If you build it, they will come.
Indiana’s Post-Tribune: Home-schooled children enjoy games, food, fun
By Donna Rettew, Post-Tribune correspondent
VALPARAISO — Jennifer Vanderstar of Valparaiso has fond memories of field-day competitions during her elementary school years.
The positive experience prompted her to stage a similar event this year for children, including her own, who don’t attend a traditional school. She and her husband, Matt, home-school their six children.
The first Porter County Home-school Field Day was conducted recently at Westside Park in Valparaiso. Vanderstar called it an old-fashioned day of mildly competitive games, food and fun.
Homeschoolers know if the community lacks some educational or social event, they can find all sorts of creative ways to make it happen.
It appears the first Porter County Home-school Field Day was a success.
“It was our first experience with field day, but it hopefully won’t be our last,” Vanderstar said. “We had so much fun and received such rave reviews about everything from many of the participants. The weather was perfect, the kids enjoyed themselves immensely and the food was a huge success.
“My favorite comment was made by a boy of about 9 or 10 years old who just came out of the public school setting. He said, ‘Home-school Field Day rocks!’ I think that says it all.”
Jennifer Vanderstar said on April 22, 2010
I just found this article. I thought I’d comment and say we are preparing for our second field day! This time we’ve actually made it a lesson for our teen co-op. The kids are doing all of the organization this year. They are choosing the menu, the games, they are keeping up with registration, shopping, everything! Not only can you have a field day for your community, you can teach your children how to work for others, how to organize a community event (not a lesson you get to have at a middle school or high school level often), you can give your students a foundation for outreach opportunities in the future. If you’d like to do this and would like some guidance, please feel free to write at pcfieldday @ yahoo.com (remove spaces)