when no one would play with me! Chinese Checkers is similar in rules and strategy to regular checkers, but multiple people can play all at one time. It’s actually more fun, in my opinion, with more people. It requires a little more strategy than checkers as well since you are working with more people.
This is recommended for ages 7 and up, and I think that’s an appropriate estimate. There are several cheap versions of Chinese Checkers at the big-box stores. I would caution against those. They can be frustrating because the marbles don’t stay on the flimsy board. I recommend you invest in a thick, wooden set with good quality marbles. This investment will save you a lot of frustration.
9. Trivial Pursuit
Trivial Pursuit is the ultimate trivia game. It’s a great outlet for people who love memorizing facts, and studying the deck outside of game time can be a terrific way to learn more random facts. Trivial Pursuit is a good game for playing over dessert and coffee, as it seems to be somewhat slow-moving and relaxed. I would recommend the original version for teens and adults; however, there are many versions available including one called Trivial Pursuit for Families which looks very intriguing. This is definitely a great game to have in your homeschool library.
10. Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride is a fairly new game on the market, as far as board games are concerned, but it is gaining a lot of interest from families. Rightfully so, as this game is simple to learn and takes about an hour to play. The board is beautifully illustrated. This game is based on designing a train route through the United States. The goal is to build the longest route.
This is a game that can really test your decision making, since players must choose to build the cards in their hand or continue their route before losing it to another player. It’s also a good exercise in U.S. geography, teaching students about major cities throughout the country.
This game requires plenty of great strategic thinking and decisiveness. It is listed for players age 8 and up.
Bonus Games
I didn’t include these in my top ten family games simply because they are two-player games, however, I believe that Battleship and Chess are two classic games of strategy. Battleship also has the added benefit of teaching coordinate grids.
Board games are an incredible way to boost your child’s educational experience in a fun, safe environment. Memories are made around the game table. Hopefully this will help give you some direction to build your game library. What would you add to this list?
Opt for a fully planned homeschool curriculum so you have more time for family games!
Most homeschoolers read a lot. This is especially true for those of us using a literature-rich curriculum like Sonlight. So much reading takes place that we may overlook an important aspect of our reading life—reading for pure enjoyment!
Reading for pleasure has a host of benefits that only grow as our children age. Studies show reduced levels of depression and stress in recreational readers. There is also significant data pointing to a reduced risk of dementia later in life for those who are avid readers. We can also add the benefits of increased
academic success
social skills
self-awareness
and general well being
While the reasons to read outside of school time are plentiful, the methods for encouraging children to read for pleasure are more debatable. Reward systems in place to encourage reading offer everything from a free book to a personal pan pizza to encourage reading. But do these programs really work long term?
In some cases, sure. The reward system is in place until the passion for reading takes over. For others, the reading is simply a means to an end, namely the reward.
So how do we as homeschoolers get our kids on board with reading as an enjoyable pastime?
While there are no guarantees, there are three things that, when used together, can help kids fall in love with reading:
a good story
a shared experience
a desire to know
1. A Good Story
Stories have existed long before our language was written into books. They are a means by which we share our traditions and our heritage. We are fortunate to have Sonlight—a homeschool curriculum that offers stories to stimulate our hearts and minds. Sonlight books spark big questions and even greater conversations.
Think of the books in your life that really made an impact and share those with your children. As you read in your everyday life, share your excitement over books:
Share exciting tidbits from your latest bedtime novel.
Read aloud an expressive passage that really moved you.
Recount the plot of a biography on a car ride.
These moments communicate to our kids that reading isn’t just for school time and is worth doing for pleasure.
"I love how my girls enjoy their Sonlight literature so much and enjoy telling me all about it! From my youngest, Emma, telling me about King Arthur and the knights of the round table…my middle girlie getting excited telling me about Albert Einstein and the building of the atomic bomb…to my eldest telling me about the Cultural Revolution in China…I learn alongside my girls with this lovely layout of history."— Lacey D. of Bennett, CO with daughters Emma (8), Isabella (15), and Arianna (17)
2. A Shared Experience
Books are often better when shared. Homeschooling families benefit greatly from a family culture of reading aloud from preschool to high school graduation.
In my family, we are already in the habit of sharing great books. Here are a few of our favorite ways we deepen the experience.
Create a Book Club Culture at Home
Get together to discuss books and have fun doing so!
Avoid quizzing and instead aim for open-ended questions.
Encourage kids to express their feelings about books and then listen to and value their opinions, especially when they are different from your own.
Cook a meal or take a trip that fits the theme of a favorite book.
Keep the Experience Going
Find sequels or books by the same author. We love that Sonlight homeschool curriculum provides books that are first in a series. My children love the sequels to My Father’s Dragon, The Boxcar Children (both from HBL A), and Henry Huggins (from HBL B). Sonlight also features several Newbery Award Honor books, which have inspired us to read more award winning titles.
Consider movie or audiobook formats of the stories you love most. Dr. Dolittle (from HBL A) and Charlotte’s Web (from HBL B) were wonderful opportunities for family movie night! The Penderwicks (from HBL C) is fabulous as an audio book and the first in a series that has seen us through many a car trip.
3. A Desire to Know
As homeschoolers, we are committed to raising lifelong learners. Reading for enjoyment is a great way to pursue unique interests and dig deeper into topics in our curriculum that arouse curiosity.
Even the most reluctant readers are tempted by books on topics about which they are passionate! Star gazers, equine enthusiasts, and chefs all read to obtain information and increase their skills. When your child finds a passion (however short-lived), capitalize on it by providing stacks of non-fiction, biographies, and historical fiction on that same theme. The passion for the topic may be enough to move hesitant readers to pick up a book in their free time.
A love of reading grows through doing. Invite your children to share a reading life with you by offering good stories, sharing the experience of reading with them, and finding ways to help them feed their need to know.
Yes, occasionally this means that you might be subjected to the storyline of a science fiction novel that bores you to tears or a long, long tirade on global warming. Yet with so much to be gained through pleasure reading, it’s worth it—for them and for us!
Language Arts includes so many pieces. How can you see the big picture? How do you know what to teach and when? This free guide will lay it out simply.
Please meet and join us in congratulating these remarkable Sonlight-educated students poised to make a difference in the world. As the winners of our annual Sonlight scholarship competition, they have each been awarded each with $20,000, $10,000 or $4,000 for college.
Many of these students have used Sonlight since they were young. They’re headed into careers in engineering, arts, education and more. Most are headed to their college of choice, and many have superb SAT or ACT scores.
But they are also kind, big-hearted young adults. Through ministry and volunteerism, they live life with Jesus in their hearts and long to share God’s kingdom with the world.
$20,000 Scholarship Winner: Mattan Tseng of Hoffman Estates, IL
Students awarded $5,000 per year.
Mattan Tseng
Mattan Tseng of Hoffman Estates, IL, used Sonlight through his entire education and has excelled academically, receiving an ACT score of 34. In addition to his academic success, Mattan has a heart for service. The Student Ministries Director at his church describes him as an “extremely diligent” volunteer and notes that he has given over 2,000 volunteer hours in the past three years. Between his job as a weekend lighting assistant, his volunteer work on the lighting and production team, and sorting donations at the food pantry, Mattan spends a total of 25 hours a week serving at his church.
Mattan’s desire to serve has taken him on two mission trips to El Salvador and an 8-week trip to Zambia. While he was in Zambia, his mother was diagnosed with cancer. Once he returned home, his mother says, “At every turn…Mattan served his family, from driving me to chemo, to helping his brothers with math and science.”
Science and math are Mattan’s favorite subjects, and he is happiest when working through a long calculus problem or a new electrical experiment. He will graduate from high school with 30 college credits and 4.0 GPA. A science teacher describes Mattan as “curious, motivated, and inspiring…an exceptional student.”
More importantly than academics, Mattan wants his “life to be lived in a way that reflects the love that I have received from Jesus.” He plans to pursue his goal of serving those in need of Christ with a future career in civil engineering.
$10,000 Scholarship Winners: Lydia Golden, Hendrick (Henry) Raquet, Lydia Rech, Emma Ross, and Kelly Vivanco.
Students awarded $2,500 per year.
Lydia Golden
Lydia Golden of Colorado Springs, CO, is described by a mentor as “one of the great ones! Capable, faithful, confident, humble, and loves Jesus in word and deed.” Lydia has used Sonlight throughout her entire education and has been able to develop her skills and giftings in many extracurricular activities. Serving as both a member and the chair of her local chapter of the Institute for Cultural Communicators, she has developed a skill for public speaking and competed in several tournaments. Her gift for speaking is also used in her church, where she volunteers with younger students and competes in Fine Arts and Bible Quiz competitions. Lydia has brought home the Fine Arts gold medal in public speaking twice. A mentor says that “her creativity shines through her motivating and inspiring speeches. She has the ability to bring to life the story she is telling.”
Since she was only 6 years old, Lydia has been a lover of figure skating. She currently competes in theatrical skating, and mentors younger skaters in a weekly Learn to Skate program. Her love for theater also led her to spend her summers volunteering at a children’s discipleship camp on the drama team.
Lydia plans to attend Oral Roberts University and pursue a degree in Journalism. Through this degree, she hopes to be able to communicate truth and be a voice for those cannot be heard.
Henry Raquet
Hendrick (Henry) Raquet of Beavercreek, OH, has been a Sonlight student since 3rd grade. Henry serves on the audio-visual team at his church, where the team leader describes him as “without a doubt one of the most talented problem-solvers I have ever met.” Henry’s aptitude for engineering is evident in a story shared by his father, remembering a time when Henry built a working speaker from wire, plastic wrap, and magnets.
In addition to his giftings in problem-solving, Henry is a talented musician. He developed an interest in composing in early grade school and plays the piano and French horn. He plays in a local youth orchestra, where he is the section leader for the horns. He was also hand-picked to be a member of a brass quintet and participates in piano performances every year, where he has continually received the highest rating of “Superior” from judges.
In addition to his work with the audio-visual team at his church, Henry was asked to be a representative on the church youth council. A mentor from his church notes that “I have often remarked to my husband that Henry Raquet gives me great hope for the future…and what God can do in the life of a young man who is wholeheartedly pursuing Him.”
Henry hopes to pursue a college degree in Electrical Engineering.
Lydia Rech
Lydia Rech of Almond, NY, began using Sonlight in Pre-K. Since she was young, Lydia has shown a talent for music and acting. She began piano and voice lessons at the age of 12 and serves as the assistant director for a Christian youth choir. Her choir director says that Lydia “exhibits a rare maturity far beyond her years.” Lydia also volunteers on her church worship team and directed and organized a concert fundraiser to raise money for an adoption aid program working with an orphanage in China.
In addition to music, Lydia enjoys acting and theater. She has held a wide variety of stage roles, including Belle in a community theater production of Beauty and the Beast.
Lydia’s education with Sonlight has helped her stand out academically, and she has already been accepted into the college honors program at one of her top university choices. She hopes to be a piano teacher, and someday be a homeschool mom to share Sonlight and the gift of music with her own children.
Emma Ross
Emma Ross of Rosamond, CA, is described by her father as a student that “doesn’t read books [but] devours them.” She loves learning with Sonlight and has a personal goal of reading 200 books every year.
In addition to her academic success, Emma is a talented musician and plays both harp and piano. She’s the principal harpist for the West Coast Classical Concert and Symphonic Orchestras and has played in many performances and competitions. She also plays harp professionally through her own business, which she started and manages herself – including the website, business cards, and advertising. She works 1-2 events each month, playing the harp for weddings and special events. She also teaches piano to several younger students. Emma is part of a continuing legacy: her harp teacher was a Sonlight scholarship recipient herself several years ago!
Emma excels in more than just school and music. She has been active in several sports, including swim, track, soccer, and volleyball. She is also the editor for her homeschool organization’s student yearbook.
Emma will graduate high school with a 4.0 GPA and hopes to double major in Piano Pedagogy and Harp Performance at Cedarville University.
Kelly Vivanco
Kelly Vivanco of Tecamac, Mexico, is part of a long-term missionary family serving and pastoring in southern Mexico. As a bilingual and bicultural student, she has appreciated Sonlight’s global and biblical perspective throughout her education.
Kelly has shown herself outstanding in academics, graduating with a 4.0 GPA and 1410 SAT score. She is especially gifted in writing and communication and has written a historical fiction novel that she hopes to someday publish. A confident public speaker, Kelly teaches in her youth group, leads Bible studies, and has shared several sermons with the entire church congregation. She is also gifted in music and volunteers on the church worship team. Inspired by the Sing the Word CDs included with Sonlight, she would someday like to put Bible verses to memorable music for Spanish-speaking children.
In college, Kelly plans to study Elementary Education. She feels called to be a missionary in India, and has already begun learning to speak Hindi in preparation for her future vocation.
$4,000 Scholarship Winners: Mary Grace Spoelman, Annika Wiener, Carina Anastasio, Micah Shannon, Isaac Stiles, and Kira Zook.
Students awarded $1,000 per year.
Mary Grace Spoelman
Mary Grace Spoelman of SE Asia, has lived in Southeast Asia nearly her entire life and has completed her entire homeschool education with Sonlight overseas. She is passionate about art, and in her own words, “…[desires] to glorify the great Creator through creating. I seek to highlight the beauty of His Creation in a world that sometimes seems dark…” She has sold her original artwork in several craft fairs and donated her earnings to local charities that work with low-income families and trafficking victims.
Mary Grace is very involved in volunteer work at her church and leads worship for the children’s church as well as leading and teaching small groups of younger children. She also volunteers at a local language center where she acts as a teaching assistant for children struggling with literacy and learning challenges.
Those who serve alongside Mary Grace comment on her selfless service – and the delicious baked treats that she enjoys creating and sharing with others. She is described as leading with “integrity of heart, serving willingly and steadfastly.” Mary Grace dreams of becoming an illustrator and intends to study art at Calvin University before returning to her home in SE Asia.
Annika Wiener
Annika Wiener of Scottsdale, AZ, has used Sonlight Curriculum all the way through her schooling. She is accomplished academically, and a talented pianist. She uses her musical gifting to serve on her church worship team. A church mentor describes Annika as someone “intentionally focusing her musical talents to spread the truth and love of Christ.” In addition to her service on the worship team, Annika displays leadership as a student leader in her youth group and volunteers with preschool and kindergarten classes. She has a desire to connect with other students that may feel lonely or overlooked, and those who serve alongside her recount many times that she befriended someone who may have otherwise been on the outskirts.
Annika is a member of a competitive speech and debate club, where she serves as a student leader and helps mentor new and younger students. Her director comments “While [Annika] is an accomplished speaker…her greatest gift is her attitude of service and caring.”
With the goal of teaching music in the future, Annika hopes to study Piano Performance at Arizona Christian University after graduation.
Carina Anastasio
Carina Anastasio of Albuquerque, NM, has seen academic success through her schooling with Sonlight, receiving a 33 on the ACT. She is interested in engineering and robotics and acted as the team captain for an all-girls robotics team that she helped organize. Her mother, also acting as the robotics team coach, says that “Carina [was] instrumental in creating and driving the team since its inception.” The team received the highest honors at state competition two years in a row. Since then, Carina has continued to see success in competition on another robotics team and was even recognized at a national level as a finalist for her individual contribution.
Carina enjoys sharing her gifts with younger children and taught a six-week course introducing elementary students to robotics. She has also led the children’s ministry programming at a homeschool family retreat for a statewide homeschool event.
In her young teens, Carina attended a summer camp at multiple colleges and universities and encountered biomedical engineering for the first time. She plans to attend the University of New Mexico and receive a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, followed by a master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering. She dreams of developing medical technology using her interest in robotics. Her robotics mentor believes that Carina has a “bright future ahead of her as an engineer.”
Micah Shannon
Micah Shannon of Syracuse, NY, spent 8 years of his Sonlight education in Ethiopia as the child of a missionary family. He has excelled in academics, with an SAT score of 1420 and an ACT score of 33. Micah has also conquered subjects like physics and calculus. He has a love for photography and ran a small photography business when living in Ethiopia with the goal of providing affordable portraits for missionary families.
Having returned to the US, Micah is now involved in a local camera club, where he participates in workshops and is the leading member in his competition level. He is a student leader in his church youth group and a student council member in a local homeschool group. He was selected to attend a youth servant leadership training program that focused on developing leadership skills and community service.
Micah works for a property management company performing maintenance tasks and has also interned with a design studio. He views college as an opportunity to receive “the necessary training and education to do my absolute best for God’s glory.”
Isaac Stiles
Isaac Stiles of Souderton, PA, showed an aptitude for mathematics early on in life. His mother remembers a time when he enthusiastically explained to her his method for squaring any number in his head. He used Sonlight Curriculum all throughout school and learned to read at the age of three. Isaac received a score of 1500 on the SAT, placing him in the 99th percentile. Isaac’s mother believes that Sonlight was a perfect fit for him; his sensory processing challenges made textbooks and worksheets difficult, but engaging literature was an enjoyable way for him to learn.
Isaac exhibits gifts in music as a piano student at a community arts academy. He serves on his church worship team through singing, playing piano, and working as a sound technician. He is a black belt in Taekwon-Do and works as a junior instructor, training and practicing with younger martial arts students.
Isaac’s pastor shares that Isaac is “beloved by the entire church and recognized for his maturity, courtesy, kindness, and faithfulness…not to mention his high level of intelligence.” Isaac intends to further his education in mathematics in a college setting, spurred by the belief that mathematics isn’t just a secular pursuit, but can be used to bring glory to God.
Kira Zook
Kira Zook of Broadway, VA, has spent nearly her entire life living in a remote village in Papua New Guinea, accessible only by helicopter. Her parents are linguist Bible translators, and remark on how Kira’s support has enabled them to dedicate even more time to their translation work. Kira uses her skills in cooking, carpentry, cleaning, and more to assist her family in managing the household and furthering their mission work. Her mother is grateful that Kira “serves with a willing and cheerful heart.”
Kira used Sonlight Curriculum through all her years of schooling and is described by her parents as a voracious reader. She scored 1380 on her SAT and has developed a distinct skill in writing. Each year, she compiles a book of her best pieces of poetry and other writing. Lately, she has begun to share her work online. Her language skills continue to develop and have allowed her to connect with a local young woman in her village, with whom she has built a friendship and discipling relationship.
Returning to the US for college will allow Kira to pursue a degree in English. She believes this degree will equip her with valuable skills for any vocation that she chooses, including missions and translation work.
Could Your Young Learner Win a Sonlight Scholarship?
From preschool through high school graduation, Sonlight prepares your students. We have the big picture in mind, and we help you raise students prepared to launch into any career God calls them to. We share your desire to help your children succeed, and we’ll walk alongside to help you create the long-term educational experience you envision.
Each year, our charitable foundation offers a number of college scholarships, ranging from $4,000 to $20,000, spread over four years. Each year, the Sonlight Foundation offers the following scholarships:
$5,000/year
$2,500/year
$1,000/year
We offer scholarships on two tracks: one emphasizes academics, and the other creativity, missions-mindedness, and service. Got a perfect score on the SAT? Got average test scores, but served overseas during summer vacation for the last three years? In either case, you may qualify.
The Sonlight Foundation recognizes that academic giftedness is only one type of giftedness. If your student is gifted in academics, service, music, art, or has a heart for missions, we encourage you to submit an application.
If I told you my children were always perfectly still, quiet, and attentive during our Read-Alouds, I would be lying. Don’t get me wrong. My children thoroughly enjoy reading time, so it’s not a lack of interest that distracts them from our book adventures.
Instead, the culprit is normal kid wiggles.
At one time their inability to sit still bothered me. But that frustration led me to change my approach. I realized there are other options than sitting perfectly still while listening to a book. In fact, it became apparent that they were able to comprehend and rehash everything I had read even while engaging in a quite busy activity.
After a select number of pages, have a running race. Repeat each time you reach that page goal.
Collect sticks, rocks, or other objects from nature and build something.
Take the book to a playground and alternate play and reading.
Draw with sidewalk chalk.
Couch Read-Aloud Activities
Change seating positions every few pages—sitting sideways, backwards, upside down, etc.
Let siblings change places with each other every few pages.
Use quiet fidget toys such as handheld water games.
Snuggle up and play the quiet game.
The biggest tip for wiggle worm activities is to choose an action that will calm them and not create more hyperactivity.
If your ultimate goal is for your wiggly worms to sit quietly, then slowly work up to that goal. Use activities to build their tolerance. Make sitting still a game—something they look forward to doing with you. Over time they will gain self-control and be able to listen to Read-Alouds while sitting still. But along the way, relax, have fun, and accept the wiggly worms that you are reading aloud to.
Sonlight parents about their History / Bible / Literature, Language Arts and Science Instructor's Guides! Take a look and see what the excitement is all about.
