Day 107
Geoffrey Burkholder has one more Wednesday at the Community Homeschool Learning Group and then it will be his last. He has spent 12 years of his life in this group. No, there is no valedictorian, no there are no awards, and yes there is an inner understanding of what is what and what is not. Go figure. And yes, I'm bitter by the system I came through. I was "regular," "run of the mill," "average."
Sorry, but there are no average individuals with God as the top originator and designer. It's just doesn't go like that with Him. The quality control standards are His and we know nothing of them. Every student is gifted and every student has special needs and dog gone it EVERY SINGLE STUDENT DESERVES THEIR OWN PLAN (an IEP!).
He did not choose to be homeschooled, his parents did it to him. But I would venture to say he looks on his time with fondness. The cluster of families who have attended the homeschool group is a collection of people who have navigated together the educating of their children. This group has fleshed out the gospel. And no, we do not all believe the same things but yes, we do all love one another and would be there in an heart beat if there is a need.
From 1997 till 2015 this group has survived with little to no drama-style casualties. To God be the glory. Who has time for that, life is simply too short. This is a group where if you are different you are celebrated. Many of the students would have been chewed up and spit out in another setting where the word, "Cool," was defined by a select group. Here "cool" is defined by you, yourself, and the others, well, they just go with it.
Geoffrey as a preschooler escaped, every week. He's always been hard to contain. From a little boy till now he just doesn't sit for very long, never has and never will. Who am I fooling? The homeschool setting has suited him and has not suited him. But he has completed twelve years of it, with a half a school year thrown in there.
The Community Homeschool players (the drama program) has provided him with an exceptional theater experience. There are four distinct strong characters he has played over these past four years, we will never forget.
In the 7/8th grade he originated an idea for a class I had developed called EnLIST. This meal has now occurred three times, the Veteran Meal. The meal's concept was three fold in nature. He wanted to provide them comfort, warmth and food. What a great opportunity. This meal has been a success for the last three times it was pulled off.
Geoffrey will have the members of this group for life, I know it. His Wednesdays have had a character unlike all the other school students. All his learning group buddies have experienced it together. What a blessing this group has been and what an amazing person Geoffrey Burkholder is!
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