Home Educators
Expo April 10-12
By
Kerri Tate
In the Greater St. Louis area we are truly blessed
to have a strong Christian homeschool community with many local homeschool
support groups located in most metro area counties. Membership in these groups
ranges from dozens to hundreds of families. Offering an alternative to the
traditional Christian or public school settings, homeschooling has
been growing by leaps and bounds...especially in Missouri and Illinois.
For the third year in a row, Christian homeschooling
groups from St. Louis City and County, St. Charles County, Jefferson County
and 
Metro
East Illinois have come together to host the Greater St. Louis Area Home Educators
Expo. The three-day event has moved to a larger location this year and will
be held on April 10th, 11th and 12th at First Evangelical Free Church of St.
Louis County which is located at 1375 Carman Road in Manchester, Missouri.
The 2008 Expo will offer a wealth of
information for both new and veteran homeschoolers. It will be an exciting time
with keynote speeches, workshops, seminars, panel discussions, vendor
exhibits, and opportunities to network with like-minded families. Whether or
not you home educate, the Expo will provide help and encouragement to anyone
interested in taking a more active role in their children’s education.
Some of the most talented, knowledgeable and
committed individuals in the homeschool movement will be 
featured
at this year’s Expo. This year’s keynote speakers will be: author, humorist
and homeschool dad of 8, Todd Wilson, who is the Founder of Familyman Ministries;
Diana Waring, homeschooling mom of 20 years, speaker, author, and creator
of the Diana Waring Presents! and
the History Alive! curriculum series; Steve
Demme the creator of the popular Math-U-See
curriculum and founder of the Math-U-See Foundation as well as a math
professor, lecturer, and homeschool dad to 4 boys, including one with special
needs; and Dr. Paul Cates, PhD, author, curriculum and learning specialist,
founder of Faith Christian Ministries, and nick-named “Homeschool’s Education
Doctor.” Local speakers will include Dr. David Vaughan, Bill & Jo Ellen
McDonald, Melanie Wilson, Jean Mudry, Urban and Carrie Gaxiola, Jerry Morgan,
and others.
The 2008 speakers will present a wide range
of topics such as Box Free Living, Will
the Real Homeschooler Please Stand Up, History Via the Scenic Route, Finding
Hope and Redemption in the Valleys of Life, Fossils and the Flood, God and the
History of Art, Lies Homeschooling Moms Believe, Literature in the Homeschool,
Multi-level Teaching-Better Late than Early, Curriculum – It is the Fit that
Counts, Homeschool Legal 411: Keeping the Lord In and the State Out, Math Wars,
and much more!
The Expo kicks off to a great start on
Thursday, April 10th with FREE admission to the Exhibitor Hall and other events
from 5 to 9 p.m. Exhibitors from across the country will be on hand to display
the newest and best they have to offer in curriculum and services. The annual
Homeschool Variety Show will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. and again from 7:30 to 8:30
p.m. which will showcase the talents of homeschool students from all over the
region. Families can also attend one of the New Homeschoolers Seminars to
obtain helpful information and guidance from experienced homeschool couples.
On
Friday and Saturday, there will be a wide variety of events to choose from,
in addition to the Exhibition Hall and numerous 
speakers. The
Special Needs Area will be bigger than in previous years, with workshops that
address the challenges of ADD/ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down’s
Syndrome, dyslexia, bipolar disorder, speech and language delays, and a great
deal more. The popular Homeschool Clinic will be returning - filled with the
latest homeschool ‘helps’ and staffed by veterans eager to answer questions
and offer support.
The Children’s Expo is new and improved this
year and will be in the same building for added convenience. Participants
from age 5 to 12 will enjoy two days of music, crafts, skits and exceptional
creation materials presented by the local Teen Eagles and adult staff. They
will be using the all-new Answers in
Genesis materials, 7 C’s of History
– Amazon Expedition.
For more information or to pre-register for
Friday and Saturday, check the Expo website at www.stlhomeschoolexpo.com. Those
wishing to attend can print off a registration form to mail in, or register
online using PayPal.
The Greater St. Louis Area Home Educators Expo
has something for everyone – and is always a wonderful time of encouragement,
education and fellowship for the homeschool community. A homeschool dad of
5 summed it up well with his recent comments, “Our family moved to Missouri
from Louisiana last year and had never been to a homeschool conference. We
finally took the plunge and attended the 2007 Expo. Everyone of us – mom,
dad, kids and even grandma – came away feeling inspired and reenergized. What
a privilege to live here and be part of such a great group of homeschoolers!”
