Portraits of Our Students 2014-2015

August is rolling right along and as you read this, we are off to our big summer camping trip- a last hurrah for the summer season. You can see our Homeschool Curriculum Choices 2014-2015 to see what each of our students will be up to academically in the coming year. Read on below to see how each one is suited for the studies which they’ve helped to choose.

Portrait of an Eleventh Grader

Ethan is entering 11th grade- the big junior year. How are things shaping up for this college bound young man?

• Still passionate about Star Wars & LEGOS– He’s still making custom LEGO minifigs. Mainly clones from the Clone Wars and they are really good! He designs the decals and adheres them to custom minifig parts.
• He’s a writer– I mean he loves to write and spends at least an hour a day creating story worlds and adding to his novel and other works. He’s working on a novel and some pieces for an anthology at present.
• Loves Literature & Book Discussion– In any form and with anyone. Right now he’s reading The Screwtape Letters to me.
• Adores His Online Community at One Year Adventure Novel– He’s got a lot of buds over there and they talk books and other worlds.
• He’s a computation king– Able to count back change like no other and is poised to begin Calculus. Calculus!
• Has as part time job– In April, Ethan got a job at the local grocery store in order to earn money for his trip to the One Year Adventure Novel summer workshop. He met his goal and has started saving for next summer. The job is going strong and means changes to his routine.
• Blogs at Of Bows and Arrows, Swords and Spears, Briksmith Customs, and Geography Crusades– He’s on again off again, but he’ll be trying to add to these spaces in the coming year. I saw him with a post in his draft on BrikSmith which he had pretty much abandoned!
• Loves to Play Video Games– What 15yo boy does not?
• Has a Knack for Languages– But really does not enjoy studying them. Too bad!
• Started Looking at Colleges– Other than Virginia Tech, his dad’s alma mater and the only place to go because he wants to go to a football game!

Portrait of a Ninth Grader

Some days I can hardly believe I have two high schoolers! How did Rebecca get to be in 9th grade? She is the kindest teenage girl I’ve ever known and I can hardly wait to see what this year brings.

• Creative Pursuits– Are her passion and she spends a great deal of time creating.
• Loves to Play– This girl still knows how to have just plain fun. No time for angst for her! She remains young at heart. Which makes her especially good at engaging younger kids.
• Sweet Soul– She is growing up so gracefully and most of the time has a kind word no matter what.
• Always Carries Yarn– She never goes anywhere without her yarn and a crochet hook. She crochets during sermons (and remembers it better than anyone) and any time there is listening time or down time.
• Designs & Makes Her Own Patterns– She loves to draft patterns on her own and create from them. Have you seen her Steampunk gown? It’s been invited to the NY State Fair!
• Keeps a Portfolio Online– But her creative soul doesn’t really enjoy keeping it up to date. Now that she is in high school, the plan is to step it up on posting and blog design.
• Has the Best Spatial Skills– They are to be envied. She can follow any instruction any time and everything goes together just right.
• Reptile Lover– Ever the eclectic, she’s owned four snakes over the past year. Right now she is down to one wild caught garter with a great temperament. Next up is a gecko.

Portrait of a Seventh Grader

Isaac is in the thick of middle school and is one of the sweetest middle school boys I’ve ever known- and as a former middle school science teacher, I’ve known many.

• An Expert on Planes– If you ever need to know anything about flight, he’s your man.
• Loves to Fly– His radio controlled airplane and he’s in hot pursuit of his own larger scale model. For now he flies two electric models- a yellow Champ and a WWII Spitfire.
• Keeps Track of the Weather– Better than anyone because he is always on the look out for good flying weather.
• Rocketeer– He loves model rockets too and is considering a career in rocket science. The real kind! He’s read front and back and over again several times The Handbook of Model Rocketry.
• Still a Reader– He reads both fiction and nonfiction, but always has something going.
• Boy Adventurer– But always the cautious kind. I never have to worry he will get into anything he should not. Adventure on!

Portrait of a Fourth Grader

Our youngest, Joshua, is now in 4th grade. Just one last student in elementary school! Wow. From the day he was born this boy has been busy. Let’s see how things are going for him.

• Fiercely Independent– He wears this characteristic proudly. Probably too much so, but apples don’t fall far from the tree friends. I love to steer him in a direction that uses his skills for good!
• Engineering– This still sums him up. He likes to take a look at something and see how it works and announce that he can do better. That is the definition of an engineer. There’s less talk of the triple threat- chemical, electrical, and mechanical engineering and more talk of computer engineering.
• Loves the Periodic Table– Who among us does not? So, I’m holding out hope for a double threat- chemical and computer engineering! Either that or he’ll have a home lab like Tom Edison.
• Entomologist– Still pinning away and having the best time at Friday night entomology lectures. You can see the results of his toil here.
• Loves All Things Science– All of it.
• Independent Learner– Bucking all the paths his siblings have chosen he presents a challenge daily. He could learn anything on his own. This is the most fun and the most vexing at the same time!
• Computer Programming– He’s taught himself C++ and the basics of Java. He is making his own minecraft mods and loves to pour through programming manuals.

As I wrote this, I enjoyed looking back at last year’s portraits. Yes, our children are growing and being molded into the young adults God wants them to be, but they are staying true to their interests and refining them. Very exciting to watch and we are looking forward to a new homeschool year!

Other iHN bloggers are sharing their student portraits today. Have a look!