NC Homeschool News Roundup 03-23-08

NEWS

STATEWIDE -- Republican gubernatorial candidate and former state Supreme Court justice Bob Orr calls for tax credits for "approved expenses" as part of his educational strategy ensuring parents are partners in the educational process. He does not mention homeschools explicitly in the policy paper on his website.

MECKLENBURG -- Over a thousand families are homeschooling in the Lake Norman area, according to this story. (Charlotte Observer, 03/02/08)

ACADEMICS

DURHAM -- Quest Homeschoolers of Durham will be competing in the state Odyssey of the Mind competition April 5 in Greenville. "Earlier this month, 1,118 students from 69 schools and organizations showed off their creativity in the Eastern Region competition. Teams advanced to the state finals by excelling in events such as writing and performing humorous skits on why dinosaurs became extinct and developing a balsa-wood structure that weighs no more than 15 paper clips but can support a huge amount of weight." (Raleigh News & Observer, 03/19/08)

MECKLENBURG -- Kelsey Rushing Farson, the daughter of Jak and Teresa Farson of Davidson, has been named a 2008 Morehead-Cain Scholar, one of the most prestigious scholarship programs in North Carolina. The scholarship to the University of North Carolina is worth over $80,000 and pays for summer programs and a laptop computer in addition to full tuition for the univeristy. The Morehead Scholarship was renamed last year after a $100 million donation from the Gordon and Mary Cain Foundation. Congratulations Kelsey! (Greensboro News-Record, 3/12/08)

SPORTS

STATEWIDE -- Homeschool teams from Greensboro and Wake Forest were reported as favorites in the 12th annual East Coast Basketball Championships at Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA. (Lynchburg, VA, News-Advance, 03/19/08)

BUNCOMBE -- The Western Carolina Athletic Association Trailblazers established their credibility in a 1-1 tie against Enka High School in Asheville. (Asheville Citizen-Times, 03/23/08, with photo) According to Ernie Hodges, president of North Carolinians for Home Education, rules for the N.C. High School Athletic Association do not allow homeschooled athletes to be members of public school teams; however, there is nothing that restricts homeschool teams from competing against the public schools, as in this case and others around the state.

CLEVELAND -- Gardner-Webb University's women's softball program signs a homeschooled star from Virgina, where she led her club teams to national championships. (Gardner-Webb
University press release, 03/17/08)

ORANGE -- Hillsborough's Euroclydon Storm downs the Binghamton Blaze in quadruple overtime, 90-86, at the East Coast Home School National Basketball Tournament in Lynchburg, VA. (Binghamton, NY Press & Sun-Bulletin, 03/19/08)

RANDOLPH -- Jonathan McNeill of Asheboro won the state K-12 chess title and a $1500 cash scholarship at the N.C. State Scholastic Championship, sponsored by the N.C. Chess Association, February 22-24 in Charlotte. He will be representing the state at the G.M. Arnold Denker Tournament of High School Champions in Dallas this August. (Susan Polgar, 02/25/08)

PEOPLE

ASHE -- 2007 champion speller Josiah Wright, a homeschooler from Fleetwood, will give introductory remarks to the contestants of the 2008 Winston-Salem Journal Regional Spelling Bee. (Winston-Salem Journal, 3/24/08)