"Immitation is the Best form of Flattery."

Over the years we have also been contacted by many parents, who believe they are attending our events, but accidentally signed up with the wrong group! At TeenActivities, we realize that imitation events and activities confuses families, especially if the events appear to be sponsored by a support group that has high standards. That is why it is important for families to research carefully to ensure they are sending their Homeschooler to the group with whom you intend to participate!

Our Volunteer Family hosted Teen and Family Support Group posts photos of our events to ensure that we communicate your expectations of us and our of our student who will be participating in our extravagant events. Throughout our nearly ten years of event experience, we have continually believed "if a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well" and that's what sets us apart!

We also care deeply about offering quality programming, and event and every event takes months of preparation to ensure it is the best experience; we strive to make our events memorable, safe, and worth the drive!

We certainly don't meet in homes, offer boy & girl sleepovers,  ask teens to bring snacks and bottles of soda, or offer inexpensive events, murder mysteries, or parties! Most of our ventures cost thousands to host and nearly ten hours to setup, complete with high end event decor and venues to ensure our parties are closed to the public, in a safe place for our teens to have fun! Each event has a carefully designed and catered meal complete with drinks and dessert, prepared just for us by a skilled chef. Special dietary and medical needs are met if requested during registration at least a week in advance.Over the year our family has financially supported our efforts, and is happy to provide an important piece of the puzzle needed to grow student overtime into the best adult they can be.

We offer most activities in the Crystal Lake area, near public transportation, a rail line that links to Chicago, family friendly hotels, beautiful beaches, and other family friendly activities. We are happy local groups offer activities, and hope more begin to see that the teens need continuous activities if they are going to stay home until college. Working together, smaller groups can join us at our larger events allowing students to enjoy meeting Homeschoolers with similar interests, and long term friendships.

We are concerned though that many families email us and say they'll see us at this of that event, one that we did not offer as it shows parents are confused about teen groups! If you are unsure which group is hosting an activity, you can always check our blog, it has most of all of our activities listed. If you have been concerned about socialization opportunities, or if you have a family member who really wishes they had a few more friends, our group is the perfect one to join. If you would like to be part of this family support group, send us an email TeenActivities@Gmail.com

We realize "It takes a Village to raise a Child." with the support of Homeschool families, we can successfully raise our students to grow into the best adult they can be! Please check out our blog, view the photos, and do some research, it will ensure your student is in the safest, location possible, exposed to healthy friendships, and treated with love.

We hope you will join us soon,

Diane and Amanda Keen

Artisans Anew Invitation

Hands on Living History, Science and Art

2013-2014 

Artisans Anew Apprentice Workshop

Join Artisans Anew 

as we travel around the world and through time,  learn to process and transform raw materials into Works of Art!

Our Year Long Journey will enrich, excite, and intrigue  HomeSchoolers and urge our Artisan Apprentices to learn more.

Starting with fresh from the farm raw fiber, and ending with a wide variety of textile masterpieces, learning and practicing a wide variety of Artisan skills, and developing individual creative ways of manipulating natural materials.

Using both simple and professional tools of the trade including 

microscopes, fiber processing equipment, natural and acid dyes, we will clean, prep, identify and alter fiber in creative ways to display our individuality and express our artisan talents.

No prior knowledge is required or expected. HomeSchoolers and parents with specific talents may off to share knowledge when possible. Every type of fiber and textile art is an option, you will only be limited by your imagination!

This year long journey will be presented by a highly trained Textile College Instructor, certified in IL Art, and K-12 Education.

All ages are welcome to attend, 

students will progress at their own pace.

Certain specialized adult fiber processing tools 

will be limited to those able to perform specific tasks without injury.

Industrial Machine Knitting, Spinning, Weaving, Needlework, Color Theory, Felting, there is no limit to the choices! Students will be provided with research options that they may choose to pursue to enrich and expand their knowledge base.

Field Trip ideas and opportunities, planning, mentoring, 

and execution of art designs will prepare participants for our 

End of the Year Art Show and Celebration.

Meetings will take place near the Metra Train Station in Crystal Lake, IL Price will be determined by venue, supply, and tool needs.

We are assessing interest now to guide us in locating our venue, material needs, and other details to ensure a successful endeavor.

Our first meet and greet will take place during the

 Mask and Tie-Dye event Sunday, May 5th, 2013 

as we learn about dye usage, and fabric manipulation.

If your student is searching for a way to make learning fun, 

help them become a life long learner, and develop life long skills.

Reply now with student name, age, current skills, and interests. 

A $25 Apprentice fee per participant 

allows the Instructor to purchase supplies and book venues,

 as well as provides a year of invitations in the 

Artisans Anew Training Workshop.

Individual Activity Invitations containing specific supply fees and opportunities will be emailed to members regularly.

Artisans.Anew@Gmail.com

SB0136 Update

I returned home from Springfield tonight. Amanda and I sat in the first row of visitor seating right behind those offering testimony and the media. I still have goose bumps from the idea that some of the people we taxpayers pay do not understand their job, overstep their role as public servant, and don't understand that since we as homeschoolers " have a lot of free time on our hands", that we can and will respond if someone threatens to take our rights away. I attended the hearing, showed up as early as possible, and was one of the first people entering the meeting room because I plan to be there when my grandchildren are able to be homeschooled if that is what is chosen by my grown children. It made for an interesting way to spend Valentines Day, away from family, as many of us arrived on the 14th to ensure we would be able to testify if needed. It did show how much we love our children, and homeschooling and I know we made an impression, Senator Maloney who was visibly shaking during his closing remarks. Not sure what that means, but some have said it was a huge embarrassment to have such a record turn out for a "piece of paper" we should be eager to fill out if we are successful homeschooling.....

If you are not a member of HOUSE, a non sectarian state-wide group of homeschoolers, you might want to join us! For $2 a year, you would be supporting our participation in AdHoc, which testified on our behalf at the hearing. Dorothy was the only female allowed to testify, and as an experienced,homeschool mom of many many years, she quoted amazing facts about important history in IL that pertains to our rights as homeschoolers, and what happened when a county superintendent collected forms like these and then proceeded to prosecute those registered.
My Teen and Family blog http://ilteenactivities.blogspot.com/ has a link to HOUSE, both are volunteer run, and made up of homeschoolers just like you. HOUSE is found all over the state, if you don't have a group near you, you can start one! We have our annual meeting in March and it is an amazing resource. There is so much experience, and knowledge that fills the meeting room twice a year, it is an honor to be their Teen Contact. If given permission, I will forward the note AdHoc mailed to HOUSE members, if you want to keep up on things in the state that pertain to homeschooling, it appears HOUSE is a great way to be in the loop! Because of this loop, many of us able to communicate late Valentines night to ensure they knew to be there early to sit in the front row, talk with the movers and shakers of this issue and really get a feel of what is going on in our state.

Last, we were able to spread knowledge of this issue because of the Internet. There is no central way to communicate with all homeschoolers in IL. My blog http://ilteenactivities.blogspot.com/ and Facebook group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=346139598009  offers a solution to that problem. We are open to all who homeschool, and I check for spammers before admitting new members.

If you are wondering what is being said about homeschoolers, here is an unbiased list of links that have popped up in the last day in my email.
There were quite a few more, but because of Internet issues at our hotel today, I lost many of them when my computer froze, there was so much information, it was startling! Twitter also had a constant steam of information. Below is a mix of information flying around on the web, that you may or may not have already read, but it is important for us to be informed, compiling and forwarding seems t be the best solution to keep us linked together no matter where we live, or what group we have joined. If you have had a response from a senator that s missing from the list, please forward it to TeenActivities@Gmail.com so we can update our information. If you know of a great link we should share, we'd love to see it!

http://ilga.gov/legislation/97/SB/PDF/09700SB0136lv.pdf

http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/5125/parents-heated-over-potential-home-school-regulations/

http://www.ilga.gov/senate/FOIA.pdf

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20110211/tr_ac/7830156_illinois_general_assembly_should_focus_on_improving_public_schools

http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/government/Complaintform.pdf

http://www.facebook.com/STOPSB136

http://foia.ilattorneygeneral.net/pdf/How%20to%20Submit%20a%20Request%20for%20Review.pdf

http://www.sj-r.com/state/x1240516809/Illinois-home-school-registration-bill-draws-crowd

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/political-fix/article_6243ed9e-3921-11e0-ad87-0017a4a78c22.html

http://hometutelage.blogspot.com/


 radio interview with a homeschool mom from Bloomington!

http://wjbc.com/local-home-school-mother-slams-registry-effort/


 
"The video of the hearing is frightening. Especially the testimony from the truancy officer."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZqBr...mbedded#at=488
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZqBrLZh6RE

"
The following exchange took place between Committee Member Senator Luechtefeld and a Truancy Officer:

Senator Luechtefeld: "If they register - will you go to any house and see if you can help?"

Truancy Officer: "Yes, sir."

Senator Luechtefeld: "Even those that are doing a really good job?"

Truancy Officer: "That's right. And I'll know very quickly as I knock on the door; the ones that are doing a great job won't let me go. They'll want me to come in. The ones that say we don't want you around I'll know to take further action." (emphasis added)

Senator Luechtefeld: "I still don't see how this changes things just because they register."

Truancy Officer: "It gives me the name and opportunity."

What this Truancy Officer doesn't seem to understand is that government entities are accountable to the people, the people are not accountable to government entities.

This officer seems to suggest that all home educators should be considered guilty of neglect until they prove themselves innocent by allowing government agents into their homes with no evidence of wrongdoing. This is a dangerous assault on our Fourth Amendment rights.

The Fourth Amendment states, "The right of the people, to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

Clear constraints are placed on government entities under the Fourth Amendment. Yet the officer's interpretation of SB 136 is that the law would allow him to enter the home of any registered child without cause to gather evidence against them, and proof of their guilt is simply denying him entry into their home.

In an interview prior to the hearing, Senator Maloney, the sponsor of SB 136, admitted he was unaware of any problems with home educators.

Reports surfaced before and after the hearing that Senator Maloney had withdrawn SB 136. These rumors are false.

Members of Senator Maloney's staff have admitted that, "SB 136 is not currently on the table, but what plans he has going forward are not clear."  He has been meeting with different organizations and is "in negotiations."
"




__________________

"Several Senators have responded to our pleas to fight SB 136 and here are a few with sturdy committments to vote no on this bill if it comes to them,
 (Senator Schmidt and McCarter are on the Ed Committee):"

Senator Suzi Schmidt
Senator Tom Johnson
Senator Chris Lauzen
Senator Sam McCann
Senator Kyle McCarter
Senator Dan Duffy
Senator Tim Bivens
Senator Matt Murphy
Senator Radogno
Senator Milner
Senator Dillard
Senator John Jones
Senator Bomke


__________________

Post Updated 2/17/11

Bill has been Tabled!

Google the definition Tabled! Continue calling today to ensure it will not continue in the future!

Tabled = "to remove a motion from consideration for an indefinite period"