WOULD YOU LIKE TO SIGN UP FOR DUAL CREDIT CLASSES WITH OTHER LOCAL HOMESCHOOLERS?

 Next week some central KY high school homeschoolers will be getting together for an online meeting to talk about dual credit classes in hope that they an register for the same courses for the fall. 

To get the link for this webinar hosted by BCTC, click on the details for the June 22nd event on our community calendar. 

Did you know that many Kentucky colleges and universities allow you to sign up for classes and get credit for high school AND for college simultaneously? Did you know that many of these credits are easily transferable and that they are often about 1/3 of the price of traditional college? That means that you could easily knock out a year of college credits before you even graduate high school! Talk about killing two birds with one stone.

​For more general information on how dual credit works, click HERE.

Being a teacher is a tough job that doesn’t pay nearly enough for the value you provide to your 20-plus students each day. Keep reading for the best summer side hustles that will actually give you a break from the classroom.

Freelance Writing
As a freelance writer, you might write anything from web content to e-books. Pay ranges from a penny per word to hundreds of dollars per article/book. Small Biz Trends also suggests editing and proofreading services as options for teachers. You can get your name out there by guest blogging or writing your own self-published book.

Selling Lesson Plans
You’ve no doubt heard of Teachers Pay Teachers and other sites that allow teachers to share their work with like-minded educators. These websites are online marketplaces where you can showcase your expertise and make a respectable income simply by sharing work you already have to do. If you have a knack for developing engaging and sustainable lesson plans, sell them. You might even become the next teacher-millionaire.

Professional Narration
You spend your entire day talking to a crowd and you’ve mastered changing your tone and inflection to get attention. Something you may never have considered is that this has been on-the-job training for a vocation in audio production. Believe it or not, there are companies out there right now that will pay you to read and record everything from books to magazine articles. ACX is an online marketplace that walks you through the steps to becoming an audiobook actor.

Online Tutoring
You may not want to spend your summer with your students (no matter how much you love them), but you can still use your education degree to rake in a few extra bucks. Payscale.com notes that college tutors make up to $24 per hour. You can even tutor from the comfort of your own home and choose the subjects -- and age range -- you’d like to cover.

Resume Polisher
They say the devil is in the details, and that’s never truer than when trying to write a resume. College grads, stay-at-home-moms re-entering the workforce, and even longtime professionals often need a helping hand pulling the right details out of the bag to showcase on their resume. You can help these people and charge $60 to $500 to take their resume from bland to grand.

Translator
If you’re a language teacher, you can put your ability to speak, understand, and decipher foreign tongue to use as a translator. You might translate audio recordings from English to Spanish for ESL adult students, translate children’s books from Italian to English, or work with your local news station to translate broadcasts in a different language. Income potential varies by where you live and your skill level but many translators make $46,000 or more full-time.

Dog Walker
If you like dogs and like to exercise, then a side job as a dog-walker is the right gig for you. Dog walkers, sitters, and boarders open their homes and hearts to pups needing an extra bit of company throughout the day or when their pet parents have to leave town. You can set your own schedule and make $10 per hour simply by spending time with a few furry friends.

Before you get started earning your after-hours income, make sure you have an organized desk and all the equipment you need. Most jobs will require a computer and distraction-free workspace, but if you want to narrate, for instance, you’ll also need a microphone and decent recording software. One last piece of advice: set a schedule and only work during those hours.

While teachers shouldn’t have to resort to working two, three, or more jobs just to get by, educator salaries aren’t rising anytime soon. Until they do, these part-time income opportunities are a wonderful way to add to your bank account.

Special thanks to Joyce Wilson for submitting this post for publication.
​Picture provided by Pixabay

D.C. planning is a bit simpler with these tips! Museums, monuments, noteworthy people and places, how do you fit in all the sights and sounds of D.C. on a family budget? Housing, transportation, and more...

HOUSING 

• Buyer beware. Housing is expensive in Washington D.C. For our spring break week, hotel prices ranged from around $150-$400 a night, depending on your willingness to stay in outlying areas. When looking at hotels, make sure to note proximity to the city, cost of parking, nearness to the Metro, etc.
• There are more reasonably priced hotels like Courtyard Marriott in Gaithersburg and Rockville in the 'burbs than in the city. Many of the hotels near Shady Grove have free shuttles to the metro station.
• This Trip Advisor feed also offered some good hotel information for families.

• You can sometimes find a better housing deal from Air B&B or VRBO than on the hotel scene. Again, watch the parking cost and proximity to the city.
• Spring Break is NOT the cheapest time to go to D.C. If you have flexibility in schedule, but not in finances, you might want to look at traveling during the off season.
• Camping in a nearby area is also an option, but sites book quickly and you need to plan in advance. Some sites on the Maryland side are Seneca Creek State Park and Little Bennett Campground is a little further north.
  There's also camping along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal near Cumberland, Maryland. The campground is called Little Orleans. I don't currently have suggestions for the Virginia side, but if YOU do, please leave them in the comments.

PARKING & TRANSPORTATION 

• If you are staying outside the city, you might want to use the Metro. It takes away the stress of driving and can be fairly efficient, especially if you are near a train route rather than a bus route. You can use the Trip Planner feature to find out how much it will cost to get from your hotel to D.C. and back (I think you can get an all day pass for $15 per person).
• There are some parking lots at certain metro stations. But they can fill up on week days. 
• Another helpful link-- Metro Q & A. For a large family, you may find it cost-effective to just drive into D.C. from Arlington or Alexandria and park at Union Station where the all day parking rate is just $25. Keep in mind, you still have a lot of walking travel time from Union Station to many sites at the National Mall. The Ronald Reagan Building garage also offers reasonably-priced all day parking ($35 daily, closer to most attractions).
• You can park for free along the tidal basin if you go early enough and don't mind walking.
• If you are parking in town, the Washington D.C. Circulator is a bus system that runs throughout the day to key locations. Tickets are incredibly inexpensive-- $1 per bus ride or you can buy a pass One-Day ($3), 3-Day ($7), Weekly ($11) and Monthly ($40) passes are available for purchase through CommuterDirect.com. Buses are scheduled to run every 10 minutes.

A TRIP TO THE CAPITOL OR WHITE HOUSE

• If you want a tour of the White House to the Capitol during your trip, you must PLAN IN ADVANCE. Tours can be reserved up to 3 months in advance and they book quickly on a first come, first served basis. White House tours must be booked through your member of Congress (FOUND HERE). Check with your local representative or senator or book a Capitol tour using this site. Ask if Congress is in session during your visit-- You might also be able to personally meet your state representatives!

MUSEUMS & ACTIVITIES
Tips from a D.C. resident
(Special thanks to Tina Sledge for her help!)

• Good news! Although we have racked up a large cost in parking, transportation, and housing, we can visit multiple sites in D.C. for FREE!
• Smithsonian Institute museums are great since most are metro accessible and clustered in a reasonably walkable area in the National Mall. Of course, you can also see the monuments close by. Keep in mind the Mall is actually a 2 mile spread between Lincoln Memorial on one end and Capitol on the other so a lot of walking depending on how much you want to cram in.  If you don't mind paying and are short on time, the hop on/off buses or D.C. Circulators are options. These can sometimes be crowded though.
• The National Museum of African American History & Culture is the newest and most popular Smithsonian Museum lately but the hype should have died down some since opening. I think they might still be issuing timed entry tix, though.
• The bureau of engraving and printing is neat, especially if you catch the presses actually at work printing money!  They are closed holidays and weekends and getting timed-entry tickets is a bit of a chore, though. There's no online reservations so one way to do it is to go to the box office when they open, get tickets and go back at whatever time your tix are for.​
• People often don't realize the National Zoo is also part of the Smithsonian network, meaning free admission (your taxes at work!).  If going to the zoo and you have time, I would recommend the National Cathedral. (Could possibly metro from the White House area)
• Local Statues & Monuments This list could go on and on. I'll let you explore these on your own time, but the one tip that I hear about monuments is that they are even MORE beautiful when they are lit up at night. Since parking is cheaper in the evenings in D.C., it might be worth heading there the first evening of your trip so that you can get a glimpse of the majesty.​
• Also not too far from the mall is the Ford Theater and Peterson House across the street. They have reasonable priced tours you can reserve online ahead of time. Cool history to experience.
• Union Station is great landmark AND a decent option for food since there is a food court downstairs and you can metro over if you are tired of walking. Try Teaism for Asian inspired yumminess.  They have kid friendly bento boxes.
• If you aren't already exhausted from all the exercise, walking tours in Georgetown are fun. There is even a chocolate tour available where you taste yummy samples while your guide talks to you about the area.
• If your crew likes air and space, I highly recommend the larger location (Udvar-hazy Center) that is close to Dulles Airport on the Virginia side instead of the one at the Mall. The Shuttle Discovery was moved here a few years ago.
• If you are looking or natural landmark, the Great Falls of the Potomac is a beautiful place to visit. You can also learn about the the lock systems and can see some of them work.
• The list of things to do in Washington, D.C. is practically inexhaustible, so pick your favorites and have fun on your adventure!

OTHER GREAT PLANNING LINKS for D.C.
Sample Itineraries
D.C. with Kids
Attractions that require tickets or timed entry

Have other great Washington D.C. tips?
Share them with us in the comments!

​Again, thank you Tina Sledge for your recommendations!

You are formally invited to a free presentation of-- 
Snow White Excerpts
When: Thursday, November 2, from 1-2 p.m.
Cost: Free
Location: Cardome Renaissance Center Theatre, 800 Cincinnati Road, Georgetown, KY 40324
​
RSVP required: Space is first come, first served and limited. You MUST RSVP by Wednesday, October 25 to reserve seats for your class or family. Email angelica@unitedtalentdance.com with the number in your group or family, including children as well as parents, teachers or chaperones. 

United Fine Arts Academy is a new non-profit based in Georgetown and the Cardome is a partner. UFAA’s mission is to boost youth arts opportunities in Georgetown through dance, music and theater. The academy grew out of United Talent Dance’s three-year successful history of presenting annual, original youth ballets each fall. Previous performances included Clara’s Dream: The Nutcracker in One Act in 2014 and 2015 as well as The Little Match Girl in 2016.

 This year’s Snow White is an original production choreographed by academy artistic director Angelica South, a 2013 homeschool graduate. The ballet includes 52 dancers ages 4-18 drawn from ballet schools in Scott and Fayette counties. So many dancers auditioned last June that major roles were double cast. The cast has been learning and rehearsing the original choreography since August.

The free Snow White excerpts are part of an outreach to bring ballet and the arts to underserved communities in Central Kentucky. Dancers have shared shows free for the past two seasons with elementary students in Scott County Schools. This year, the company will visit three elementary schools in addition to this performance for private and homeschool students. 

Please also come enjoy a full-length public presentation of the Snow White ballet November 9-11 at the Downtown Arts Center in Lexington. Performance times are 7 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings as well as a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday afternoon. Tickets for these shows are $15 each and available at the door or online via www.lexingtonky.gov/about-downtown-arts-center.

​Thank you, Carol South, for the great recommendation!

Folks, I LOVE a good deal and I have a very difficult time passing up opportunities.  For those of you who know me, this is not a surprise. 

Well, with that in mind, I want to share my favorite deal for families that BLEED BLUE!  Welcome to the UK Junior Wildcat Club!

The Junior Wildcat Club is available to all students 8th grade completed or younger.  The cost is $25 for your first child and $20 for each additional child.  With this membership price, your child gets --

• FREE admission for members and a complimentary guest to selected football game (This year it is UK versus Eastern Michigan on September 30th).
• Birthday postcard from Scratch himself
• 2 FREE tickets to the Men's Basketball Blue/White game.
• Kids 4th-6th grades- You will be entered into a drawing for a chance to be ball kids for Men's and Women's Basketball Games!
• Special promotions and giveaways available ONLY to club members at games (while supplies last)
• FREE admission to all home Olympic Sporting Events (Men's & Women's Soccer, Volleyball, Women's Basketball, Gymnastics, Baseball & Softball). All based on Availability. 
• FREE tailgate parties at select home sporting events (Games selected by UK staff).
• Official Club tee
• Official Club Membership Pass
• Opportunities to meet UK student-athletes, coaches, and staff of various sports

Isn't this an amazing deal?  Our entire family of six will be able to go to all of these events for less than $100 (FYI-that is CHEAPER than buying three individual tickets to just a UK football game)!  Not only that, but my husband is always excited about the UK Men's Basketball Blue White Game and the kids love the free t-shirts and membership tags. If you hurry, you can get an early registration discount when you use the code JWC10.

I get nothing for promoting this deal... it is just something that our family loves and that we wanted to share with YOU!  If you are interested in joining us at all these spectacular sporting events, you can find more details at the Junior Wildcat Club web site. 
 GO BIG BLUE!!!!

Frankfort is getting ready to host the 34th Annual Kentucky Book Fair--  a celebration of reading and writing that includes nearly 200 state and national authors and illustrators.  The event includes informative lectures for writers,
a PD training for teachers, readings from select authors, and even a children's day full of presentations for kids of all ages!

34th Annual Kentucky Book Fair
Saturday, November 14TH, 9:30-4:30 PM
Frankfort Convention Center
Frankfort, KY

5th Annual KBF Children’s Day,
Friday, November 13th, 2015, 9:00 am - 2:00 PM
Frankfort Convention Center
Frankfort, KY
Registration required.

• Kentucky Book Fair Fact Sheet
• 2015 Author List and Floor Layout
• Schedule of Symposiums 2015 Part 1
• Schedule of Symposiums 2015 Part 2
• About the Book Fair
• 2015 KBF Kids and Teen Day Registration Form
• Information about Frankfort, KY

Per the KBF web site:
"Net proceeds from the KBF fund grants to Kentucky school and public libraries for local book purchasing and other literacy-related causes..."

When: November 17th, 8:30 AM-3:00 PM
Where:  Frankfort Convention Center

By this point, you have probably realized that I LOVE quality educational events and activities.  Well, this one looks like a marvelous opportunity for 8th graders to get a small dose of "reality" about life after they leave school.  On November 17th, the Frankfort Area Chamber of Commerce and Corporate Sponsor Kentucky Employees Credit Union will host a Reality Store for over 450 8th grade students.  This is how FCPS describes the event--

Reality Store is an active, hands-on, real-life simulation, which gives young people the opportunity to explore career opportunities, and make lifestyle and budget choices similar to those adults face on a daily basis.

Participants assume that they are 25 years old and have completed basic educational requirements for their specific occupation.  Students then draw a family; some students may not have any children, while others may have up to 4 children.  Participants are then given the opportunity to draw an occupation based on their grade point average, which provides them with an equivalent salary and allows them to proceed through the “Reality Store”. After their trip through the Reality Store, students will have a greater knowledge of what type of career they would like to have as an adult, set goals to achieve their career choice, and to learn how their grades and absences affect their potential employment opportunities.

To find out more information or register for the event, please contact the Frankfort Area Chamber of Commerce at 502-223-8261. 

Have you been to the Reality Store? 
We would love to hear about your experience in the comments below.
 

Friends and family, we officially survived the first annual Bluegrass Education Expo! I cannot adequately express how thankful I am to those of you who helped, who exhibited, who sponsored, who prayed, and who encouraged throughout the process. HOWEVER, just because I cannot adequately express my thankfulness, doesn't mean that I shouldn't try, so here goes...

The ABCs of My Thankfulness

I am thankful to...

Almighty God-- I unabashedly believe in the LORD and believe that it was HE who initiated the vision for this event, provided for the financial needs, and ironed out the details along the way.

Brockman, Dawn Brockman-- When the idea for the B.E.E. was percolating in my mind, I approached Dawn. At the time, I did not know her... I did not know how competent she was... that she has a heart for kids and that she was beginning a new path of service. This event would not have moved forward without Dawn's tutelage, encouragement, and knowledge. Dawn, you are a gem!

Civil Air Patrol Volunteers-- What kind, courteous kids! These volunteers went above and beyond to offer their services to the Expo staff. They carried books, set up and broke down tables, and were willing to help in any way needed. If your kids are interested in growing in manners, responsibility, and have an interest in learning to fly, I encourage you to look into the Civil Air Patrol. www.capfrankfort.com

Dana Wingfield-- She is undoubtedly one of THE MOST AMAZING workers and friends that I know. Every time that a need/crisis arose, Dana stepped in to brainstorm and offer emotional and physical support. Problems were not problems when Dana was around. This lady is both unflappable and humble and I hope that I am never forced to plan an event without her.

Exhibitors-- What a wonderful group of exhibitors we had this year! Even though this was our first event, we had 24 groups willing partner with us in this venture. Their representatives were kind and gracious, and working with them was a delight! If you are looking for GREAT opportunities for your kids, check out our list of exhibitors!
2015 Exhibitors

Friends-- So many people willingly stepped in to help on the day of the event! A special thank you to Audra Thomas, Kye & Kendall Keefe, Connie Jirak, Jessica Freeburne, Keith Frank, Samantha Frederick, Guy & Emma Duerson, Mary Van Campen, Ryland & Retta Wheeler, Ethan Thomas, Keith & Macy Brockman, Ben & Owen Wingfield, Jocelyn & Carson Frederick, Gabrielle & Don Yoder, Nolan Flannery, and Paula & Maddie Bruckman.

Give-away Providers-- Thank you to White, Greer Maggard, Awesome Inc., LexKAGE, Bricks4Kidz, BreyerFest, Classical Conversations, Stratton Eyes, Alison Begor with Barefoot Books, and many more for providing give-away items for our event.

Hilary Fiskeaux-- This gal is a book consignment sale guru. She showed up at the best possible time to fill in gaps, offer her leadership skills, and make sure that the event ran smoothly.

Instant friends-- Because of the planning and execution of the Expo, I was able to develop instant friendships with many like-minded people. Thank you to  Betsy Waters, Yolanda Walters, Desiree Wilson, and Wafaa from the Sphinx Academy for your encouragement in this event.

Jessica Berry & Michael Dailey from FCPS-- These great Fayette County representatives helped me find speakers for the event and they offered advice on engaging Fayette County students.

Kelsey Barber-- Kelsey provided invaluable support and leadership throughout the planning process of the B.E.E. She kept the ball rolling and encouraged her group, KYL to take part. She put up with an innumerable amount of questions, texts, and directives over the past six months. Thank you Kelsey!

Lecturers-- What a line-up! For those of you who missed the Expo, I wish you could have been there to glean wisdom from the lecturers at the event. They were incredible! Hopefully you will have a chance to hear them next year. :)
2015 Lecturers

My parents-- Seriously, without the love and service of these two individuals, I would be lost. Thank you for watching my kiddos during the event!

Nice strangers-- For all those of you who spoke kind words to us about the event, THANK YOU! Your words encouraged us that our pursuit was worthwhile and was a great service to the community.

Our venue host, LCA-- What a wonderful, spacious venue for the event! Thank you to Joni Maggard for her flexibility and willingness to work with me in this!

Praying friends-- These were the behind-the-scenes friends and family who prayed for me to retain my sanity through the months of planning. THANK YOU!

Quiet reinforcement-- Thank you to Luke Wingfield, Gavin Duerson, Eric Thomas, and Keith Brockman for watching the kids while their wives helped me plan this event.

Real best friends who travel all the way from Cincinnati (sometimes with a broken toe) in order to support you. Thank you Sheridan Flannery for making time for me and for making me sit down, reminding me to eat, and generally looking out for my welfare on the day of the event.

Stratton Eyes-- When the vision of the Bluegrass Education Expo began to take shape, I was concerned about the financial impact on my family. We knew that we wanted to offer this service to the community, but we were not sure how we could afford to rent the space, buy the book consignment sale program, pay for advertising, etc. Stratton Eyes graciously became the sponsor for our event and urged us to fulfill the vision (pun somewhat intended). Without Stratton Eyes, the Bluegrass Education Expo could not have taken place. (Seriously folks, go buy some glasses from these people!)

The Kentucky Youth Leadership Team-- This wonderful group loves kids and willingly provided a leadership experience for 5th-12th graders at the Expo. At the beginning of the Expo planning stage, they were instrumental in pushing the vision forward and offering help at every turn.

Uncommonly talented, competent, and cute husband-- My sweet man knows about technology, extension cord placement, audio equipment, and book sale requirements. He also knows me well enough to tell me repeatedly to stay at the Welcome Desk rather than become embroiled in the little details of the event. Thank you, husband dear, for letting me ask you a zillion conference questions and for picking up the slack on the home front while I concentrated on planning this event. Now that the event is over, you can have my full attention again... at least for the next six months.

Volunteers and consignors for the book sale.  Because of your willingness to give the Expo a try, we were able to provide curriculum to many central Kentucky families.  On top of that we raised money for charity and donated books to the International Book Project.  Well done, friends!

Whitney Callahan-- This girl single-handedly got the ball rolling with exhibitors! She worked the phone, shared the vision, and helped people get signed up to be a part of the B.E.E.

Xcellent friend, Karla Duerson-- She has been with me through thick and thin since college and this event was no exception. Karla wrote e-mails, called lecturers, formed informational packets, and served in countless ways on the day of the event. Karla, you are a ROCK STAR!

You-- the fact that you have even read this far into the blog means that you must either be crazy or be a supporter of Bluegrass Education. Either way, thank you!

Zee End-- Aren't you thankful for that too?

I am so very thankful for those who made this event happen. Now I am off to take a long awaited break. Happy summer to you and yours!!!