February 27, 2019

We’re putting together a great lineup with Todd Wilson, Eric Ludy, Zan Tyler, Walk Thru the Bible children’s program, and much more. Early registration is now open HERE. When you register online be sure to take advantage of the incredible offer to purchase MassHOPE Bucks at a 20% discount. These can be spent at face value just like cash in the exhibit hall at any vendor selling products or services onsite in the exhibit hall (does not include food services or recordings). Stay tuned to the WEBSITE as more information is being added regularly.

Are you a member of a MassHOPE-affiliated support group? Look for information in an upcoming issue on scholarship help for teens attending a TeenPact leadership school, Summit student conference, or Worldview Academy leadership camp.

3.  Graduation opportunities
Do you have a graduating high school senior this year?  MassHOPE has two ways of celebrating this milestone. A graduate can participate in either or both!

Friday, April 26, 2019 – Graduate Recognition Ceremony at the DCU Center in Worcester, during the annual convention.

Saturday, June 8, 2019 – Formal Cap and Gown Graduation Ceremony at Holden Chapel.

If interested in learning more about these events, please send an email to graduation@masshope.org. The deadline to sign up is Saturday, April 13, 2019.

To those who have been recently added to our email list through our website: if you would also like to be added to our “snail mail” list to receive information (such as our print newsletter) via the U.S. Postal Service, please send your full name and complete mailing address to newsletter@masshope.org.

From Frank and Kathy Edelblut:

Greetings, Friends!

It’s that time of year again! We are excited to invite you to volunteer just a few hours of your time to judge at the (drumroll please)

National Christian Forensics and Communications Association

Speech & Debate tournament

February 28-March 2,

Concord Christian Academy

37 Regional Drive in Concord, New Hampshire

The National Christian Forensics and Communications Association (NCFCA) is the third largest high school speech and debate league in the country. Students will compete in two styles of debate and 10 speech events.

We need hundreds of community judges during this three-day event. You may judge as little as one round on the day of your choice or several rounds over multiple days. And please feel free to forward this email to your friends and coworkers!

To register, please visit NCFCAJudges.com, click on Region X, choose Concord, NH Qualifier, fill in your contact information, and choose the times when you plan to come.

**Please note:  If you would like to participate as a “Finals” or “Semi Finals” judge on Saturday afternoon, or if you have any questions or would like additional information about this event, please contact Denise Coombes at dcoombes17@gmail.com or by phone (call or text) at (603)943-2025

Spend your summer learning and doing state-of-the-art science in an MIT Research Lab with this homeschooled high school student summer internship opportunity.

Prof. Matt Shoulders’ Group (http://shoulderslab..mit.edu/): The Shoulders Lab is broadly interested in understanding protein folding in human cells, with a focus on the development of new methods to treat currently incurable, protein misfolding-related diseases.

Prof. Michael Strano’s Group (http://srg.mit.edu/): The Strano Lab is offering projects in the area of plant biology, medicine, and energy applications. Specifically they are offering projects for the design and incorporation of nanoparticles into living plants for new functions such as chemical sensing, infrared communications, and light emission. There are also projects on energy harvesting from ambient heat and sensors to help treat diabetes and cancer.

Details: In total, the labs will be hosting 2-4 high school students from the homeschooled community for 8 weeks this summer (~20 hours/week of work in lab and 10 hours/week of study outside lab). Additional labs beyond the Shoulders and Strano Groups may also host students. If you are interested in a career in science or engineering, this opportunity is a great way to gain experience and learn what it is all about. You will be directly mentored by an MIT PhD student to participate in frontier research in chemical biology, chemical engineering, or the like, gain experience in both basic and advanced lab skills, become acquainted with the scientific literature, and present at scientific meetings.

Requirements: Appropriate candidates for this internship will be homeschooled high school sophomores or juniors at least 16 years of age by June 1, be committed and mature, have a very strong interest in chemistry, biology, and/or bioengineering, and have a solid science background at the high school level. The internship will involve a time commitment of ~30 hours/week over the 8-week period, paid at a rate of $11.50/hour. Candidates must be able to participate continuously in the internship from June 10-August 2. This opportunity does not include travel, MIT housing, or other accommodation. Parents will be responsible for all such arrangements, including provisions for local guardianship for the student. MIT is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment. All candidates are welcome.

How to apply for the internship: Send your resume, high school transcript, and a two-page description of your background, what motivates you to pursue scientific research, and the types of research that most interest you to Betty Lou McClanahan (blm@mit.edu) by March 10, 2019. Candidates will be selected for phone interviews in approximately the middle of March.

The Central Mass. Homeschool Co-op in Hudson would like to invite you to come visit. There are three meetings left and you’re welcome to choose a date to visit and see if the co-op is a good fit for your family. The remaining meetings that are open for visitors are on March 8, March 22, and April 12. [Please know that while your children are welcome to visit with you, they will only be observing the classes. The teachers work very hard each week and they feel it’s asking too much to have them prepare materials for extra students. Please let your children know they will be observing and not participating, especially in grades 4 and up.]

If you’d like to visit, please send an email to Wendy at cmhscoop7@gmail.com with the date you’d like to visit as well as your children’s names and ages, so that she can place them in age-appropriate classes. If your child is in grade 6 (as of this past Aug. 31) or up, please take a look at what classes we are currently offering and let her know which classes your child(ren) would like to sit in on. The web address is www.cmhscoop.org. Please get her all of this information no later than the Tuesday before your Friday visit so that she has time to let the teachers know to expect visitors.

Red Gate Farm in Ashfield has a program for homeschoolers that looks intriguing. You might want to check it out HERE.

Join us as a Community Evaluator in Coventry, Rhode Island! We are looking for community volunteers to watch presentations and give written feedback to our students as they hone their leadership and communication skills. In just two to three hours during a tournament, you can evaluate speeches and our Round Table event for students ages 11-18. Your help enables students to cultivate critical thinking, public speaking, and interpersonal skills.

No previous experience is necessary! Your life experience and unique perspective is all you need. We do provide a brief orientation during each scheduled time block to show you how to complete feedback forms. Would you invest in these leaders of tomorrow with the gift of your time by providing helpful comments? All you have to do is go to the ICCFS Tournament LINK and select “Coventry, RI March 9” in the drop-down box. Or contact Cindy Clarkin, RI HOPE Chapter Sponsor – Cindy.Clarkin@ICCinc.org or (401)392-3612.

10.  Save the date: Lobby Day on Beacon Hill
From Robert Aufiero at Renew MA Coalition:

Every year, the Renew Massachusetts Coalition and the Massachusetts Family Institute team up to conduct a Lobby Day on Beacon Hill. Activists from all over Massachusetts visit the State House to meet with their elected officials and hear from conservative leaders. It’s important that elected officials such as the Governor and our legislators hear about legislation we support and bills we oppose. Your presence also encourages our friends in the legislature, like Rep. David DeCoste, Rep. Marc Lombardo, Sen. Dean Tran, and Sen. Ryan Fattman. You can help demonstrate that there are many voters in the Commonwealth who care about the right to life, religious liberty, and the rule of law.

Conservative Lobby Day on Beacon Hill
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (registration and coffee at 9 a.m.)
Park Street Church*
1 Park Street, Boston

RSVP required, so we will have enough food and materials. Please RSVP by emailing Robert@RenewMACoalition.org with your name, address where registered to vote, email, and phone.

There are many bills that have been filed that we want to promote throughout the legislative session, including ones to strengthen religious liberty, oppose sanctuary cities, and redirect our tax dollars away from Planned Parenthood. We’ll also need to make our opposition known to the new Roe Act that would remove parental consent laws and expand late term abortion, and to health curriculum issues, the counseling ban, and any efforts to make Massachusetts a sanctuary state.

*Please note that the views expressed during lobby day sponsored by MFI/RMC do not necessarily reflect the views of all of Park Street church’s individual members.

Do you know of an event or activity in or near Massachusetts that would edify or interest the homeschool community? Email Anne Smith at ewsjfamily@startmail.com and we will review it for possible inclusion in the MassHOPE Messenger.

For-fee services: The MassHOPE Messenger is a biweekly e-newsletter that is sent free to approximately 2,500 mailboxes. Unfortunately, it is not free to distribute. This cost increases each year, and MassHOPE has limited funds. Therefore we charge a nominal fee of $10 for unsolicited submissions from individuals, and from most organizations or groups unaffiliated with MassHOPE, who wish to advertise their for-fee services. Items will ordinarily run in two consecutive issues.

12. Remember to “Like” MassHOPE on Facebook
“Like” MassHOPE’s Facebook page: facebook.com/MassHOPE?fref=ts. You’ll be encouraged in your homeschooling journey and will receive all updates for upcoming events.

13. Do you receive The Voice of HOPE?
MassHOPE publishes a quarterly print newsletter, The Voice of HOPE. In addition to announcements you might also find in the Messenger, we provide three or four full-length articles on a variety of homeschooling topics. If you would like to add your name, please send your name and “snail mail” address to newsletter@masshope.org.

14. Support MassHOPE through AmazonSmile
Do you shop at Amazon? If you shop through AmazonSmile, Amazon will make a donation to MassHOPE! If you’re not already signed up, you can do so more easily than ever. To start supporting our organization, simply click this link, which is unique to MassHOPE: http://smile.amazon.com/ch/04- HYPERLINK “http://smile.amazon.com/ch/04-3220412”3220412. That’s all! From then on, when – and only when – you enter the Amazon website through amazonsmile.com,Amazon will automatically donate a 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to MassHOPE. Thank you for supporting the work of your Christian state homeschool organization!