Wisconsin Homeschool Conference Offers Support, Resources, Fun

The Wisconsin Christian Home Educators Association (CHEA) will be hosting its annual Spring Conference at the Olympia Resort and Conference Center in Oconomowoc, WI. The three day homeschooling conference, held May 29 through 31, 2008, is one of the largest in Wisconsin, featuring a statewide used book sale, a live concert, expert speakers, a vendor hall, and workshops for parents, teens, and children.

Oconomowoc, Wisconsin is located between Milwaukee and Madison, just one and one-half miles from Interstate 94, making it convenient for both Wisconsin and northern Illinois homeschooling residents alike.

Family Adventure Day is Thursday, May 29, and offers activities for children, workshops for teens and adults, and an ice cream social. Also on Thursday, the award-winning Southern gospel quartet Legacy Five will be performing live at 7:00 p.m. This concert is open to the public. Additionally, CHEA will hold a free Introduction to Homeschooling workshop on Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Attendees do not need to pay for any other part of the conference to attend this informational workshop.

Workshop speakers scheduled to attend the conference include the founder of Mantle Ministries andEvangelist Richard "Little Bear" Wheeler, Senior Counsel of the Home School Legal Defense Association and homeschooling father Chris Klicka, professional geologist and Creation science expert Dave D'Armond, mathematician and founder of Video Text Interactive Tom Clark, professional organizer Rhonda Fink, and several others. Over 35 keynote speeches and workshops will be offered, covering a broad range of topics including science, math and critical thinking, scheduling and organization, art, Creationism, finances and debt management, history, high school planning, college, and messages of support and encouragement to homeschooling mothers and fathers. Teens will enjoy such sessions as "Keys to Successful Living" and "How to be Ready for College." Classes for children will be held during adult workshop times, to keep disturbances at a minimum and the little ones occupied. These workshops will focus on biblical character traits and offer lively activities.

As a service to conference speakers and attendees, CHEA produces a syllabus of all keynote speeches and workshops. The syllabus contains outlines and notes, references, resource information, and more. For those who enjoy taking and having notes, this is a real asset. The cost of the syllabus is $20. Also offered to conference attendees is the Comprehensive Guide to Homeschooling in Wisconsin. The Guide includes general information, such as how to get started in homeschooling and how to keep records, as well as information for Wisconsin residents, such as how to adhere to Wisconsin state laws and local field trips. The Guide is sold for $20.

The vendor hall will host over 100 merchants with homeschooling and educational goods and services available for purchase. Companies in attendance at the conference will include those well-known throughout the homeschool community, such as Math-U-See, Alpha Omega, Home School Legal Defense Association, Bob Jones University Press, Tapestry of Grace, Sonlight Curriculum, A Beka, and Usborne Books, as well as many smaller companies such as Joyce Herzog, Kitchen Classics, and Felt Lady. Vendor hall hours are Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Saturday 8 a.m. to noon. The vendor hall is only open to paid conference attendees.

The statewide used book sale will be held Friday, May 30, from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Individuals attending the conference may bring items to sell, as well as shop. To keep crowds at a minimum, time slot tickets for entrance to the book sale are received with registration materials.

The schedule of events for the conference is family friendly and allows ample time throughout the weekend for breaks, meals, and shopping in the vendor hall. Conference hours are Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Friday 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. On-site registration will be available Thursday and Friday mornings.

Yearly attendance at the conference has risen steadily in past years, from 1,250 attendees in 2005 to 1,450 in 2007. Conference planners are expecting record attendance this year.

Admission to Thursday's Family Adventure Day is $30 for the whole family. The Friday and Saturday conference admission price is $60 for one adult for one day, or $70 for one adult for two days. Spouses attend for an additional $10. Children's admission is $15 each for one day, or $30 each for two days, and parents of large families pay for only three children; the rest are free. Children under five are also free. Additionally, CHEA offers a "Grandparent Entrance" rate of $15 for one day, or $30 for two days. Tickets to the Legacy Five concert are $18 for general admission seating and $25 for premier seating, with a discount for those attending the conference both Friday and Saturday.

Families will appreciate the convenience of attending the conference and booking their accommodations at the same location. Olympia Resort and Conference Center is located at 1350 Royale Mile Rd. in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. The resort features several restaurants on-site, an indoor pool, spa, and golfing. Olympia Resort is offering a deep discount on rooms to those attending the conference, and reservations should be made as soon as possible. Children under 16 stay free with their parents, and pets are welcome with a $50 deposit and a pet charge of $10 per night. The phone number for reservations at Olympia Resort is 1-800-558-9573. Let them know you will be there with the Wisconsin CHEA for the discount, which is offered Wednesday through Saturday. Other hotels in Oconomowoc include the Inn at Pine Terrace, (262) 567-7463, and Lake Manor, (262) 567-6000.

Dining options in Oconomowoc are many and varied, from burgers and sandwiches to family restaurants and steakhouses. Most establishments are conveniently located within 10 minutes of Olympia Resort.

For more information about the conference, visit www.wisconsinchea.com, and click on Conferences/Events. From the website one can view conference details and available workshops, download a full conference brochure, make arrangements to sell items at the used book sale, order Legacy Five concert tickets, and print a registration form.