As you gather with friends and family for fun, food, and fireworks next week, contemplate the reason for the celebration and give thanks.

With your family, visit these links to see the history and the words of the Declaration of Independence, as well as patriotic music, activities, and biographical sketches of the brave signers of this document. (Click on the graphic to visit the National Archive site on the Declaration of Independence and other historic U.S. documents.)

God bless America!

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE: A RECOMMITMENT TO AMERICA

As you cover Independence Day in your home school, prepare your students to fully appreciate what our flag represents with this short book, which goes through the Pledge of Allegiance phrase by phrase, so you can contemplate those words you have recited so many times.

Price: $12.00
Remember: THSC Association members take 10% off the price of this book, as well as all resources available through the Association. This discount is among the many benefits of membership, which are effective immediately upon joining THSC Association.

John R. Erickson, a former cowboy and ranch manager, is gifted with a storyteller's knack for spinning a yarn. Through the eyes of Hank the Cowdog, a smelly, smart aleck Head of Ranch Security, Erickson gives readers a glimpse of daily life on a ranch in the West Texas Panhandle. This series of books and tapes has sold more than 6 million copies; is a Book-of-the-Month Club selection; and is the winner of the 1993 Audie for Outstanding Children's Series from the Audio Publisher's Association. Publishers Weekly calls Hank a "grassroots publishing phenomena," and USA Today says this is "the best family entertainment in years."

Speaking and Workshop Schedule for John Erickson:
Friday, 3:15 p.m. – Stories as Spiritual Nourishment
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. – A Lesson in Life with Hank the Cowdog

REMEMBER TO PRE-REGISTER by July 1st and save up to 50% on your registration fee! Click here for more pre-registration and convention information!

Why Pre-register?
It's a weekend you don't want to miss! Where else will you find quality exhibitors like Bright Minds, Doorposts, Drills Skills and More, Love 2 Learn, and so many others under one roof? You'll be encouraged by inspirational speakers like Sally Clarkson, "Little Bear" Wheeler, Mary James, and Tim Lambert—all at one event! Children's Ministries of Texas will offer a program to teach and entertain your children so it is a weekend they too will not soon forget! Your teens can build leadership and teamwork skills in a fun environment through the Teen Staff Program (TSP). The TSP is only available to pre-registered teens and while space is available, so make plans for your teens to attend soon. Don’t miss out on this weekend of fun for the whole family!

Brazos Valley Christian Home Educators (BVCHEA) is holding a summer conference:

Saturday, July 1st
8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Westminster Presbyterian
3333 Oakridge, Bryan
(Click on graphic for directions.)

Join THSC’s Tim and Lyndsay Lambert as they speak to encourage home educators.

In the morning, Tim will address Homeschooling, a Vision for the Family.

Moms and dads will then break into separate sessions.
Dads: Tim Lambert - The Role of the Father
Moms: Lyndsay Lambert - Confessions of an Organizationally Challenged Home School Mom

In the afternoon session, Tim and Lyndsay will speak on Courtship: One Family’s Perspective.

Many Texas home schoolers are proudly wearing THSC Association’s T-shirts, which not only proudly proclaim that they are from Texas and homeschool but also flaunt the fact that Texas has some of the best laws for home schooling in the U.S. Many may not know that the text on the T-shirt is actually a paraphrase of one of Tim Lambert’s favorite sayings, especially when he talks to home schoolers who have moved to Texas from one of the more regulated states. He loves to say, “Welcome to Texas, Ma’am, where people are FREE!" (Click on picture to see current T-shirt.)

THSC Association has had such a positive response to its current T-shirt that we’ve decided that we’d like to offer another. This time, we’d like YOU to help us design it!

To the person who designs the winning Texas Home School T-shirt, we will give a prize of $100 and one T- shirt for every member of his immediate family.

We look forward to seeing the creativity of the home school community of Texas. May the best design win!

Remember the July 15th deadline!

Texas was well represented at the 10th Annual National Christian Forensics and Communications Association (NCFCA) Speech and Debate Championship, held earlier this month at Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, Virginia. More than 500 home school students from across the nation were involved in the tournament, of which forty-eight came from Texas to participate in Team Policy Debate, Lincoln Douglas Values Debate, and various individual speech events.

In an article appearing in a June 15, 2006, story at LifeSiteNews.com, Hilary White tells the disturbing account of a Belgian father being prosecuted for the crime of home schooling. This is an example that should keep home educators vigilant to protecting parental rights to direct the upbringing and education of their children. Excerpts from the article follow:

“Belgian Government Prosecuting Homeschool Family for Political Dissent

“Paul Belien predicted in May of this year that he would be under a legal assault from the extreme left Belgian ruling party. Now Belien is indeed being prosecuted by the Belgian government, for the “crime” of homeschooling his children.

“His wife, Alexandra Colen writing in Brussels Journal said her husband was questioned by Brussels police on Wednesday. He was told that his offence was homeschooling his five children, four of whom are now in university.”

THSC president Tim Lambert wrote a letter to a parochial school, Father Yermo High School in El Paso, when a member family was told that a transcript from an accredited school would be required for the enrollment of their home schooled child. The letter can be read at the link that follows.

Many home school parents are aware of learning styles, differences, and readiness. A gentle audio/video came to the attention of the THSC office, and we would like to share it with you, believing that many home educators can relate to the Animal School presentation by RaisingSmallSouls.com. (THSC does not necessarily recommend or endorse the side-trails that are offered on this site.)