Home school prom, 6/6/08

June 17, 2008 in Allentown News, from the Morning Call
Tags: Homeschool, Prom, Soulja Boy

A prom to call their own
Event gave homeschooled students, cyberschoolers a way to take part in a tradition.

By Chris Reber |  Of The Morning Call
June 9, 2008

Tamara Kells has always tried to give her students everything.

But for a homeschool teacher, some things may be out of reach, like a prom.

”It’s one of those things that every year the kids at public school would talk about,” Kells said. ”My daughter Aubrie is in 12th grade, and I wanted to give her a prom.”

On Friday at the Comfort Suites of Allentown on Hamilton Boulevard, over 70 homeschoolers and cyberschoolers from as far away as Harrisburg arrived for the Valley’s first-ever homeschool prom. The event had all the trappings of a typical high school prom. There were parent chaperones, food, pictures taken. The teens were dressed to impress, with some boys wearing rented tuxedos, and the girls wearing typical prom dresses in a wide variety of colors. The teens packed the dance floor and several girls shrieked and jumped around when their request was played by the band Soulja Boy.

For some, it was a chance to meet new friends. For many, it was a chance to see the friends they’ve kept in touch with through local support groups and social networking sites.

And for all, the stereotype of unsocialized homeschool students did not apply.

”Through the group, we get to socialize,” said Michael Massey, a junior from Perkasie. ”And you get an education that’s tailored to your needs.”

While homeschool proms are held across the country, this was a first for local students. A 2005 law allowed homeschool students to participate in activities at their public schools, including proms. And while students have taken advantage, most prefer spending time with their fellow homeschoolers.

”We get together, and it’s kind of an enrichment program,” said Nathan Madsen, 18, of Quakertown. ”And we have IM and My-Space.”

Elliott Simmons, who traveled from Yeadon, Montgomery County, to take part in his first prom, plays football for Penn Wood High School in Lansdowne. But he’s a student at a small cyber charter school.

”I still get to see my friends every day,” Simmons said. ”And we have more time to do work. We don’t have to wait on anybody.”

The number of private homeschoolers in the state has been slowly declining as more families turn to online charter schools. In the 2005-06 school year, the number of Pennsylvania homeschool students fell to 22,412 from 24,076 in 2003-04, while the number of cyber students increased to 13,228 from 6,624 in the same period.

Susan Richman, who leads the support group Pennsylvania Homeschoolers, said the Web has been a great tool for uniting her students. A cyber charter school teacher, Richman said the Web has been invaluable.

”My AP [advanced placement] students use social networking to stay in touch,” Richman said. ”That extends beyond homeschool years.”

Many of the prom attendees had worked together through Valley Homeschoolers, the local support group that Kells organizes. While some traditionalists don’t support Web classes, Valley Homeschoolers welcomes any student taking classes at home.

”I’ve had people say that cyber schooling isn’t homeschooling,” Kells said. ”Well I say, ‘Who is sitting next to that kid while he takes those classes?”’

The group holds semi-

annual picnics, regular movie nights and homeschool bowling trips. Planning homeschool extra-

curriculars takes up almost as much time as homeschooling itself.

”I try to do as much as I can,” Kells said. ”You’d be surprised at how many homeschool groups are in the area.”

But as Richman points out, the prom is not like a normal extra-curricular activity. Just like their peers in public school, homeschool students look forward to the prom as one of the most important events of their high school careers.

”Before I started homeschooling, that was my first thought,” Richman said. ”Won’t they miss out on the prom?”

It is, Kells said, all part of an effort to give homeschooled children a well-rounded experience. And as any public high schooler will tell you the prom is part of that — for better or worse.

Just like a public prom, not all students were thrilled to participate. Zacharaiah Horon, 16 of Slatington said his mom made him attend.

”Yeah, I’m not really into this kind of thing,” Horon said.

chris.reber@mcall.com

610-820-6586