Assignment: Education – Home Schooling

1.5 million students across the country are...

HOLMEN, Wis. (WKBT) — Bronwyn and Gwyn are sisters with a passion for dance.

“I have been dancing for almost 10 years now,” said Bronwyn Hicks of Holmen.

Bronwyn started when she was just two. Her favorite form of dance is ballet.

“It’s just really graceful,” said Bronwyn.

Gwyn enjoys lyrical dance, but says socializing is also a part of the experience.

“I like making friends,” said Gwyn.

But school comes first for these girls and their brother. And their home is their classroom.

“I want to be home schooled,” said Bronwyn.

After completing second grade at a traditional school, Bronwyn asked her parents if she could be home schooled because she didn’t feel challenged in class, and was bullied outside of class.

“I thought… I don’t have the patience for it,” said Stephanie Hicks, mother of three.

But the Hicks family did their homework and figured out how to educate their children at home.

“We thought… okay we’ll give it a whirl and if we don’t like it we’ll stop,” said Stephanie. “And here we are going into five years.”

The children will tell you the experience has been good.

“I prefer the home school,” said Chase Lange, Stephanie’s adopted son.

“It’s really cool that your mom gets to teach you, because she knows how you learn,” said Bronwyn.

Stephanie also knows home schooling means more than providing education and socialization. She needs to prepare her children for the future.

“Both Bronwyn and Chase plan on going to college,” said Stephanie.

“I’d like to go to UW-L,” said Bronwyn.

UW-La Crosse receives applications from home school students every year.

“Each student, including a home school student, need to be able to demonstrate to us that they’ve completed a curriculum that prepares them to be successful in college,” said Corey Sjoquist, director of admissions at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

This includes high school transcripts, an ACT or SAT score, as well as, proof of community involvement.

“A home school student is not at a disadvantage compared to a student that attends a public or private high school,” said Sjoquist. “They’re expected to meet the same type of preparation.”

“I contemplate, am I doing the right thing for them? Is this what’s best for them? Are they learning enough,” said Stephanie.

So far. the answer is, yes.

“You need to really educate yourself as to what is best for you and your children,” said Stephanie.

A question the Hick’s family isn’t going to dance around when it comes to educating their kids.

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