Homeschool Expo March 26-28, 2009

By Kerrie Tate

Homeschooling may now be the fastest growing form of education in the United States, according to the National Home Education Research Institute. During 2008, there were an estimated 2.5 million homeschooled students, a 79 percent increase since 1999! The National Center for Education Statistics reports that homeschooling is growing by 5 to 12 percent each year and shows no signs of slowing down.

The Greater St. Louis Area certainly reflects this trend, with the number of home-educated students increasing at a rapid rate throughout the region. Homeschool organizations, networks and support groups are found in almost every neighborhood. For the fourth 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 annual convention brings speakers, homeschool leaders and exhibitors to St. Louis from all over the country. The 2009 Expo will offer a wealth of information designed to meet the needs of this expanding homeschool population.

The three-day event will be held on March 26th, 27th, and 28th at First Evangelical Free Church of St. Louis County, located at 1375 Carman Road in Manchester, Missouri. The ‘Big E-Free’ proved to be the perfect conference host in 2008. This year’s Expo will also be an exciting time of keynote speeches, workshops, seminars, panel discussions, curriculum exhibitors, and opportunities to network and fellowship 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.

2009 Expo Speakers & Topics

Some of the most talented, knowledgeable and committed individuals in the homeschool movement will be the keynote speakers at this year’s Expo. Featured speakers will be: Dr. Jay L. Wile, Ph.D., nuclear chemist, professor, speaker, homeschool advocate, founder of Apologia Educational Ministries and author of award-winning Apologia jr. high and high school science curriculum; Ray and Charlene Notgrass, historians, artists, homeschool parents, founders of the Notgrass Company, and authors of the best-selling Exploring America, Exploring World History, Drawing to Learn and Learning to Draw; and Dr. Stephen Guffanti, successful medical doctor, learning specialist, author, homeschool dad, creator of the scientifically validated Rocket Phonic reading curriculum, and a dyslexic learner that speaks from personal experience.

Along with the keynote speakers, there will be a number of excellent seminar speakers including: Tom Clark of Video Text Interactive, covering topics in all levels of mathematics instruction; Phyllis Wheeler of Motherboard Books, discussing computer use and Internet safety; Bob and Vickie Weller of  A College Prep Home Education, speaking in the High School Helps area about homeschooling for high school and the college admissions process; Keith Dorscht of Biblical Concepts in Counseling, giving advice about parenting and homeschool challenges; Holly Broyles from Families For Home Education, informing families regarding the Missouri homeschool law and the new Missouri legislature; John Notgrass, from the Notgrass Company, performing his One Soldier’s Story, a World War II first-person narrative; Kathie Morissey, editor of The Character Corner and homeschool mom of eight, motivating parents with words of encouragement and wisdom; Dr. Carl Werner, physician and author of Evolution: The Grand Experiment, teaching youth and adults about Creation Science; and Congressman Todd Akin, sharing his homeschooling adventures with teens and other dads.

The 2009 speakers will present a wide range of topics such as: Getting a Great Start in Reading, Teaching Jr. High and High School Science at Home, The Adventure of American History, Identifying and Avoiding Trouble Spots in Math, The Charlotte Mason Way, Elementary and Secondary Writing Secrets, Living Fossils, ADHD vs. Kinesthetic Learner: Newest Discoveries, Why Homeschool Through High School?, Exploring World History, Watch Out For Elephants!, Training Character Into Your Children, Using the Internet Safely and Wisely, Ten Conversations Every Homeschooling Family Must Have, Evolution 101, Homeschooling for Imperfect Moms, Draw to Learn: How Art Enhances Every Subject, Dealing With Dyslexia, Avoiding Burnout-Achieving Balance, Multi-level Teaching and lots more!

Special Needs Children

As always, the Expo offers parents of special needs children many valuable topics to choose from. The Special Needs Workshops will focus on the ‘practical,’ helping parents to learn new strategies and techniques to implement with their children in the home setting.  Specialists will give advice about nutrition, speech, sensory integration methods, recognizing developmental problems and much more. The workshops are designed to help parents of children with ADD/ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, dyslexia, bipolar disorder, sensory integration problems, speech and language delays, and other learning and behavior challenges. There will even be a hands-on workshop where parents can make educational tools to try at home. Plus, for the first time, workshops will be offered for parents of gifted children, including one by Dr. Agnes Mayo, Ph.D., a well-known specialist on giftedness.

Expo Schedule

The Expo kicks off to a great start on Thursday, March 26th, 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, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., 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 knowledgeable 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 popular Homeschool Clinic will be returning - filled with the latest ‘how-to’ books and staffed by seasoned veterans, eager to answer questions and offer support.

New this year will be a special High School Helps area, where families can learn everything they need to know about high school and beyond.  Experienced parents of homeschool graduates will be discussing high school curriculum, testing, transcripts, dual enrollment, college applications, scholarships, and post secondary options. College representatives will again be participating in a dual enrollment panel, along with conducting their own individual workshops. In both the Homeschool Clinic and High School Helps area, Expo speakers will be scheduled at different times throughout the day so they can be available to talk one-on-one with parents.

The popular Children’s Expo is returning this year and will again be in the same building for added convenience. Participants from age 5 to 12 will enjoy two exciting days of music, games, crafts and skits presented by the local Teen Eagles and adult staff. They will be using the all-new Answers in Genesis materials, Operation Space: A Close Encounter with God’s Word. The Children’s Expo is expected to fill up quickly, and pre-registration is highly recommended.

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 entire homeschool community. A homeschool grandma from Jefferson County had this to say about the 2008 Expo: “Your Expo was very special to our family – My husband and I brought our oldest daughter, her husband, and their 5-year-old twin girls for their first conference experience. My daughter is now starting to homeschool her daughters! I am a homechool mom and grandma that has been to countless conferences since we first began our homeschooling journey in 1984. Yours was definitely one of the best and enjoyed by all the ‘old timers,’ the new homeschoolers, and everyone in between! Even the kids had a great time! Thanks for all of your hard work – the homeschool movement has flourished because of events like the Expo. We will definitely be back next year!”

Register to Attend

Despite the economy, the Expo will continue to have the same low admission price as in past years - $10 per individual (or $20 at the door) and $30 for families of three or more (or $40 at the door). On-site concessions will be available again this year at a very reasonable cost. A portion of the proceeds from the Expo concessions will be donated to the Burkina Faso Outreach, a non-profit Christian ministry in West Africa founded by St. Louisian Lynn Peters. For more about this wonderful ministry visit their website at www.bfoafrica.org.

The Expo's user-friendly website, www.stlhomeschoolexpo.com, is packed with valuable information and updated frequently. Attendees can print off a registration form to mail in, or register online using PayPal. Those registering before February 28th are automatically entered in a drawing to win $100 of free curriculum from an Expo exhibitor of their choice. Children's Expo registration forms are also available on the website. If you don’t have a computer you can visit your local library and use their computer to access the Expo website or call (314) 791-0000.