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The oldest of 8 children, she had perfected the art of good times
and “get ‘er done” all in one. I met her at TeenPact that year. She
convincedmy daughter that driving 2 hours and volunteering as
a teen for the state homeschool conference was the best thing
in the world. On a cold January afternoon, a few years and even
more pink later, I drove 3 hours to watch her marry the only man
I know that can wear pink with style. Somehow, she has even
convinced him that driving 2 hours to volunteer at the state
homeschool conference each year was the best thing in the
world. It must have worked because she has also convinced her
4 children that this is the best thing in the world. Consider your-
self warned — if you send your child to the children’s program,
you might be buying pink and volunteering at the conference
next year. Hers is the story of homeschooling in Iowa.
She placed the last of the books in the crate. Where had all the
years gone? The teen at her side picked up the box and placed
it in the trunk of the car. These were good years, and many more
were ahead, but as she became a teenager this year, the time
had come to part ways with some of the many adventures they
had all had together. Cycle One was no longer needed. The
books full of equations that just didn’t suit her were there also.
The Adventures of the Magic Tree House, the Boxcar Children, and
Piggle-Wiggle needed to move on to younger imaginations.
Arriving at their destination, the crates full of new adventures
were unloaded. She slipped away briefly in search of her own
new adventures. Shakespeare, Twain, and the study of motion,
light, and algorithm pressed hard on her mind. Finding just the
volumes she was in search of, she returned to the crates ready
to share the great adventures held within them. She could see
in the eyes of the one before her the questions; “Tell me about
this one. Did she (pointing to the teen standing beside her) en-
joy this?” And at that moment, the new adventure of friendship
began. Theirs is the story of homeschooling in Iowa.
Wearily, they pulled the trailer through the door, exhausted
from the events and a day of traveling. The traffic jam through
a major city, the flat tire several hours down the road, and no
lunch had taken its toll. When would this day be finished? A rush
of adrenaline came over them, as the t-shirt brigade descend-
ed upon them. Books and carts began flinging faster than they
knew where to tell them to place all the materials. Food? Did
someone say that behind the curtain was food? What a wonder-
ful surprise on this very-good-horrible-rotten-no-good of a hec-
tic day! The weary souls, refreshed by the gestures of hospitality,
were now ready to meet and encourage the hearts and minds of
those who crossed their path. A smile graced their faces as the
t-shirt brigade returned a few short days later to dismantle and
pack up the volumes still in inventory. The boxes were lighter,
the heart larger. It had been a good few days amongst the peo-
ple of Iowa. This is their story of homeschooling in Iowa.
Around the table each sat with a stack of neatly prepared
papers waiting to be folded. As they folded, coffee brewed in
the background awaiting its destination in strategically placed
mugs. Stories, of yet another family opting to utilize the newly
formed law, filled the air and made glad the hearts of those who
had helped to shape the historical law, returning education to
parents across the state. As the stacks became shorter, the eve-
ning turned to visions of the future and what was yet to come.
Howmany children would be blessed by their efforts? How long
would the new law stand? What would homeschooling in Iowa
look like in the future? Little did they know as they folded; that
the number of homeschooled children would grow from a few
hundred a year to nearly 15,0001 in 2016 in Iowa alone; that the
number of materials readily available for homeschool families
would grow from one single exhibitor at the first Homeschool
Iowa Conference, to needing over 30,000 sq. feet to accommo-
date the many choices; that they would see hundreds of fami-
lies fill the Capitol each year to encourage and thank those on
the Hill for not only providing the opportunity to utilize the
original law, but, nearly 20 years later, expand it to allow for
even greater freedoms; that there would be not one, but over
ten legislatures utilizing these laws 25 years after their incep-
tion; that they would see thousands of students over the years
receive a parent prepared diploma each spring; and that the
pages they folded together would become a beautifully pre-
pared, color-filled magazine prepared by second generation of
homeschooled students.
As you leaf through the pages of the Annual Conference Edi-
tion of the Homeschool Iowa magazine, gleaning wisdom and
insight from the 2017 conference speakers and exhibitors or
consider the variety of activities, workshops, and events, ponder
alongside your fellow homeschool families – the past, the pres-
ent, and the future of homeschooling in Iowa – because yours
is the story of Homeschooling in Iowa. We hope you’ll join us
as we celebrate 25 years of Homeschool Iowa this June at the
Homeschool Iowa Conference.
KRISTYN YODER serves as the Conference Coordinator for
Homeschool Iowa. She and her husband Shaun have 4 highly
independent children who refer to her as the “Cool Mom.” She loves
Summer, sweet tea, and FitFlops. She began homeschooling in
1994, and has never looked back.
For all the details on this special 25th Anniversary Homeschool
Iowa Conference, visit our website at:
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