For kids that struggle with special needs or whose parents find them trying to manage a diagnosis they might sometimes feel trapped into what society “allows” them to do. Now and then someone enters that scene and sees only the potential and can bring hope and opportunity where none had existed before.

When a coach of a struggling farm team stumbles on a teenage boy with an amazing pitching arm, he doesn’t let Asperger’s blind his eye to the potential in this young man. The father unwillingly lets his son go, not ready to release his protection over the unpredictable nature.

My family enjoyed the story of this bright boy that just needed a chance to shine. The story is inspiring and engaging, the actors believable, and the ending satisfying.

It could have done without the discussion of the difference between a “player” and a “playah,” although it stayed pretty innocent. And, the father’s protective role was portrayed as anger-filled at times. But, in the end the family is intact and healthy and the good guys win. A good, clean movie that we were able to watch as a family.

For more info check out their links:

We all may be seeking fitness motivation that keeps our New Year’s goals rolling, and while this incentive is for the students, maybe it will help us keep our own plans in line.

Raging Waves Waterpark offers an incentive program that will really get kids moving.

From their site:

Welcome to the 2012 Plunge into Fitness Program

Children Kindergarten through 8th grade are invited to Plunge into Fitness this spring as Raging Waves Waterpark joins the battle against childhood obesity. The fitness initiative runs March 5 through April 30, and each child completing the program requirements during this seven-week period will receive a free Raging Waves full day admission pass.

The Plunge into fitness program requires a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise each day, which totals 25 hours for the seven week period. Any activity that increases heart rate qualifies including: walking, running, biking, playing team sports, skateboarding, swimming, jumping rope and hopscotch. For the duration of the program, each child will complete a fitness log provided by Raging Waves. Once complete, a parent will sign it and the child will turn it into his or her teacher by April 30th. All children kindergarten through 8th grade, including homeschoolers, are encouraged to join this program and earn a free Raging Waves full-day admission pass.

They even have posters to download and all the info right there on their site.  Sign in doesn’t actually start until April 30 when you may use your log in id and password they provide to upload all participating students at once. Everything must be received online only by May 15, 2012.

They say they also give you an opportunity to buy additional tickets for 25% off!

Check out all the details for their Plunge into Fitness program.

This past Fall, 20 students participated in the kick-off semester of the Fox Valley Homeschool Choir under the direction of Marketo Griffin and Hannah Gerrity.  There were Sopranos, Altos, Tenors and Basses all lifting their voices in praise to the Lord culminating in a wonderful Christmas Concert!

The second semester of the Fox Valley Homeschool Choir will begin Jan 23^rd (Jan 16^th for new members) with a Spring Concert scheduled for late April.

CHOIR DETAILS

New Member Start Date: Monday, January 16, 2012

Rehearsal Dates: Mondays, January 23, 2012 – April 23, 2012 (No rehearsal on 2/20, 3/26, 4/9).

Time: 3:00-4:15pm

Place: Union Congregational Church Sanctuary

405 West State Street, North Aurora, IL

REGISTRATION

Student Ages: Ages 14-18 may join without audition **

Ages 12-13 must audition to join **

Cost: $75 for 1^st child, $35 for 2^nd child, $20 for 3^rd child (and beyond)J

Registration: Now through January 30, 2012

To register please email the Director, Marketo Griffin @ lessons@marketochristine.com

** Marketo will listen to all new students privately for part assignments (SATB)

About the Director:

Marketo heard the Lord’s call into music and ministry over five years ago while working as a civilian air traffic controller on a remote airfield in the Kuwait desert! She entered Wheaton College just over a year later and recently finished her studies with a Bachelor Degree of Music in Voice Performance.  At Wheaton College, she served as Honors Conductor of the Wheaton College Concert Choir, Director of the Wheaton College WOW Worship Team, and Honors Conductor of the Wheaton College Women’s Chorale.   Marketo is currently serving as the A Cappella Ensemble Director at DuPage AME Church and as the Coordinator of Contemporary Worship at First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton.

About the Assistant Director/Accompanist:

Hannah Gerrity will be serving as the Assistant Director and the Accompanist.  She graduated from Wheaton College in May with a BS in Voice Performance.  While she was a student at Wheaton College, she served as Honors Conductor and President of the Wheaton College Concert Choir. She is also a very gifted pianist and accompanist.  Hannah is passionate about choral singing, homeschooling and loving Jesus with all her heart!

From Free Things to do in Chicago:

There are lots of great free things to do on Martin Luther King Day in Chicago.  Three of the leading museums have free admission on this holiday:

FREE Museum of Science and Industry on MLK Day – Jan 16

Come on out on MLK Day and enjoy the health-focused new “You! The Experience” gallery, and the awesome  “Science Storms.” Science Storms reveals the science behind seven natural phenomena—lightning, fire, tornados, avalanches, tsunamis, sunlight and atoms in motion. Investigate the basic scientific principles behind nature’s power as you try more than 50 amazing experiments that take two floors and 26,000 square feet to contain … barely. It’s a perfect storm of physics, chemistry and curiosity. Also take in the renovated U-505 German submarine, a simulated coal mine and a glass-covered hatchery of chicks. Illinois residents can take advantage of free general admission on Monday, January 16.

Museum of Science and Industry – 773-684-1414
5700 S Lake Shore Dr
msichicago.org
9:30am–4pm.

FREE Shedd Aquarium on MLK Day – Jan 16

The Shedd aquatic galleries are home to creatures from the Waters of the World – rivers and reefs, Great Lakes and small ones, and the global ocean. So take a tour of the water planet. Want to explore a little deeper? Immerse yourself in the Caribbean Reef, Amazon Rising’s flooded forest, the Oceanarium’s Pacific Northwest coast and Wild Reef’s Indo-Pacific reef. Go totally polar in Polar Play Zone and be sure to see Shedd’s aquatic show.   Admission to original exhibits “Waters of the World,” “Caribbean Reef” and “Amazon Rising” is free to Illinois residents on Monday, January 16. Discounts are also available for packages that include entry to exhibits such as “Abbott Oceanarium,” “Wild Reef” and “Polar Play Zone.”

Shedd Aquarium – 312-939-2438
1200 S Lake Shore Dr
sheddaquarium.org
9am–5pm

FREE Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Activities at the Chicago History Museum

Commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through family activities and crafts reflecting his messages of peace and justice. Listen to music that honors Dr. King, and attend a performance of The MLK Project by the Writers’ Theatre.    Cost: Free Admission and includes complimentary Museum admission

Schedule of Events

All day

Kids Crafts with Artist Sue Romanelli

Crown Room, first floor

11:00 a.m.

The MLK Project: Fight for Civil Rights

The Writer’s Theatre

Rubloff Auditorium, 1st floor’

12:30 p.m.
Precious Lord: A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Chicago Chamber ChoirChicago Room, 2nd floor1:45 p.m.
“I have a Dream” speech
Re-enactment by Oba William KingChicago Room, 2nd floor2:00 p.m.
Voices for Freedom
Gwen Hilary, Storyteller and Enoch Williamson, MusicianChicago Room, 2nd floor2:45 p.m.
“I’ve been to the Mountaintop” speech
Re-enactment by Oba William KingChicago Room, 2nd floor

Chicago History Museum – 312-642-4600

10am–3pm
1601 N Clark St

Read more at Free Things to Do in Chicago: http://chicagofree.info/2012/01/14/free-admission-to-chicago-museums-on-martin-luther-king-day/#ixzz1jYCAL8QO

From Illinois Christian Home Educators:



ICHE Ladies’ Midwinter Renewal

II Corinthians 9:8 ”And God is able to bless you abundantly,

so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

When: January 28, 2012

Time: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Cost: $25.00 per person, $50.00 per immediate family

Where:

Aurora Christian School

2255 Sullivan Road

Aurora, Illinois 60506

Tracy is the widow of Christopher Klicka, who was Senior Counsel of Home School Legal Defense Association. Married 21 years, they were blessed with seven children, whom they homeschooled since their birth. Through many trials over the years (including the near-death of their twins during her pregnancy and Chris’ struggles with multiple sclerosis), Tracy has learned firsthand what walking by faith is all about. She has seen over and over again the outpouring of God’s grace in her life, and the precious importance of the Scriptures in sustaining and empowering believers. Her message for moms is one of hope and joy in God, who is able to make all grace abound to us (II Corinthians 9:8). She has written dozens of articles, has been interviewed on both national and international media, and has spoken at numerous state home school conventions to encourage women to see God’s faithfulness as they take him at His Word.

We are planning a special day for you.  It begins at 8:00 a.m. with check in and a coffee time for fellowship followed by speaker sessions at 9:00 a.m.  During the day, you will be challenged in your walk with the Lord, enjoy the blessings of fellowship, and partake of a delicious brunch served by wonderful volunteers.  The last session will be finished by 3:00 p.m.  We want you to be encouraged to trust in the Lord as He leads you down the path He has chosen for you.  Daughters ages 12 and over are encouraged to attend with their mothers.

Invite a friend, and register now at www.iche.org .  The registration deadline is January 21, 2012.  Please be praying for our ICHE Ladies’ Midwinter Renewal and for our speaker, Tracy Klicka.  We are so much looking forward to seeing you later this month.

Blessings,

The ICHE Ladies’ Midwinter Renewal Committee

An organization known as Creative Communication offers contests in the area of art and writing to students of various ages.

There is no fee to enter and they publish a book (which they then sell) of winning entries. This can be a fun motivator if just working toward a grade or even just to get an assignment finished is getting a little old.

From the coordinators:

We have three contests . . .  Each year we have several homeschoolers accepted in our
contests and we admire their impressive work.  The following is
information on each contest, if you have any questions please feel
free to contact me!

Here are the websites for more information:
Art Contest
www.celebratingart.com

Poetry Contest
poeticpower.com

Essay Contest
poeticpower.com

A fun program that incorporates learning about the Chinese New Year is available from Panda Express.

This would be great for your co-op or support group and is geared specifically to kids in second through fourth grades.

Here’s the link: http://www.pandaexpress.com/px/2011/cnysignup2012.aspx

Sign up by January 8th!

My friend, Nicole, passed this along to me and thought you might all be interested as well:

You can receive a FREE dvd through this site. She received Helen Keller but not sure if it changes. You have to respond to the email they send you and then enter the free code they give you in the email on the right of the page for the discount and free shipping to be applied. You do not need to enter any payment info as the balance will be $0
Here’s the website: http://www.nestlearning.com/t-email_signup.aspx