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To parents of prospective reunion attendees
I felt a slight trepidation having been asked to write a “parent’s perspective” review of the HSA National Reunion since my own children are 10 and 8. If you more seasoned parents read this and think to yourselves, “Rookie!” I won’t be shocked. I can, however, approach the subject from a parent’s heart and with a high level of familiarity with the HSA community. Though I don’t hold a job title here per se, I suppose my function would land somewhere between a mentor and a cheerleader. The 2009 Reunion will be my fourth and every one thus far has proven to be an enjoyable and enriching experience. The National Reunion is without doubt the most anticipated event of the HSA calendar. What it has become, given the relatively short existence of the event and the organization itself, is rather remarkable.
Both Homeschool Alumni and the National Reunion stand as a testimony to what some determined and resourceful homeschooled people can accomplish by pooling their talents and offering them in service to God and to the homeschool community. The first Reunion in 2006 was organized by several people all over the country, many of whom would not meet face to face until the event and all of whom had not put together something of this magnitude. I remember taking notice at how well organized the Reunion was, how smoothly things went and how well the attendees conducted themselves. The alumni are adults, yet they are also young adults whose average age is typically in the early 20s. One of the things that always impressed me about HSA as a relatively young community is the high level of maturity, substance and self-discipline evidenced within the group. I saw these qualities in action at all three of these annual events.
Perhaps you might feel some uncertainty about sending your son or daughter to Reunion 2009 without a little firsthand observation of your own. Perhaps HSA is somewhat unfamiliar to you or your son/daughter has not traveled far from home. The mixed-gender social environment might be of concern to some parents as to whether it will be above reproach. You might have a son/daughter who is not outgoing or not used to being outside of the home. Will he/she have an enjoyable time? Will it be edifying? Will it be proper? Are there rules and guidelines and are they adequately enforced? I will offer my perspective and observations in the hopes of addressing some of these questions for you.
Let me start by saying that I cannot guarantee that your homeschooled young adult will have a great time at this event. The time they have will largely depend upon them and how they choose to approach it and interact with others. The opportunity for a great experience is immense and I have yet to see a group photo with someone who is frowning. The Reunion is a mixed-gender environment. Are any “chaperones” present? Well, yes and no. There will be a number of middle-age parents of alumni. Their purpose is not to police the goings-on between the attendees but they do bring their wisdom, experience and mentoring to the table and they are willing to share it. Please be assured that there are definite rules and stipulations of conduct and they will be enforced. It’s unrealistic to guarantee that there won’t be any issues, conflicts, or behavioral difficulties that crop up. At the same time, I don’t recall seeing any serious disciplinary matters take place. The attendees are, after all, adults. They are young adults to be sure, but I’m certain that you raised them with the necessary tools to function as adults and conduct themselves properly. I would encourage you to trust those tools you invested in them and know that the Reunion is a good opportunity to try them out.
Maybe your son or daughter has reservations about coming into a group of strangers. That’s a natural feeling but from what I’ve observed, the “strangers” come from a common point of reference in the homeschool experience. That point of reference seems to be a springboard into sharing similar experiences. It seems that before you know it, that room full of strangers is signing your autograph book and telling you what a great time they had getting to know you. The few days that this event consumes might best be described as “intensive fellowship”. Sleep tends to be back burnered and everyone seems to want to enjoy this fellowship as much as possible. Musicians who are perfect strangers are getting together and playing music. Others will sit around in discussion groups or play board games. There will be hiking, outdoor games, mixer games, sports and of course, the English Country Dance, a major highlight of the event. Then there’s the competitive eating contest (just kidding – I threw that in to see if you were paying attention. Gotcha!).
“They have dancing at this thing?” Absolutely! English Country, Swing, Disco (gotcha again... no mirrored balls, bell-bottoms or Bee-Gees here, promise!). I’ve observed many of these dances and I strongly believe them to be a time of valuable, proper and healthy social mixing of the genders. The etiquette alone is a valuable exercise in mutual respect, I have absolutely no reservations about recommending it to you and your adult children. Hey, my own kids think it’s the bomb! So if you heard that there’s going to be a dance at this thing and your mind flashes back to the high school prom, I promise you that what will be at the Reunion is nothing like that.
Hopefully I’ve answered some questions, allayed some concerns and encouraged you and/or your homeschool graduates that the Reunion is a worthwhile endeavor. I continue to stand amazed at how much the attendees look forward to the event. Space fails me to adequately describe the speakers, the music, the dramas, the panel discussions and other interactions but again, they are valuable and encouraging. For what it’s worth, if my children were of age, they’d be attending this thing and I would be 100% in favor of it. I appreciate your taking the time to read this article and am glad to answer any questions you might have that I didn’t cover. Again, I can only give you one guy’s experience but if I can be of service, please email me at karpman@aol.com.
Blessings!
James A. Karpowitz (aka – Jim K.)
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