The Best Books For Summer Reading: What Are Your Favorites?

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Sonlight parents are always looking for fun and engaging ways to encourage reading in their homeschool. With the end of the school year just around the bend, we want to support you in creating a reading lifestyle all summer long. We also can't wait to hear what you believe are the very best books for summer reading!

Choosing Quality Books For Your Children

One of the things that makes Sonlight such a valuable curriculum is our carefully curated book selections. Sonlight is the original literature-based curriculum and we pride ourselves in finding the very best options for your child's reading stack.

Many parents have asked for tips and tricks for choosing quality, everyday books for unstructured reading as well. Here are our very best suggestions for choosing thoughtful and age-appropriate reading materials for your children.

1. Select stories with characters that your child can understand and relate to.

If your child can see themselves in the story, no matter how different the circumstances of the tale may be, the reading becomes a powerful, often motivating experience.

2. Look for books that teach important lessons or concepts.

One of the best ways to promote overall character development and cultural significance, especially for children, is through illustrative examples in story.

3. Choose books with beautiful illustrations.

Artful illustrations can make all the difference in creating excellence in your unstructured reading. Not only will your child be more engaged, but the artistry of many illustrated books can cultivate beauty for all ages (even us parents!).

4. Incorporate your child's interests.

An easy way to kick off a passion for reading is through books about topics that your child finds particularly interesting. Whether it's nature, dogs, or exotic locations, starting with your child's favorite things can be a wonderful way to source excellent reading resources.

Rejuvenate Your Family's Reading Routine This Summer

All year long, we promote learning through the power of literature and story because we know just how valuable it is for growing minds. Summer however, a great time to change things up in your homeschool and rejuvenate your family's reading routine.

The more relaxed pace, the need to stay cool indoors or at the pool, and the chance to take a break from formal learning are all great reasons to incorporate a summer reading plan into your summer days. Summer is the perfect time of year to create a lifestyle of reading in your family.

The Best Books For Summer Reading: What Are Your Favorites?

Please join us in getting motivated to read more this summer by sharing your favorite books and discovering new titles to enjoy as a family. Share your recommendations here through May 12!

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I could never homeschool because… Part 1: Academics

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The hardest part of homeschooling often isn't the homeschooling!

With a great curriculum like Sonlight, teaching is the easy part! The harder part is clearing the hurdles to get started in the first place.

We’re here to help you push past these worries that many homeschool parents face. In this blog series, we’ll debunk the most common hurdles to getting started homeschooling.

We’ll give you tips to overcome and advice to thrive, plus we'll share stories of real homeschoolers who have cleared these hurdles.


My children will be behind academically

Homeschoolers tend to do better than their traditionally schooled peers on standardized tests. There are many reasons for this: the tutoring model of homeschooling keeps kids from falling through the cracks, you can tailor your child’s education to their specific needs, the home is a safe and calm place to learn, kids do better without being taught to the test, and so on.

Here are a few resources to debunk this common misconception about homeschoolers.

FROM THE SONLIGHT BLOG

  1. Is My Child Learning Enough?
    Every homeschool parent occasionally wonders if their children are learning everything they need to know. Since a literature-based learning approach doesn't use traditional testing, it can be even harder to objectively assess what your children are learning. If you are feeling concerned, it is important to take a step back and examine what is causing that feeling. Chances are, your child is learning even more than you realize!
  2. 4 Reasons to Pursue Academic Excellence in Your Homeschool
    I know that education is not about test scores. I love that homeschooling lets you tailor your plans to your family. But ultimately, what is the goal of homeschooling? I believe it is to equip children to do whatever God calls them to. And with few exceptions, equipping children for their callings includes the pursuit of excellence in everything, including academics. Such excellence will mean different things for different children (and may or may not result in great test scores). But the point is that when we challenge our children academically, we are helping them reach their individual, God-given potential.
  3. Nine Reminders for When I Think I'm Failing My Children by Homeschooling
    Many homeschool parents get discouraged and fear that they are failing their children by teaching them at home. To ease your fears about failing your children, remind yourself of these truths.
  4. Honoring God with Academics: The Goal of Christian Homeschooling
    When you hear the term academic excellence do you get a stuffy image of grading scales, tests, timers and No. 2 pencils—maybe even ivy-covered buildings? I'd like to make a case for the couch academic and how relational, delight-driven homeschooling and academic excellence are not mutually exclusive. Just because we don't emphasize tests and grading as the spine of Sonlight's approach doesn't mean we're half-hearted in the area of scholarship and the life of the mind.

FROM THE SONLIGHT PODCAST

VIDEO

My children are light years ahead of their peers and recommended for honor College. Sonlight equipped us exceptionally well for a strong academic future. Hello presidential scholarships, merit scholarships, rotary scholarships, police department scholarship, private foundation scholarships—the  list goes on and on!

L. Family Sonlighters

My children won’t get into college

If part of you wonders if your children will be prepared for college, be encouraged to know that thousands of others have been. If you and your student both see college as a goal, homeschooling can actually give your children a distinct advantage in preparing for college. Many homeschoolers tend to outperform their peers in terms of college GPA and graduation rates.

Here are some of the ways Sonlight has helped prepare students for college.

FROM THE SONLIGHT BLOG

  1. Yes, Homeschoolers Can Get into College!
  2. 4 Reasons Colleges Love Homeschoolers

FROM THE SONLIGHT PODCAST

VIDEO

To ease your fears about homeschooling, pair this encouragement with a time-tested homeschool curriculum. Let Sonlight equip you and give you the confidence to do it well.

With all your materials and plans laid out for you to just open and teach, you do have what it takes to homeschool! We are so happy to be part of your homeschool and walk alongside you in this journey!

Consult a Sonlight Advisor for personalized homeschool advice. FREE!

If you are considering a new direction for your children’s education or have doubts about your homeschool and want personalized reassurance, we have experienced homeschooling moms who would love to talk to you. With our Sonlight Advisors, you'll get one-on-one help, new ideas, and renewed confidence.

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Homeschool Conventions: Everything You Need For The Best Experience

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Are you considering attending a homeschool convention this year and not sure where to start? Wondering if it’s really worth your time and money? This comprehensive guide answers your questions and has everything you need to decide if a homeschool convention is right for you.

Homeschool Conventions For Homeschooling Families

Over the years, the opportunity to attend a homeschool convention has increased to include national conventions, regional conventions, smaller local conventions and even online options. The good news is, no matter where you live or how you approach learning in your home, there is likely a convention available to suit your interests and needs.

The Benefits Of Attending A Homeschool Convention

Homeschool conventions are popular, in large part, because they provide practical, actionable support to homeschooling parents and families. Here are just a few of the benefits of attending a homeschool convention.

1. Learning opportunities for parents

Homeschool conventions typically offer an array of parent workshops, seminars, and keynote speeches. Often presented by educators, curriculum providers, and experienced, veteran homeschoolers, these sessions include a wide range of topics. You'll find presentations on various homeschool teaching methods, curriculum choices, state homeschooling laws, as well as resources for gifted and special needs students.

2. Curriculum research and exploration

An additional benefit of attending many homeschool conventions is the opportunity to browse and compare curriculum options from various vendors. Seeing the curriculum in person allows you to see and experience the materials first-hand. It also gives you the opportunity to ask questions directly to the company representatives.

3. Connection and networking with other homeschoolers

Homeschool conventions also offer a chance to meet and connect with other homeschoolers. This is a significant benefit for most convention attendees. Experienced veterans or those just starting out all have the opportunity to connect, share, and network. This provides immense support and encouragement.

4. Motivation and encouragement

For many homeschooling parents, homeschool conventions provide a much-needed boost of motivation and encouragement. Being in the company of other homeschoolers who share similar goals and struggles can be incredibly uplifting and empowering.

5. Legal information and support

Homeschool conventions often include workshops on homeschooling laws and regulations. This aspect of conventions can be particularly helpful for new homeschoolers, navigating the legal requirements for homeschooling in their state.

In summary, attending a homeschool convention provides access to valuable learning opportunities, curriculum exploration, networking with other homeschoolers, encouragement, and legal support.

What To Expect At A Homeschool Convention

If you plan on attending a homeschool convention in person, here are a few tips and tricks to help you maximize the experience.

  • Wear comfortable shoes! Walking around large exhibit halls filled with curriculum vendors is fun and exciting. It can also be hard on your legs and feet.
  • Bring a sweater. Even in the middle of summer, air-conditioned auditoriums can be so cold that it becomes difficult to listen to the presenter.
  • Take notes as you go, but try not to get overwhelmed. You will be exposed to a wealth of resources and valuable expertise throughout the convention. Trying to capture and retain all of it is impossible. Think of a homeschool convention as a huge buffet where you get to choose the items that work for you, and leave the rest.
  • Give yourself time to plan and process what you take away from a convention. There is no rush to implement everything in your homeschool immediately. We recommend you take some time to process what you learned before making any sweeping changes in your homeschool.

Visit Sonlight At A Homeschool Convention Near You

We are proud to support homeschoolers around the world as we participate in various in-person and online conventions throughout the year. We hope to see you soon! Check out the convention schedule for the most up-to-date list of where you'll find Sonlight at conventions throughout the year.

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3 Ways to Rejuvenate Your Homeschool as You Celebrate Spring

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3 Ways to Rejuvenate Your Homeschool as You Celebrate Spring

When the first day of spring is right around the corner, there’s a good chance your homeschool family—like mine—is feeling a bit of spring fever. My yard may still have puddles and leafless trees, and we have several weeks left before we can pack away our Instructor's Guides for summer break, but that doesn’t mean we can’t pause to enjoy the changing of the seasons.

In fact, a short break from our regular routine to focus on a season that’s all about life, growth, and renewal may be the perfect way to rest and rejuvenate before tackling the end of our school year.

Whether we scatter a few activities over the course of a couple weeks or dedicate one whole day to seasonal fun, the following ideas are a starting point for my family as we decide how we want to mark the first day of spring.   

1. Get Outside to Enjoy Spring Nature

The best way to see how nature is changing is to be in it, so we’ll definitely be walking out the front door. Weather and schedules will dictate what we end up doing, but here are some options we’ll consider:

  • Walk through our neighborhood or go on a hike. Pay attention to bulbs in bloom, blossoms on trees, and nests in trees.
  • Visit a farm to see the baby animals.
  • Plant some seeds or flowers. If the weather is uncooperative, make a plan for what we’ll plant and where it will go.

2. Savor Books About Spring or Poetry

Whether we want to read something overtly educational or choose something more for pleasure, there’s no shortage of ways that reading can be part of our celebration.

3. Create Beautiful Things

I’m definitely not the kind of mom who does arts and crafts, but that doesn’t mean my family can’t make things to celebrate the season. Whether we choose things that are to be enjoyed purely for their beauty, serve a more practical purpose, or are a combination of those goals, we’ll find something to create.

  • Dry and press flowers from our walk or hike. Then use them for making bookmarks with contact paper or for adorning blank cards which we can mail out to friends.
  • Prepare a meal that highlights spring produce or bake some distinctly spring-themed desserts. Then invite friends or family over to eat with us or deliver the food to homes or workplaces.
  • Let each person select the artistic method they prefer—writing a poem, painting a picture, or carving a wood figurine—to create something that represents spring to them.

Whether you get outside, open books, create things, or do something entirely different, I hope you’ll join me in taking some time to savor the beginning of spring before we move forward to complete our school year.

Spring is also a perfect time for considering your curriculum for the fall. Request a Sonlight catalog and start planning your programs.

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2023 Sonlight Scholarship Winners Announced

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Yes...you can homeschool through high school! Meet this year's bright, accomplished, servant-hearted Sonlight Scholarship winners. These exceptional Sonlight-educated students are poised to make a difference in the world. As the winners of our annual Sonlight scholarship competition, they have each been awarded $20,000, $10,000, or $4,000 for college.

Many of these students have used Sonlight since they were young. They’re headed into promising careers in engineering, arts, medicine, missionary work, music, 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: Malia S. of Asuncion, Paraguay

Awarded $5,000 Per Year

Malia is a high school senior, born in the United States. For the past decade, she has lived in South America: first, in Bogotá, Colombia; and currently in Asunción, Paraguay. She speaks English and Spanish at home and is pleased to be picking up some Guarani. Malia plays the oboe, swims competitively, volunteers at church, enjoys jiu-jitsu and kickboxing, and regularly experiments with cookie recipes.

At an early age, Malia bought into Sonlight’s educational philosophy “hook, line, and sinker.” Her love for literature fueled her schooling. Her library is replete with hundreds of tattered covers, most of which came in eagerly-awaited, yearly Sonlight mailings. Aside from her family and close circle, her mentors and friends through the years have included Eloise McGraw, E.L. Konigsburg, Louisa May Alcott, Jules Verne, J.R.R Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Alexandre Dumas, Agatha Christie, and Leo Tolstoy.

After arriving in Paraguay, Malia developed a strong interest in tropical disease and community health. The flexibility of homeschooling allowed her to work with recently discovered tribes in Paraguay’s Chaco region, disadvantaged communities in Asunción, and those suffering from lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis) and Hansen’s disease (leprosy).

In 2021, Malia created Project Willing to help resource a leper colony in Sapucai, Paraguay. Project Willing gets its name from Luke 5: The leper said to Jesus, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean;” and the Lord said, “I am willing.” Project Willing currently supplies all non-prescription medical supplies for the colony’s 60 residents and is investing in long-term sustainability projects. Malia’s continued, close contact with the residents has been life-changing. Please visit www.ruwilling.org for more information.

In college, Malia plans to pursue a course of study focused on psychology and community health to effect more positive, multi-disciplinary solutions to health challenges in disadvantaged communities at home and abroad. Malia plans on taking a gap year to continue her in-country management of Project Willing and current study of tropical disease in Paraguay.

Malia S.

$10,000 Scholarship Winners: Petra H., Ebahi O., Alyssa S., and Timothy B.

Awarded $2,500 Per Year

Petra H., of Orting, WA, is determined to follow God wherever He leads. Inspired by many of the stories she read while using Sonlight curriculum from K-12, she feels that God is calling her to serve in the Middle East. In preparation to follow this calling, she spent her high school years teaching herself Arabic. She has always enjoyed the freedom that homeschooling has given her to pursue her interests and has used that time to lead her own children's Bible club, sew her own historically inspired clothes, participate in a speech and debate club, and spend her extra time studying anatomy and physiology. During high school, she developed a love for chemistry, biology, and medicine, which helped to lead her in the direction of nursing. To confirm both her calling to nursing and her calling to the Middle East, after graduating in May of 2022, she decided to take a gap year. For the first five months, she worked with an organization in Israel that helps Arab children born with heart defects receive life-saving surgery in Israeli hospitals. During this time, she feels that God truly confirmed her calling to nursing. After spending Christmas with her parents and four younger brothers, she returned to the Middle East and is now working to improve her Arabic and study the culture while helping to homeschool the children of Christian workers there. She is looking forward to attending nursing school at Dordt University this fall. She trusts that God will lead her in His will, and she prays that He will grant her the strength to follow Him wherever He leads.

"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in him.'"

Lamentations 3:22-24

Petra H.

Ebahi O. was born into a missionary family and has traveled internationally her whole childhood. She grew up watching and then working alongside her parents as they served in several countries, including Benin, Nigeria, and Romania. As she grew and fell in love with the Lord, she developed one main life goal that dictates all her choices: to glorify God. She was blessed to have the opportunity to serve in medical missions in Benin, help care for orphans, teach English in Romania, and so much more as she tried to serve in any way she could. She also loved participating in her youth group and later becoming a mentor to younger girls and other homeschool students.

Ebahi was taught with Sonlight her entire education. Sonlight provided the rigorous but flexible curriculum that her family's travels required. She took 10 AP Courses and enjoyed challenging herself academically. She also had the freedom to thoroughly pursue her other interests such as pottery, dog training, animal rescues, and helping homeschool her younger siblings. Whenever stateside, she enjoyed dancing and was part of a performance group. Homeschooling allowed her to experience real life much earlier than her peers, as well as have some incredible adventures (such as being chased by an elephant). It also allowed her time and opportunity to develop a deep and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. She cannot wait to teach, the Sonlight way, to her own children one day.

Ebahi has many ambitions and ideas. The Lord has guided her into her next step; she will be attending the University of Notre Dame, where she will study Civil engineering. She personally experienced the daily hardships many people face their whole lives due to terrible living conditions in the developing countries where she lived. As a result, she would love to use her degree in developing countries where infrastructure is severely lacking, or train and support missionaries. Wherever The Lord leads, she hopes to always be a light and serve others selflessly as Jesus did.

Ebahi O.

Alyssa S. was born to Global Workers Mark and Kim S. in Armenia in 2005. At the age of 5, she started homeschooling. A year later, the S. family discovered Sonlight and fell in love with homeschooling. They never looked back. They continued to homeschool with Sonlight with Alyssa's two younger siblings, Maddy and Caleb, and during their move to Spain.

Alyssa is proud to have homeschooled all through school. She is thankful for the flexibility and tailored learning that homeschool allows, the love of learning she acquired, the international perspective, and how homeschool grew her relationship with Jesus. In all their travels, the S. family read Sonlight books in 10+ countries. Through school projects, Alyssa felt the Lord calling her to study nursing and serve women in developing countries. In Grade 10, she began training as a doula, and has been able to serve in that capacity on three continents.

Alyssa has also been privileged to co-lead her youth group's missions team, a pioneer ministry dedicated to raising missionary awareness and engagement among Spanish youth and sharing the love of Jesus in Spain and across the world.

In Grade 12, she began teaching ESL classes to two homeschool families. As homeschooling is very rare in Spain, this was a unique and special connection for her.

Alyssa graduated high school in Spain in 2022. She is thrilled to begin studying nursing and looks forward to building on what she learned with Sonlight and stepping into the adventure the Lord has for her.

Alyssa S.

Timothy B. has been a missionary kid for his whole life—first in Kazakhstan, and now in Hovd, Mongolia. When reflecting on his past eighteen years, he describes them as “everything but what I expected them to be”, and between countless international flights, twelve unexpected moves, and frequent thousand-mile road trips in sub-zero temperatures, it’s clear he means it. Despite this, and maybe since he doesn’t know any better, he thoroughly enjoys his life, having learned never to be apprehensive about the future, since he is convinced that God knows what He’s doing. However, he has also learned to always be prepared, and has picked up lots of useful skills like puppet-making, graphic design, carpentry, building huge Lego dioramas, playing the violin, and writing.

His education has been a jumble of local Kazakh-language schools, online classes, homeschool co-ops, and 12 Sonlight cores—which have given him an inquiring mind and a love for learning. Now, as Timothy finishes high school, he plans to further his education at Concordia University, Nebraska, where he will study music. He says it “will be yet another big corner-rounding in my life. I am about as daunted by it as by the prospect of spending thirty-six hours in a busy airport terminal: it may alarm me slightly, but I am more excited than anything else.”

Whatever new, unexpected adventures await Timothy at college, he knows that “wherever you are there are people who need Jesus; and you can be a missionary anywhere, whether or not you are called to a certain group of people, or to a certain church—and even if you are, that does not limit who you can share the Gospel with!” Timothy doesn’t know yet exactly what kind of future is in store for him, but he is confident that God does.

Timothy B.

$4,000 Scholarship Winners: Sophia C., Caleb G., Avielle S., Micah E., Frederick R., Lauren P., Esther N., and Ezekiel D.

Awarded $1,000 Per Year

Sophia C. of Augusta, Georgia, has been homeschooled since kindergarten and has used Sonlight materials throughout her educational journey. The youngest of six children, she is the fifth child who has applied and been selected to receive the Sonlight scholarship, for which she is extremely grateful. Wanting to become a physician assistant, she will use the scholarship at a Christian college beginning this fall.

Sophia is a strong leader as evidenced by her role in Science Olympiad. As project leader and top scorer for the team, she has won 12 regional awards in fields as diverse as cryptanalysis, rocketry, forensic science, and ornithology. A member of the varsity math team and two honor societies, she is also dual-enrolled at a local university.

Sophia has sung with the church choir and the chorus of a local school since her elementary years. She has performed with four different theatre companies and has performed in 17 different productions, 14 of them musicals. In February, she appears in a community theatre production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and in April, she is Maria in The Sound of Music at a local high school. In addition to acting, singing, and dancing, she has built sets and dabbled in choreography.

Particularly meaningful to Sophia has been the weekly Bible study group with other high school girls as well as a two-week intensive apologetics course with Summit Ministries this past summer in Colorado. She also traveled with her grandfather, a retired seminary professor, to India and enjoyed delightful fellowship with Indian believers. Beloved “Aunt Fifi” to five nieces and nephews, Sophia loves her family and does not bat an eyelash at reading Good Dog Carl one more time. In her spare time, she likes to crochet, dabbles in songwriting, and relaxes by playing the piano.

Sophia C.

Caleb G., currently living in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has loved reading and stories since he was three years old. That love of books lead to his love of Sonlight since 1st grade. While, at least according to family and friends, Caleb is a smart, thoughtful peacemaker, he readily admits that “I often struggle with indecisiveness, anxiety, and selfishness.” Though, considering his National Merit Commended Scholar status, CLT score of 117, and his numerous synchronous volunteer positions, his family and friends are probably closer to the truth.

Caleb grew up in China and had a close friend group of other international students there. One of his favorite memories is the time his friends freely volunteered, with no hesitation, to help his family through a difficult move. In 2020, Caleb moved back to the states in a futile attempt to escape the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, the boost from his friends led him to volunteer through the ZTA homeschool honor society and Roots and Shoots Youth farm. He has also been able to try new, American experiences since joining a local homeschool co-op, including co-captaining a soccer team and a quiz bowl team. In his free time, Caleb enjoys playing strategy board games such as Power Grid and Dominion.

Caleb’s favorite verse is Jeremiah 29:11, overused and abused as it is. “’For I know the plans I have for you’ – this is the LORD’s declaration – ‘plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” This is fortunate, because as of yet Caleb has no knowledge of the details in much of His plan. What he does know is that he plans to pursue his love of books and study God’s spectacular creation in college. Caleb also hopes to study abroad and attend an honors program, but most importantly, will represent Christ and serve others wherever he goes.

Caleb G.

Avielle S. lives in Douglassville, PA, and has used Sonlight for her entire education. She is a National Merit Commended student. Avielle has been playing the piano since age five and the violin since age nine, and she feels called to serve God through music. She has participated in many orchestras, including at the district and regional level. Avielle plays keyboard on the worship team at her church, an experience which allows her to use her skills to glorify God. She has also volunteered in the church nursery over the years and loves helping out at Vacation Bible School every summer. Avielle has gone on several mission’s trips to Costa Rica with a team from her church, where she was able to minister to kids. Last summer, she had an equally impactful experience on a mission’s trip to Kentucky with her youth group. Avielle has been accepted into the Honors Program at Liberty University and plans on majoring in music performance. Besides playing in professional orchestras, she would love to teach private piano and violin lessons in the future. However, regardless of her future career, Avielle will follow 1 Corinthians 10:31, “…whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

Avielle S.

Micah E. of Hockessin, Delaware opened her first Sonlight book in kindergarten and has rarely been without one since! In addition to exploring the world through good literature, she has spent the last 12 years of her education expanding her view and gaining rich experiences through a variety of extracurricular activities and volunteer opportunities. Her history and education through Sonlight has allowed her to confidently pursue roles of leadership in her community, church ministries, and youth groups.

Supported by the strong backbone of Sonlight, Micah has tailored her education to match her unique interests and skills. She maintained a 4.0 GPA while pursuing honors and dual enrollment courses and developing a love of calculus, physics, English, and chemistry. She has played varsity soccer and swam throughout her high school career and can often be found doing MMA and CrossFit-style workouts.

Much of her joy, however, is found in the arts. Whether she is watching the Prix de Lausanne, studying music theory, harmonizing with a Sondheim musical, leading worship for two youth groups, or simply enjoying classic literature, this is where Micah prefers to spend her time. She has been involved in speech and debate classes and won Best Witness in the Delaware High School Mock Trial Competition, which she competed in for two years.

Additionally, Micah has been an avid baker since age 3 and started her own baking business during the fall of her junior year. She gets great satisfaction from experimenting in the kitchen and creating delicious treats for her family and community.

Above all, Micah’s faith reigns supreme in her life. Though she is currently undecided as to what she will be studying over the next four years, she trusts that God will guide her to an area that will make use of her analytical and creative mind and that He will use her to impact both her local community and God’s kingdom.

Micah E.

Frederick “Eric” R. of Beavercreek, OH, has used Sonlight’s gospel-oriented curriculum since 3rd grade. Eric loves music. He has studied piano for 10 years and participated in the National Piano Playing Auditions for 7 years. He also plays French Horn in the Springfield Youth Symphony, and was hand-picked from the symphony members to play in both a brass and woodwind quintet. As the symphony’s former operations director can attest, “Eric is undeniably talented, but what makes him so special and vital to our program is his discipline and preparation for every rehearsal.”

Eric also has a love for God and a passion for His church. In the words of his father, “[Eric] genuinely wants to serve the Lord in everything he does…” He has been blessed to serve his church as an AV technician, working in a two-man team to run audio mixing, slides, and the live stream. He is also greatly involved with his church’s yearly VBS program. Because of his love for God and his heart of service, he was chosen to be part of the Youth Council, helping to lead the youth group and foster a spirit of discipleship.

When not reffing or playing recreational soccer, or working in a neighborhood mowing business, Eric spends his remaining free time teaching himself multiple computer coding languages and working on his own engineering hobby projects. To aid in the completion of these projects, he has also taught himself basic linear algebra, 3D printing, and custom circuit board design, among many other things. Eric dives into new projects without being intimidated by the work required. Because of his passion for solving engineering problems, Eric is planning on attending Cedarville University or Grove City College to study Electrical Engineering. While he doesn’t know what the Lord has in store for him, he trusts that God will use his education to be a blessing to those both inside and outside the church. Eric desires that his life would exemplify 2 Timothy 4:7-8 and that all he does would be to the glory of his Savior.

Frederick R.

Lauren P. of Chicago, IL has homeschooled since 3rd grade, and has used Sonlight throughout. Homeschooling has given her the flexibility to lead government and ministry organizations in her community, training up future leaders, and serving disadvantaged children. She plans to major in political science to further this passion.

One way to seek change is to get involved with the government process. Since the start of homeschooling, Lauren has participated in TeenPact Leadership schools, a weeklong program in every state where youth learn about government, civic engagement, and servant leadership. For the past three years, she held a position as staff, first in her home state, and then in multiple states, running a week-long program for her peers. This year, she had another opportunity to get involved with politics first-hand, serving as a legislative intern for a delegate in state government.

Lauren also has a passion for caring for children in need. Growing up in Chicago, she has been surrounded by the brokenness of families, and the crumbling ruins of a foster care system where less than half the children who enter it ever see their parents again. Several years ago she became involved with a solution to that problem -- Safe Families, an organization that cares for children in crisis before they have to enter the foster care system. Desiring to find a way to serve these children and families, Lauren formed a support arm of Safe Families at her church to come alongside hosting families taking in children in crisis with a supply closet to provide basic supplies to alleviate any financial burden. She has promoted Safe Families across the 11 locations of her church and Chicago to further spread the word, and now serves as a ministry lead for Safe Families for Chicago and leads a team of youth who oversee this branch.

TeenPact and Safe Families are two large parts of Lauren’s story, as are her families’ two international adoptions of three children. But she is first and foremost a follower of Christ with a passion for children in need.

Lauren P.

Esther N. of Siloam Springs, AR, has always wanted to be a missionary. Sonlight’s missionary stories reinforced those she heard from global partners who visited her home and church. Sonlight Curriculum, which she used pre-K through high school, introduced her to great books and helped her develop God’s heart for the world.

Esther desires to build relationships with people from different backgrounds and share God’s love with them, so she joined the volleyball and track teams at her local public high school. She’s interacted with non-believers daily and had a positive impact on her teams. Her volleyball coach says, “Esther recently shared her testimony at an FCA special event. Her boldness to tell others what God has done for her was inspirational and showed me her heart for the Great Commission.” Esther has developed her athletic abilities and been a light for Christ as she has participated in public school sports, earning all-conference honors in track and recognition from her teammates for “…being willing to step up and run at a moment’s notice, being competitive and hard-working, and showing integrity and dedication.”

Esther is passionate about little kids. She is an in-demand babysitter. She’s volunteered at an after-school tutoring program and helps at a non-profit that works with children with disabilities and their siblings. She teaches Sunday School and has worked as a summer camp counselor for elementary girls. Her associate pastor writes, “Esther is uniquely gifted in working with children. Not only can she instruct them well, but she is aware of the greater needs that they may have in life. Esther also transitions very easily with children, from talking about life and school to talking about Christ.”

In her free time, Esther enjoys baking, sharing her delicious cupcakes, scones, and cookies with her teammates, family, and friends. She loves to read.

Esther plans to attend John Brown University where she hopes to grow academically and spiritually and develop skills she can use working with children and in the mission field at home or overseas by studying elementary education, intercultural studies, or family and human services.

Esther N.

Ezekiel D. of Taichung, Taiwan has used Sonlight since kindergarten. After his family moved to Taiwan to become missionaries when he was six, he attended a missionary school for two years, but the benefits of a homeschool lifestyle were undeniable and he returned to homeschooling, giving him time to explore the beauty of Taiwan and its culture. Living in Taiwan, he has been involved with ministry from a young age and enjoys working in ministry alongside his family. He has helped with multiple week-long evangelistic Bible camps for Taiwanese high school students, has helped host multiple trips to teach special needs students, and is part of a group of seniors traveling to Malaysia this spring to do outreach with local students. He is an active member of the Taiwanese house church that meets in his home and a leader of the student-led youth group at the local missionary school. One of his favorite parts of ministry is showing off his adopted homeland to Americans who come to Taiwan to help staff summer camps.

Ezekiel has been blessed by a continuing homeschool partnership with the missionary school, allowing him to participate in numerous extracurricular activities, including track, cross country, and soccer, where relaxed Covid restrictions finally allowed his team to travel to an international tournament hosted in Thailand his senior year. He has also played trombone in the band and a small brass ensemble since his freshman year and acted in plays and musicals throughout middle and high school, including The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie and two Broadway musicals, most notably playing Laurie in the Broadway version of Little Women.

Ezekiel’s plans for the future are to attend Bible college in the Midwest and he is undecided about his future plans, but growing up overseas has given him a love for foreign cultures and languages, so he is looking for opportunities to serve in ministry anywhere God sends him.

Ezekiel D.

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.

Did you know we've awarded more than $1.8 million to Sonlight graduates to date?

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 per year
  • $2,500 per year
  • $1,000 per year

We offer scholarships on two tracks: one emphasizes academics, and the other creativity, mission-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.

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How and Why We Document Our Homeschool Year

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How and Why We Document Our Homeschool Year

If there is anything my kids love to collect it is paper. When I have them clean out their school drawers, they make piles of art papers, church papers, story papers, and scribble papers. The piles of paper make me so grumpy, I don't even ask my kids permission before throwing things away. I just start decluttering!

At one point, I found I had grown to despise the paper clutter so much that I stopped documenting anything at all from our homeschool! I knew there had to be a happy medium between distracting piles of paper clutter and throwing everything away. So I decided to document our year with a minimalist approach that didn't allow the paper mess get out of control.

I am grateful to live in Michigan, a state with no homeschool regulations,  so all the ways I document our homeschool year are strictly for sentimental reasons or personal accountability. I don't have to do it. But I choose to because I want to have special mementos to pass down to my kids.

Plan Memory Making Moments

Even though I am not a crafty mom, I added Artistic Pursuits to our homeschool to accommodate my children's intense interest in art. They loved our weekly art explorations, and I even worked on my own art alongside them! They ended up with some beautiful pieces to document the school year.

Although it is not my personal preference to do art, I made a point to inject memory-making moments into our routine. Maybe for you it's something else:

  • playing board games
  • having poetry teatime
  • learning new songs together
  • going on nature hikes

Whatever activity you choose, the memories you build together establish a special family closeness. I try to focus on one memory-making activity each week because I know those are the things my kids will cherish as they mature into teens and young adults. Besides knowing history and science, math and composition, I want my kids to remember happy family times from their childhood. So I am deliberate about planning and documenting special moments from our days.

How and Why We Document Our Homeschool Year • Sonlight's Memory Book

File Completed Work in a Binder

As my kids complete handwriting pages, copywork, writing projects, or math worksheets, they stack the papers in a drawer. At the end of the week, I add the pages to their three-ring binders. When the school year is complete, they love seeing all the completed worksheets! I marvel over their improvement and file the work away in boxes, keeping the empty binders to fill again the next year.

Keep Track of Progress and Be Encouraged

When we teach our children every day, their small, incremental progress sometimes goes unnoticed. We may get bogged down in today's deficiencies and forget how far children have actually come. For example, maybe my son's handwriting seems terrible at the moment, but when I compare it to work from four months ago, I can see genuine growth. Then both my son and I are encouraged to keep pressing forward.

A focus on perfection results in unreasonable expectations. Instead of seeing the progress that our kids have made, we have a sense of disappointment that our children can sense. The solution is to document work all along and look at it periodically.

Likewise, we can also underestimate our kids abilities when they are advancing quickly. This year Tenderhearted Boy read through his Sonlight grade 2 readers at an incredible speed, so I have already started him on the grade 3 readers and have been making myself notes to keep challenging him next year.

A huge advantage to homeschooling is that kids can work at their own pace! It is up to us to keep track of their progress and focus on bringing out each child’s personal best.

How and Why We Document Our Homeschool Year • Sonlight's Memory Book

Put Art and Completed Projects in Individual Boxes

Each of my children has a single box to fill with their favorite homeschool projects. When it is full, I have them evaluate the work to decide what to keep and what to toss. This  method prevents the paper clutter from getting out of control. As they get older, they become choosier about their favorite works of art since they have to make space for new items.  By the time they are finished with school at home, they will have a box of their best artistic treasures!

Create a Memory Book for Each School Year

The last two years I have asked my children fun questions to record their personal highlights of the year. This year I can rely on Sonlight's Memory Book to provide both the questions and the fun themed papers on which to record them. Some of my kids' favorite pages have been

  • favorite historical figure
  • a list of the books they read
  • extra activities they participated in
  • vacations and field trips

It is a PDF format so you can print copies for each of your kids!

End of the Year Memory Book from Sonlight

Take Pictures of Daily Homeschool Life

Back when I was homeschooled, there was not the same easy way we have today to document our homeschool days with pictures—mobile phones, digital pictures, and social media! Part of documenting my homeschool year is taking pictures of our favorite, or even the not so favorite, parts of daily homeschool life:

  • nature hikes
  • read aloud moments
  • messy art tables
  • poetry tea times

I even get in the picture, too, from time to time! I wish my mom had taken selfies when I was being homeschooled, and I know my kids will want photos of me, too.

Documenting your school year doesn't have to be elaborate. It can be as simple as taking a few extra photos and coming up with a no-fuss storage system for select papers and works of art. Whether your goals are for state documentation or merely sentimental reasons, you still get the added benefit of seeing tangible growth from month to month and year to year. That kind of encouragement can keep you homeschooling through hard times, and it's a huge perk to documenting your homeschool.

Get a copy of the Memory Book and document the fun memories of your homeschool year.

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3 Homeschool Hacks to Get You Through Winter and Past Spring Break

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Getting through the space between winter holiday breaks and spring is not for the faint of heart. One year we barely recovered from spring break. It took all of the fortitude I could muster to get us back into doing school again. I dragged my students reluctantly into May,  resolved never again to take a spring break from homeschooling.

The truth is—the break was not the problem. Lack of enthusiasm and sustained vision was our trouble. I regrouped, made some observations, and then tweaked our post-holiday schooling.

Have you had a winter season like that? Dragging along, kicking and screaming through the winter thaw, just hoping for spring? And then when spring hits, you just want to end the year immediately? Try one of these ideas to sail through winter and keep going past spring break into your well-deserved summer break.

1. Incorporate Board Games All Winter and Spring

Kids love board games and card games. As adults, we seldom make time to play them.

Winter means a lot more time inside for those of us who live in the Midwest. Dark nights and cool temperatures can lead to long boring evenings and the siren's call of the big blue screen. To keep screen time at a minimum, I purchase a new games and let them pop up every few weeks through the dark winter months and early spring.

With a supply of games at different learning levels, there is always something new to play on a night that seems too long or a lackluster homeschool day. Most games teach something even if it's simply following instructions and taking turns.

2. Make Room for Play and Field Trips During Winter and Spring

In winter I have to be intentional about getting the kids outside. This year has been terrible. We always seem to be short on snow gear. It is an extra expense; those gloves aren’t cheap. And since snow is still fairly infrequent, snow gear doesn't fall into the necessity column of the family budget. Those restraints mean less time for the little kids to run outside when the temperature dips below freezing.

I can tell you the lack of physical activity outside has an effect on us because every night at 7 p.m. the whole house just loses its mind. There is a lot of running and wrestling. It looks like a three-ring circus.

To compensate for the lack of outdoor play, winter is our season for indoor field trips. We keep our Science Center pass handy to check out the new exhibits. There is never enough time to get through the whole building on one trip. And having an annual pass means we don't have to try! We spend a longer time in just one section of the museum, focusing only on that one area. I find this sharper focus helps the kids explore and observe with intention.

We try to incorporate low cost learning trips wherever we can:

  • library
  • plays
  • movies
  • tours of municipalities

These trips help us stay enthusiastic about learning.

3. Shift the Homeschool Schedule for Winter

In winter we tend to get up early, probably because of the lack of evening sun and fewer evening activities like baseball and other sports. I encourage the kids to do their main subject work first thing in the morning. This means they are often done before noon. We move our reading time where it best fits our day. I tend to read to everyone at lunch right now. There have been years when bedtime reading was a better fit for us in the winter seasons.

Don’t let your schedule get you bogged down. You can change it in incremental ways over the whole school year.

The Power of Observation

If you see a shift in participation or attitudes, take the time to make an inventory of what is going on in your school.

  • Are there new activities?
  • Shifting bedtimes?
  • Inconsistency?

All of these can affect your day negatively. Making small changes can help you feel like you are back on track again before you are overwhelmed. These three hacks have helped me manage my 10 kids through winter and into spring! What tricks do you use to make it through the tough months and into summer break? Leave a comment!

Take advantage of our 100% guarantee. No other homeschooling company can match our Love to Learn, Love to Teach™ promise. You can order with confidence that either you will have a great year, or you will get a full refund.

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