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From Michelle Malkin:

The Subway sandwich corporation is holding a story-writing contest for kids. You can win athletic equipment, gift baskets, or sandwich shop cash cards.

Except if you’re a homeschooled student in the “Untied (sic) States.”

Perhaps they fear the homeschooled students will call attention to all their spelling errors. Looks like the Subway marketing department ought to hire a few homeschoolers to help them out.

More here.

I vote for this essay. Touché.

As a business, there are a few lessons to take away from this bit of inanity on Subway’s part.

1. Don’t exclude a group of people from the contest without some kind of common sense rationale. Why exclude home schooled students? Does Subway think they aren’t really students? Does Subway think that the parents will write their essays? Does Subway know that they will probably win every prize? Regardless, there isn’t any obvious reason to make this exclusion.Here is an example of a valid exclusion. We are sponsoring a Catholic Summer Reading program this summer. Entries in the kids’ category are limited to grade school children. If anyone can’t understand why adults can’t enter reading sheets in the kids category, I’ll be happy to fill you in.
2. If you are going to launch a national campaign, hire somebody to spell check your work. Auto spellcheckers are nice but not perfect.Grand Prize Winner:– Athletic equipment for your child’s school ($5,000 value)
   – Scholastic Gift Bastket (sic) for your home
   – SUBWAY Card ($100 value)
   – See your story published on www.subwaykids.com and in Scholastic Parent and Child magazine.

   NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Contest is open only to legal residents of the Untied (sic) States who are currently over the age of 18 and have children who attend elementary, private or parochial schools that serve grades PreK-6. No home schools will be accepted. [bold added]
   Talk about a good way to invite ridicule. First you prove that you can’t spell (twice!) and then you reject home schools. Reading the paragraph again, it appears that Subway actually considers home schools, not the parents who run them, to be legal residents of the Untied States.

3. Before you even start a contest, carefully consider the ramifications of doing something really stupid like this. Do you really want a boycott from the millions of home schoolers in this country? Maybe you don’t care. In that case, full speed ahead!

You can read the full text of the Subway writing contest here.

Are you new to homeschooling?  Curious?  Wondering what it is all about?  Fearful of trying it?  Or are you experienced?  Are you burned out?  Are you excited about what you are doing?  Are you eager to help others who may have questions?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, the upcoming Rocky Mountain Catholic Home Educators Conference is for you.  “My Cup Overflows” on  June 6 and 7 will bring well-known speakers to the Pikes Peak region who are knowledgeable and experienced and who have many ideas and practical advice for homeschoolers–seasoned or unseasoned.

A sampling: 

Eric Genuis is a dynamic composer and world-class pianist.  He will lead the music during the liturgies and will be one of the keynote speakers.

Ginny Seuffert is the mother of twelve children and has been active in the Catholic Homeschooling and Pro-life movements.  She will offer practical ideas for home management and teaching virtuous living to your children.

Fr. Antoine Thomas from the Congregation of St. John teaches children to love the Eucharist and promotes Eucharistic Adoration. 

Christopher Stefanick is a dynamic youth minister who holds his audiences spellbound with music, humor and stories.  He is an effective teacher of the virtue of chastity and has a great love for our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

The conference will begin with Mass celebrated by Colorado Springs Bishop Michael Sheridan, who will then deliver the first keynote address.

In addition to keynote addresses, there will be breakout sessions dealing with teaching children apologetics, the Classics  and virtuous living; help for moms who have children who require special diets; children and the Traditional Mass, the family as the domestic church, the role of fathers in homeschooling, and even a session on how to teach knitting to children.  These are some of the “how-you-do-it” sessions and will provide you with ideas on how to implement teaching in your own homeschool.

Not to be missed is the vendor area where you can find a wide variety of materials and curricula to fit any type of homeschool.  This is a golden opportunity to look at materials hands-on and to ask questions of people who have actually used them.  You will be able to purchase your materials there and save yourself the high cost of shipping.  The vendors are knowledgeable and helpful.  There will also be opportunities to have books signed by those speakers who have written books.

Add good meals, (with lots of choices including foods for special diets), a wonderful banquet with entertainment, the opportunity to meet lots of fellow homeschoolers and many opportunities for educating yourself, and you have spent two days gearing up for the coming year(s) of homeschooling your children.   It is time well spent and guaranteed to give your confidence a boost as you take on or continue in this wonderful work you have been given.

Colorado Springs is a great vacation spot and is within easy reach of Wyoming, New Mexico and other surrounding states.  Check out the website and find accommodations and area information.  You’ll be glad you did.

Hurry to register for the early registration price before April 30.  If you are in the Colorado Springs area, you can stop in at Aquinas and More Catholic Goods for a registration form.

The Homeschool carnival is up and Carrot Duchy has a great series going on her memories of being homeschooled. I think that the series shows how important family is to a child’s development.