PURPOSE | HISTORY | BOARD MEMBERS | STATEMENTS
PURPOSE
Christian Family Home Educators is a Christian, non-denominational, nonprofit homeschooling support group dedicated to helping parents educate their children at home. We encourage and support parents who homeschool in Spokane Valley and surrounding areas by coordinating and facilitating academic, informational, or social activities that are beneficial to homeschooling families. CFHE does not presume to know the best method for homeschooling. We will not promote one curriculum over another, nor will we evaluate or promote one program over another.
Christian Family Home Educators exists to encourage and support homeschooling in the Spokane area and to provide, when possible, resources to meet various homeschooling needs. We have been in existence since May of 1987.
We are a Christian homeschool support group that promotes Christian family values. We are non-denominational and have members representing a wide variety of area churches. CFHE does not represent or support any church, nor do we desire to take the place of the local church.
We extend a welcome to all homeschoolers, regardless of religious beliefs, but we do require that all member families cooperate with us to provide a Christian environment for our children at all CFHE. In practical terms, this means that we expect all members of CFHE to treat each other with dignity, courtesy, and respect-regardless of differences in religion, race, curriculum, homeschool style, etc.
CFHE also strongly affirms parents' God-given responsibility to shape their own children's education in their own way; therefore, CFHE does not promote or endorse any particular curriculum.
In addition, CFHE, as a family-oriented organization, will endorse and promote events that we believe are pro-life, pro-family, and pro-homeschooling.
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Christian Family Home Educators exists to encourage and support homeschooling in the Spokane area and to provide, when possible, resources to meet various homeschooling needs. We have been in existence since May of 1987.
We are a Christian homeschool support group that promotes Christian family values. We are non-denominational and have members representing a wide variety of area churches. CFHE does not represent or support any church, nor do we desire to take the place of the local church.
We extend a welcome to all homeschoolers, regardless of religious beliefs, but we do require that all member families cooperate with us to provide a Christian environment for our children at all CFHE. In practical terms, this means that we expect all members of CFHE to treat each other with dignity, courtesy, and respect-regardless of differences in religion, race, curriculum, homeschool style, etc.
CFHE also strongly affirms parents' God-given responsibility to shape their own children's education in their own way; therefore, CFHE does not promote or endorse any particular curriculum.
In addition, CFHE, as a family-oriented organization, will endorse and promote events that we believe are pro-life, pro-family, and pro-homeschooling.
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HISTORY
The year 1987 marked the 200th anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution. It also marked the year of the official “birth” of Valley Home Scholars.
The idea of a Valley support group was conceived when several of the founding member families became acquainted while participating in an area-wide Homeschool Choir. Washington State “legalized” a parent’s right to home educate in 1985, so many parents who had previously been homeschooling rather clandestinely felt more at ease to seek out other families and began to form support groups. Although there were a few support groups in the larger Spokane area, only one specifically Christian group met. So, the desire was that a Christian support group be formed that would serve the Valley area.
It was decided that the group would meet once a month after studying a pre-determined common topic. Our very first meeting was in September 1987 with the learning topic of the U.S. Constitution, in honor of its bicentennial. The students gave individual reports on what they had learned; afterward, the families spent time in fellowship and getting to know each other better. As word spread regarding our group and the idea of homeschooling became more accepted, VHS began to grow.
It became apparent that we would need an official name, so a contest was held for the students to come up with a name. Valley Home Scholars was the winning submission of Christopher Smith (son of Lee and Diane) and his prize was a $5 gift certificate to a local bookstore.
The survival and success of any group is dependent upon the willingness of its participants to make it happen. Most families were eager to see the group successful and contributed time and resources to make it so, whether volunteering to produce a newsletter, secure a meeting place, organize a field trip, contact a guest speaker or keep members informed of the ever-changing political/social landscape.
Although the group was still relatively small and close-knit, it was evident to one member in particular of the need for a newsletter to keep the membership informed and in communication between monthly meetings. That member was Kelly Walkup, who published the first issue of the Acorn in August 1990.
It also became apparent the group had need of structured leadership, so a board was formed; the next obstacle to overcome was the need to become a corporation. After research and with the help of a member dad who was an attorney, Valley Home Scholars became a tax exempt corporation in 1996.
Another “first” for VHS was the celebration of its first graduating class. In June 1993, a ceremony was held to honor our five new graduates.
Over the last 20 years the face of homeschooling has changed significantly, but the mission of Valley Home Scholars as envisioned by its founding member families has remained the same—to support and encourage homeschooling families in the Valley and surrounding area.
In 2011 the board of VHS began praying about the mission and vision of our group and we all felt very strongly that it was time for our name to change. We wanted something that would reflect our ministry today.
Christian: We are first and foremost a Christian group, honoring and serving Christ is our first priority.
Family: Secondly we are families. We believe family is a priority.
Home: Our primary place of educating and training.
Educators: Last, but not least, we are home educators.
The transition to this new name began on December 1, 2011.
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The idea of a Valley support group was conceived when several of the founding member families became acquainted while participating in an area-wide Homeschool Choir. Washington State “legalized” a parent’s right to home educate in 1985, so many parents who had previously been homeschooling rather clandestinely felt more at ease to seek out other families and began to form support groups. Although there were a few support groups in the larger Spokane area, only one specifically Christian group met. So, the desire was that a Christian support group be formed that would serve the Valley area.
It was decided that the group would meet once a month after studying a pre-determined common topic. Our very first meeting was in September 1987 with the learning topic of the U.S. Constitution, in honor of its bicentennial. The students gave individual reports on what they had learned; afterward, the families spent time in fellowship and getting to know each other better. As word spread regarding our group and the idea of homeschooling became more accepted, VHS began to grow.
It became apparent that we would need an official name, so a contest was held for the students to come up with a name. Valley Home Scholars was the winning submission of Christopher Smith (son of Lee and Diane) and his prize was a $5 gift certificate to a local bookstore.
The survival and success of any group is dependent upon the willingness of its participants to make it happen. Most families were eager to see the group successful and contributed time and resources to make it so, whether volunteering to produce a newsletter, secure a meeting place, organize a field trip, contact a guest speaker or keep members informed of the ever-changing political/social landscape.
Although the group was still relatively small and close-knit, it was evident to one member in particular of the need for a newsletter to keep the membership informed and in communication between monthly meetings. That member was Kelly Walkup, who published the first issue of the Acorn in August 1990.
It also became apparent the group had need of structured leadership, so a board was formed; the next obstacle to overcome was the need to become a corporation. After research and with the help of a member dad who was an attorney, Valley Home Scholars became a tax exempt corporation in 1996.
Another “first” for VHS was the celebration of its first graduating class. In June 1993, a ceremony was held to honor our five new graduates.
Over the last 20 years the face of homeschooling has changed significantly, but the mission of Valley Home Scholars as envisioned by its founding member families has remained the same—to support and encourage homeschooling families in the Valley and surrounding area.
In 2011 the board of VHS began praying about the mission and vision of our group and we all felt very strongly that it was time for our name to change. We wanted something that would reflect our ministry today.
Christian: We are first and foremost a Christian group, honoring and serving Christ is our first priority.
Family: Secondly we are families. We believe family is a priority.
Home: Our primary place of educating and training.
Educators: Last, but not least, we are home educators.
The transition to this new name began on December 1, 2011.
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CFHE BOARD MEMBERS
Chris and Marchauna Rodgers
Chris and Marchauna's home educating experience began with Marchauna's parents, who were home educating pioneers in Washington State. Chris and Marchauna have been married for nineteen years and are the parents of eight beautiful children. They consider it both a privilege and a mandate from God to educate their blessings at home, based on Deuteronomy 6:7. Marchauna is actively educating children in elementary, middle school, and high school, several of whom have special needs, including Dyslexia, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Sensory Processing Disorder, and Anxiety. Their oldest daughter graduated from high school in 2014. CFHE has been a life-saver for Marchauna, making the difference between continuing to home educate her children and giving up in utter despair. It is an incredible privilege to serve as part of the board for the organization that has been such a blessing to her family. While Marchauna focuses on discipling their children at home, Chris is focused on encouraging and discipling men in the marketplace and beyond, as well as serving as the State Coordinator for TeenPact, a dynamic leadership school for Christian students. Discipleship is both a priority and a calling for the entire family. He is also the local leader for CRU City.