Being a student can be expensive. From tuition costs to everyday items, families often find themselves looking for coupons and discounts. Thankfully, there are a myriad of businesses who want to help families just like you! 

What can get your kids practicing math, learning about chemical reactions, and following directions? How about working on a team, solving problems, and being creative? I humbly submit that planning and preparing food for the family is a great way for kids to practice all these skills and more. And while, yes, I am biased, I do believe that in a digital age, there is a lot of value in the hands-on, all-senses-engaged practice of cooking. There are many evenings when I get home from work after hours and hours of staring at a screen, and really start to reconnect with myself and my family over chopping vegetables, stirring soups, and sharing conversation. I think kids can have a role in planning meals and nourishing families, regardless of their age or abilities.

According to a Barna Group survey conducted in 2016, nearly 60% of teens who grow up attending church walk away and become part of the unchurched population after graduating high school (roughly 45%). These numbers aren’t great; in fact, there are many that find them concerning and seek to offer solutions to the issues that are causing our youth to drop out of the church. Some of the studies that have been done on low church attendance among youth point to the need for revitalized programs and systems. If only the church would have a stronger youth ministry, or a greater focus on discipleship, or a more relatable sermon, or edgier worship music, or this, or that. While youth ministry is good and serves a good purpose, and while other programs and structures seek to serve the body in specific ways, the problem is not within these systems. The true issue is within misplaced responsibility. For too long, many have expected the church to do what is the God-ordained responsibility of the parents. Yes, the church makes disciples. Yes, we go to church to worship a God who is infinitely worthy of our praise. The primary disciple-makers of our youth, however, is not the church, it is the parents. Discipleship begins at home. Worship begins at home. 

Welcome back to the next installment of Enlightium Academy’s Healthy Meals for Homeschoolers series. I am excited to share with you some of my ideas about family budget meals. As a recent college graduate (now repaying loans), I am familiar with the ‘B’ word - budget. When you think of family budget meals, what do you think of? Money? Spreadsheets? Penny-pinching?

In an age of instant posting, messaging, tweeting, status sharing, etc., social media etiquette for students is an essential subject. Considering the global and permanent nature of the Internet is key. You might think that the comment or picture you posted this weekend will eventually disappear into cyberspace; however, that is not the case.

January 20, 2017 - West Liberty, Ohio
April 10, 2017 - San Bernardino, California
May 4, 2017 - Irving, Texas
September 13, 2017 - Rochford, Washington

It seems like in recent years the number of shootings have gone up. Every few months students in another town face the terror and danger. Every few months another community asks the question: How did this happen?

When is Martin Luther King Day 2017?

Now that the holiday season is over, it may seem like there isn't much left to celebrate. Many of us are focused on getting back into the swing of things at school and making good on our New Year's resolutions. Regardless, January is full of holidays, from Russian Christmas to Chinese New Year and Fun at Work Day. Although you can find something to celebrate nearly every day of the month, one January holiday stands out from the rest. Martin Luther King Day is a very important holiday in the history of the US, is federally recognized as a national holiday, and falls on Monday, January 16th this year.

In this blog article, you will learn more about the important significance of this holiday, including:

• The reason we celebrate Martin Luther King Day

• Little-known Martin Luther King Jr. facts

• Some of Dr. King’s famous quotes

• The history of Martin Luther King Day as a holiday

• A list of the public and private offices that are closed to observe Martin Luther King Day 

Bon jour. Comment allez-vous? In case you were wondering, this means “Hello, how are you?” in French. It seems like forever since I took my first French class in high school, but one thing is for sure: I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I signed up for it. To be honest, I learned much more than how to say a few phrases in a foreign language. In fact, there were quite a few unexpected benefits I received from my French class that you stand to gain too, when you sign up for a French class.

Interested in switching to a non-traditional environment to earn your high school diploma online? You’re not alone. In the last ten years, the number of students enrolling to earn their high school diploma online has increased tenfold. Four of the top reasons families are making the switch are:

Everyone, young and old, has experienced peer pressure. It's not always negative, there is positive peer pressure, too. Peer pressure is when a person’s friend tries to get them to do something, and since some teens and adults want to fit in, they succumb to it. Sometimes it's because they don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings, but most times, it’s because they don’t know how to say “NO!”

According to the Kids Health Organization, these are some of the main topics that come from discussions about positive and negative peer pressure.

As your home school high school career comes to a close, it is pivotal that you plan ahead to prepare and apply for college. Well-prepared home school students start the process early. The first step is deciding which type of college works for you.

There are two types of schools to choose from:

1. Traditional College. Perhaps you’ve grown a lot on your own, but you’re ready to enter into the classroom and interact with your peers and professors.

2. Distance Learning Higher Education Institutes. If you love working independently and want to continue—or maybe you don’t want to move and there aren’t programs that interest you locally—then distance learning might be a good option for your higher education, too. These institutes allow you to attend classes and complete assignments from your home.

No matter which you choose, it is crucial that you begin the process early, learning which schools you’re interested in and what they require of their applicants. Because you’re coming from home school, the requirements may vary greatly from school to school.

We can all agree that teen pregnancy—no matter the circumstances—is not an ideal situation; it is the result of a broken world, and it presents a dilemma for all involved. There are suddenly many things to figure out, and your life is no longer your own. Let’s not forget that, however costly, ill-timed, and inconvenient, children are gifts from God and blessings to their communities. We pray that your community is ready to receive and love you and your child, especially in a time such as this.

While teen pregnancy will change your life, it does not have to derail it. The tools that you need to press into this new path in your life are readily available, easily accessible, and will allow you to proceed in a positive direction.

It is summer. Whew! You have made it through a whole year of homeschool, taking charge in your child’s education and teaching them—not just school subjects but how to live healthy, productive, curious, and spiritual lives. Hopefully you’re able to take a break this summer and regroup. We have some ideas for how you can use your family’s educational hiatus to recharge, keep them learning, and prepare yourself for the coming year.

The primary role of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is to ensure that an NCAA student athlete is equipped to handle experiences that occur on the field, in the classroom, and in life, and its categorization of the diverse schools that make up its membership—over 1,100 schools which play in 3 divisions—put the NCAA student athlete on a level playing field with other like-minded institutions.

For high schoolers hoping to become an NCAA student athlete, pursuing this path can be overwhelming. You are left with a lot to navigate without much direction. Beyond the normal factors of SAT scores, AP exams, and choosing a school and career path, you have to consider schools with the sports programs and coaches you will thrive under in the division (I, II, or III) that you want. For Christian athletes, the values and culture of the school are also important factors.

If you are dissatisfied with the public school system, you may be considering a Christian home schooling solution. Perhaps you are wondering how students who are home schooled compare academically to students who receive a more traditional public school education.

Did you know that on average students with a home school education outperform public school students in all subjects? In fact, a study of over 5,000 home school students showed that they average 30–37 percentile points higher than their public school peers.

For many parents it becomes apparent over time that public, charter or private schooling is not benefitting their child, and they start to look into home schooling options. The reasons for choosing home schooling are as varied as the children who leave traditional schools to be home schooled: Parents often do not agree with the subject matter taught at traditional schools or the methods that are used to teach the subjects. They may not believe in the morals underlying the instruction in the classroom. Parents may have a child who has health issues that make it challenging for him or her to be surrounded by too many people. Maybe their child is being bullied or struggling with social pressures. 

Does this sound familiar to you?

The bullying trend is on the rise among America’s top social problems. Although stopbullying.gov reports that 28% of children have been bullied, I believe 100% of children have been bullied, will be bullied, or have witnessed bullying at school. If this is true, each one of us has a role in stopping this trend. Although there are many types of bullying, I will be focusing on the two types: self-esteem/self-worth bullying and ringleader bullying.

It was yet another sleepless night for me. Tossing, turning, mind-racing, heart-pounding nights were becoming the norm. My anxiety was most prevalent at night. This caused a season marked by stress and tiredness.

Though it no longer looks that troublesome, anxiety is an ongoing battle for me. And the more people I meet and speak with, the more I am convinced that I am not alone. From weathered adults with incredibly painful circumstances to children struggling with completing homework, anxiety is a form of suffering common to many, in varying degrees.

Maybe you know of someone who can use an inspirational quote or Bible verse today. Maybe that someone is you.

Here are 7 free shareable quotes and Bible verses with images:

Eating. It should be one of the most normal and natural things we do - just another part of our everyday life, right?

For many people today, it is more complicated than that.  The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) states that in the United States alone, 20 million women suffer or will suffer from an eating disorder at some time in their life, with the majority of cases found in girls between the ages of 13 to 18. It is integral that Christian parents know how to talk to their daughters about eating disorders.