Home Schooling

The 2004 recipients of Homeschooling's Best Awards, including a recipient of the first Homeschooling's Best Lifetime Achievement Award, were:

Jessica Sara Halpern -- Homeschooling's Best Hero

Christopher J. Klicka -- Homeschooling’s Best Lifetime Achievement Award

Christopher J. Klicka has played a central role for 20 years through his efforts to get legislatures, local school boards, international bodies and others to understand and appreciate the great benefits of homeschooling through his work with the Home School Legal Defense Association, a non-profit, international advocacy organization for homeschoolers based in Virginia.

In 2004, Klicka was instrumental in expanding the reach of homeschooling. He successfully lobbied a quarter of the states to legislate needed protections for innocent parents under investigation by social workers. In October, he negotiated with the Department of Defense to expand its opportunities for recruits who were homeschooled. He convinced New York state education authorities to recognize the validity of homeschooling for the purpose of obtaining a degree at any public college in the state. Klicka also is the foremost American advocate of international homeschooling, evidenced by his success in 2004 of keeping it legal in the Czech Republic and supporting efforts to legalize it in Germany, as well as giving advice and aid to local homeschoolers in more than two dozen countries.

Klicka’s passion for homeschooling has never wavered no matter what challenges he faced.

A homeschooling father of seven children, Klicka is a popular homeschooling speaker and author, whose topics have brought a greater understanding and acceptance of homeschooling. Klicka spoke at more than seven homeschooling conferences in 2004, giving encouragement and support to more than 10,000 homeschoolers.

During his career, he has authored The Right Choice: Homeschooling, The Heart of Home Schooling, The Right to Home School: A Guide to the Law on Parents Rights in Education, Home Schooling in the United States: A Legal Analysis, and several other books.

Jessica Sara Halpern -- Homeschooling's Best Hero

Jessica Sara Halpern, 12, of Sherman Oaks, Calif., began collecting blankets last spring as part of a homeschooling project. Her mother, Chellie Grossman, was attempting to teach her daughter about the homeless, a group that Jessica feared, when Jessica suggested a campaign to collect 100 blankets for homeless people.

“Her blanket was the first thing that gave her comfort, and she wanted these people to have the same comfort even though they are without homes,” Grossman explained.

Jessica collected blankets from friends, family, neighbors and acquaintances using a flier she created on her computer, cards she handed out to people she met explaining the campaign and collection bins at her synagogue, Congregation Meier Synagogue in Studio City. Her initial success led her to increase the goal to 200 blankets, which went to Beyond Shelter in Los Angeles, Project Achieve in Glendale, the Teen Canteen in Hollywood, the Family Service Agency of Burbank, and the Burbank Temporary Aid Shelter.

Edward Stapleton, pantry manager for the Burbank Temporary Aid Center, said Jessica’s project is unusual in several ways. First, children often aren’t aware of the needs of those less fortunate than themselves. Second, the 21 blankets she provided his center were high quality blankets that will last longer than most.

“Jessica is young and articulate and refreshing to us because she has a mindset toward helping the homeless. She gave us real heavy, good blankets that will last and that makes a difference to the recipients.”

Though the project ended last summer, she has now collected more than 500 blankets for the homeless.

Kay Brooks -- Homeschooling's Best Advocate

Kay Brooks of Nashville, Tenn., brought together, through a website she founded and maintains, hundreds of Tennesseans over the last year in an effort to convince the state legislature to modify its HOPE Scholarship requirements to give homeschoolers a fair chance at competing. Under the old law, homeschoolers had to score a 1060 on their SATs to qualify for the lottery-funded scholarships, compared to the 890 other students had to reach. Working closely with several homeschooling organizations, Brooks, mother of four homeschooled children, provided through her website, www.TnHomeEd.com, updated reports, gathered from lobbyists and others involved in the effort. She also provided contacts, links, and suggestions for how homeschoolers could make their voice heard.

Brooks’ efforts, according to Mike Bell, lobbyist for the Tennessee Home Education Association, were “absolutely critical” to the success of the effort. Legislators heard from many of the 40,000 to 60,000 homeschoolers in the state through their letters, emails and calls, many of which were sparked by Brooks’ dedication and hard work.

Brooks started the www.TnHomeEd.com website to help people interested in homeschooling in Tennessee accurate and updated information about the laws and other aspects of homeschooling so they could have the same opportunity as she has been able to give her family through homeschooling.