If we homeschool simply to achieve high academic marks, we are squandering the opportunity to influence our children for Christ. Character healthy leaders are those children who have learned to elevate virtues above feelings. If we spend our homeschooling hours simply on academics and activities, we may win the praise of man, but we risk losing the hearts of our children. In our few short years with our children we must focus on the first things first and character is always the first thing! In this session, Megan, a homeschooling mother of eight, will challenge you to use every opportunity to teach your children to serve God by loving others and to love others by faithfully serving God.

Welcome to the digital age. What does the future of education look like, and how can the homeschool community take advantage of this? Here's a look at free tools and free content sites online that can make your homeschool more efficient, more economical, and more powerful. Harness the educational advantage of online learning and give your kids a jumpstart on their future. We will look at how Web 2.0 applications are changing the definition of education - blogs, wikis, Google applications, Skype, VoiceThreads, open courseware, YouTube, Facebook and even Twitter, when used appropriately can really help kids learn.

Are you aware of these past crises when America's fate hung desperately in the balance? From the French & Indian War, Revolution, Barbary Pirate War, War of 1812, Civil War, WWI & II, etc., you will learn 'the rest of the story' of how leaders with faith and courage arose and disaster was averted! Captivating true-life incidents of seemingly unexplainable circumstances resulted in the nation being saved! You will be inspired as you uncover "Miracles in American History - 32 Amazing Stories of Answered Prayer." In 1746, 70 ships with 13,000 troops sailed from France to lay waste to the American colonies. Massachusetts Governor William Shirley proclaimed a Day of Fasting. What happened next was unexplainable! After the Battle of Monongahela, George Washington wrote from Fort Cumberland to his younger brother, John Augustine Washington, July 18, 1755: "But by the All-Powerful Dispensations of Providence, I have been protected beyond all human probability or expectation; for I had four bullets through my coat, and two horses shot under me, yet escaped unhurt, although death was leveling my companions on every side of me!" How did Thomas Jefferson's resolution for a Day of Fasting on June 1, 1774, lead to the forming of the Continental Congress, and eventually Independence? How in 1781 the providential rising of three rivers in 10 days allowed Americans to escape British General Cornwallis? Or how the uncanny way Benedict Arnold's planned betrayal of West Point was discovered? George Washington exclaimed: "The Hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this (the course of the war) that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith." Ben Franklin declared: "In the beginning of the Contest with Great Britain...we had daily prayer in this room for Divine protection...All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a Superintending Providence in our favor." In 1865, President Lincoln proclaimed a Day of Fasting for April 30. What freak accident happened two days later which changed the course of the Civil War? What did Woodrow Wilson declared as the U.S. entered WWI. Or Herbert Hoover during the Great Depression? Or FDR, Eisenhower, MacArthur and Patton during WWII? Or Truman during the Korean War? When Apollo 13 was lost in space, what happened after President Nixon called all of America to pray? Are you aware of these American Miracles?

What are thinking skills and why all the fuss? This seminar challenges traditional teaching methods head on by outlining the best way to teach so your child can remember and use what he has learned-- even when he is an adult. Analysis, synthesis and evaluation explained; samples of creative and critical thinking. And lots of suggested resources and activities that are uncomplicated, time-saving, inexpensive, and effective.

Overlooked! That's what often happens to foreign language instruction. And yet, the "language window" is open and waiting in our children for only a short period of time. Sara Rask, Rainbow consultant and former, High School French teacher, encourages homeschooling moms to introduce a foreign language to young children. She walks through the transition to formal language learning in middle school and addresses the high school credit dilemma. Throw open the window and let foreign languages carry your child to fluency!

Do you want a lifelong learner who initiates studies on his own? Then let go of the wheel and start giving your kids responsibility for their education. Here are practical, inexpensive steps that will encourage children to pursue their own learning, and prevent parent burnout as well.

Basic Academic knowledge is important, but does it prepare a student for success in their field of employment? Is your student becoming a Collaborator, a Communicator, a Critical Thinker, a Creator? Are they developing Media, Information, Technology, Life and Career Skills? When College Professors and CEO's are surveyed, they disagree greatly on how prepared a graduate is for life in the modern world. Come learn how to set up your student for success... beyond the curriculum.

Dr. Eagleson draws on his 30 years of homeschooling and twenty years on the CHAP board to introduce the topic of getting started in homeschooling. A summary of the research into home education is provided. Curriculum, schedules and record keeping will be covered. Dr. Eagleson takes questions from the floor both during and after the presentation. Many homeschoolers comment that they heard this talk when they were just starting.

Have you wondered, "How can I afford to homeschool" or "Am I capable of teaching my children?" You and thousands of parents these past 30 years have wondered the same exact things and have homeschooled their children successfully. There are so many options today, so where do I start? You can homeschool on one income and do it very well! Homeschooling is a journey for the whole family, one in which you will all grow individually and together. Come and glean from the 30 plus years of experience as Renee Miller shares hundreds of ideas to save you money as you teach your children and raise them to love the Lord with all their hearts.

In this session, a robotics team of homeschoolers from western Pennsylvania will share their journey and give you hints on how you can start your own robotics team in your local area. They will share about their experience in the BEST Robotics program which includes aspects of designing and building robots, programming, technical writing, and marketing.

This talk includes many of the evidences for creation that the Lord used to bring Dr. Martin from being an agnostic, zen-Buddhist, evolutionist to a young earth creationist. Dr. Martin uses statistics and current studies to vividly demonstrate how our Christian school kids are following the same downward path into secular humanism that the public school kids are taking and that it is only the homeschoolers who are "stemming the tide," though they are also sloping off into moderate Christianity instead of staying solidly Biblical. When belief in the Bible's authority and accuracy is shaken, people lose their trust in it and the culture departs from Biblical principles. This talk will help equip all ages with foundational truths about creation which will enable young people to stand strong against the attacks of evolution and secular humanism in the academic arena and today's culture.

Our culture is changing at a terrific speed and today's youth are not always getting the Biblical principles they need in time to help them make wise decisions. In this session Dr. Martin will share a Biblical approach to social networking, blogging, YouTube, Smartphones, texting, iPods, Kindles, etc. which are a huge part of everyday life now. While these technology innovations are not bad in and of themselves, they can have a negative influence on our lives if our use of them is not guided by Biblical principles. This session will present specific Scriptures to help guide Christian teens and young adults in their use of technology-based systems so that they will glorify the Lord - not feed the flesh.

Art is the forgotten subject for many families. But what has been missed is not just the "Art Lessons". Come learn why art is important, how to incorporate it into core subjects, and how to make learning fun! You'll leave with hundreds of ideas to make learning more enjoyable, refreshing and fulfilling. Best of all they will retain what they learn!

Whether you want ready-made unit studies or the tools to develop your own, this workshop could be the answer! Come for an overview and explanation of definitions, comparisons, and resources for implementing unit studies into your home. In this workshop, we will also develop your personal Unit Study P.R.O. skills and provide you tools to create your own unit study at home.

Come see how fireflies do it. What is color blindness? The eye is one of God's most incredible creations and it only can see three colors! Watch an electrocuted pickle glow in the dark, see a home demonstration to illustrate the Trinity, a light with no color and a diamond like you've never seen before. Why do flowers come in so many colors? It's not for the bees!

Join Attorney Dewitt Black, Pennsylavania's HSLDA attorney, for his brief summary of Pennsylvania's homeschool law with an emphasis on recent changes due to the passage of HB 1013. Dee's summary will be followed by a Q & A session where you can get all your questions answered about the homeschool law.

Picking curriculum can be an overwhelming, confusing, and a surprisingly expensive venture. If you are starting out on the homeschool journey, or if you are a curriculum junkie who has struggled with completing curriculum, this talk might be for you. Sarah Mae gives you the confidence that you can give your child a wonderful education without spending hundreds of dollars.

Food engages the senses and intrigues our minds, so why not add it to your curriculum! Join Sara Rask as she offer suggestions and resources for incorporating cooking into your classroom. Learn how to make your curriculum truly multi-sensory in this tasty workshop!

At birth you see everything upside down and backwards! Why would God design the eye like that? Can you really trust your ears? Your eardrum needs to only move one-half the diameter of a hydrogen atom to register a sound! A one-sixteenth inch piece of DNA translated into books makes a stack from the earth to the moon and back 400 times! Our God is totally awesome!

Jesus lived thousands of years ago, but He is still changing the world today. Before he ascended, he sat down with his disciples and left them with a few words of correction, hope, and direction. These same words can help give your life with clarity and purpose.

Author and host of the television show, Starting a Micro Business, Carol Topp will encourage teenagers that they can start and run their own micro businesses. Carol will share video clips of homeschool teenagers who started their own businesses and went onto learn confidence, time management, and business skills while earning money. She’ll guide a discussion to help teenagers come up with a micro business idea of their own.

Author and host of the television show, Starting a Micro Business, Carol Topp will encourage teenagers that they can start and run their own micro businesses. Carol will share video clips of homeschool teenagers who started their own businesses and went onto learn confidence, time management, and business skills while earning money. She’ll guide a discussion to help teenagers come up with a micro business idea of their own.

Using visual illustrations, we show how life only shows design, order, and beauty – not random accident and chance. We cover three aspects of the natural world the evolution cannot explain – including design, instinct, and general relative sizes of creatures.

The story continues as we delve more into the commission that Jesus gave in the Upper Room. The riveting account of this story is sure to stir within you a passion for life.

Too many students graduate from high school with no idea what career they should pursue. Homeschool mother and author, Carol Topp, will offer steps, resources and her experiences in helping students pursue a career path unique for them. Attendees will receive a free copy of Carol’s ebook: Career Exploration for Homeschool High School Students.

Why is it that almost half of college graduates can’t find a job? What’s missing? What does a student really need to learn between the ages of sixteen and twenty two to be ready for “real life”? Everyone focuses on academics, but you need more than academic ability to be fully equipped for the challenges and responsibilities of adulthood. In this session Jonathan will guide you through the seven essential skills and abilities that are crucial for successfully launching into adulthood. This time of life is a unique time, offering amazing possibilities. Come learn how to maximize this time, focus on the essentials, and be prepared and equipped for extraordinary success!