Homeschool Expo: making homeschooling fun, simple and effective

Area vendors showcased educational resources at the Homeschool Expo on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. The event was hosted by Stateline STEM Academy and neighboring Kids Spot -

Narrow Gate Learning Center, 9461 2nd St. in Roscoe, IL.

Parents learned about services and products that showcase local resources to make homeschooling fun, simple and effective.

While parents shopped, the children were entertained and supervised in the Kids Spot gymnasium.

STEM Academy administrator Donna Curtis and Tim Yapp, owner of Kids Spot, Narrow Gate Learning, and the STEM Academy, were pleased with the large number of vendors and parents.

Danielle Sturnfield and her two children, Lila and Auden, were among the homeschooling families attending the resource expo. She is choosing to homeschool her children for many reasons: “safety, freedom to teach what is important, and learning at their own pace.”

Danielle said there are many co-ops available in the area. “I am trying to find one that fits our needs.”

One of the vendors, Jessica Hewitt, is the owner of “Jess Connects.” Hewitt has a master’s degree in education and specializes in social and emotional learning (SEL).

Other vendors included:

• Narrow Gate Learning: a small business that provides extensive literacy support for homeschool parents.
• Classical Conversations: Faith-based, literacy-based homeschool group and curricula.
• PaperPie: Taylor Williams Company book sales.
• Shelly Slater: Photography.
• Clover Crusaders 4-H Club.
• Dana Buxbaum: Homeschool board games for education and meet-ups.
• Steps to Grace: Faith-based dance lessons.
• Ryan Gonzales: Guitar lessons
• Stateline STEM Academy: Homeschool support from full curricula to ala carte STEM programs.
• Kids Spot: Offering PE classes to homeschoolers and open gym time.

Narrow Gate Learning and STEM Academy sponsored raffles featuring two free reading assessments and two STEM-based building kits.

For more information, visit statelinestemacademy.net and kidsspot.com.

Danielle Sturnfield with her children Auden and Lyla visited the Resource Expo at Stateline STEM Academy, 9461 North Second St, in Roscoe. Danielle homeschools her children and was looking for programs and learning tool and accessories.

Kids Spot, next door to the STEM Academy, provided fun in the gym for kids while parents visited the Homeschool Expo on May 24, 2023.

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