# Homeschooled son in college courses takes first place!



## romysbaskets

I have to share this.....my son is 17 and has a reading disability. He has struggled for many years to overcome this and still struggles today. He is taking Small Engine Repair at Warren Technical College. He gets straight A's by taking all the time he must to complete every lesson the hard way..... He entered a State Small Engine Repair Skills Competition for the State of Colorado (where we are at this time).Although he did it for fun and didn't even expect to place...he took first place! The next competition is in Kentucky, the National!!! This will be an excellent addition to list on his resume' for work in the very near future. I am amazed, yes I got tearful but wanted to share this for one reason....for other parents to pass on to their children. My son has always had to work so much harder because of this issue with reading. Math is not easy but only the higher math is challenging, his basic math skills are good. He has a very technical mind and a strong stubborn determination. The tests were timed, it was hard for him to complete one of them due to the reading involved. Yet he was up against the other top students from four technical colleges....which incidentally are all older than he is up to one guy who was about 60!!! 

For all the other homeschool students out there, do not let something hold you back even it is a primary skill like reading. Give all the effort you can to improve your own life skills. There may be something important you find yourself wanting to do and the fact you did not give up, means you can achieve it. This is about you and not your parents that you need to excel in the basics. We have always told our son this and he is finally being rewarded for all his efforts by achieving something like this...winning a competition he never even dreamed he could enter... His goal is to become a master mechanic. He was looking for a job here at a shop to get experience and cash, this will help his qualifications. 

Big hugs to all the other homeschool students out there who struggle with a subject....


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## rosehaven

What a wonderful accomplishment!!!!!!!!!!! Tell him to enjoy Nationals too.

God bless


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## MichaelZ

Like it is with most all things, it is all about hard work. Congratulations to your son! And "Good Job" to you in teaching and encouraging him!


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## motherhenshow

Good job to both of you and congratulations to him! That is so exciting!


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## light rain

He entered the contest not expecting to place and came out 1st. That must be a wonderful feeling! His hard work paid off and you are right. Achievements like this can be stepping stones to even more success. 

I'm happy for you all!


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## anahatalotus

Yay! Congratulations to you and your son Romy! Reading about successful homeschooling mamas in inspiration for me to keep homeschooling my kids despite the difficulties we face.


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## Le Petit Norman

As a person with dyslexia, I know first hand the challenge that reading issue can be in someone's life, my hats off to him and to your family for the continual support you have given him so far and that will keep coming. And I am sure you and your family knows that but there is no shortage of work for repairman, many around here wished they had a small engine repair shop close by (not sure they would be willing to pay the real cost of search repair though)


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## NEfarmgirl

Congrats to your family on all of the success! That is quite an accomplishment for your son! Our teen is homeschooled and is a sophomore in highschool this year. I have heard so many negative things from people about our choice to homeschool. At the age of 16, he just had his Eagle project in Boy Scouts signed off so he can complete it and he has an interview this afternoon for a sponsorship so he can start the John Deere tech program at a community college in two years (There is a waiting list right now) It completely shocked his doctors at appointments this week; he has Asperger's. 

I love hearing success stories of kids that have a disadvantage to their peers and yet can prove they are just as capable. I believe that there is no such thing as a disability, but there is ability to overcome it.


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## Micknleb

I am a community college teacher (26 years) and the father of two homeschooled boys, one of whom has recently finished law school and one who will finish an MA in English this summer. I love teaching home schooled students because by and large they still believe in the value of learning, a trait that is fairly rare in my traditional HS taught students. I don't blame my traditional HS students because I think their attitude is a reasonable response to the kind of education most of them have had: cookie cutter curriculum, crowd control agenda, and a focus on abstract test scores. It is hard to motivate them, however, and get then to understand that ideas have value, opinions have weight, and that what they think and do makes a difference. 

I remarried about 4 years ago, and we are now homeschooling our 16 year old daughter who, unlike my sons, is not academic. She has great intelligence when it comes to building things, wrangling animals, and socializing with people of all ages, but her academic skills are weak. She is not an abstract thinker, and the school system, at least here in Tennessee, is not set up to deal with students like her.

Congratulations to your son and to you. As someone who works with post secondary students, I think home schooling is a great choice.


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## romysbaskets

rosehaven said:


> What a wonderful accomplishment!!!!!!!!!!! Tell him to enjoy Nationals too.
> 
> God bless


Thankyou! He was offered a very good job at an expensive golf course a distance away. He decided to take the job as the competition was going to be costly to enter.



MichaelZ said:


> Like it is with most all things, it is all about hard work. Congratulations to your son! And "Good Job" to you in teaching and encouraging him![/QUOT
> 
> Thank you! He won a nice set of tools and then landed a great job.
> 
> 
> 
> motherhenshow said:
> 
> 
> 
> Good job to both of you and congratulations to him! That is so exciting!
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you! He had a great time and feels his best reward was the job he got.
> 
> 
> 
> light rain said:
> 
> 
> 
> He entered the contest not expecting to place and came out 1st. That must be a wonderful feeling! His hard work paid off and you are right. Achievements like this can be stepping stones to even more success.
> 
> I'm happy for you all!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Thank you, it was the best feeling ever to see the surprise light up those blue eyes. He has been reaped with blessings ever since.
Click to expand...


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## romysbaskets

anahatalotus said:


> Yay! Congratulations to you and your son Romy! Reading about successful homeschooling mamas in inspiration for me to keep homeschooling my kids despite the difficulties we face.


Thank you! It has been a long road for him to get to this point. It has been so worth it and the work he did to achieve this is mind boggling to me. 



Le Petit Norman said:


> As a person with dyslexia, I know first hand the challenge that reading issue can be in someone's life, my hats off to him and to your family for the continual support you have given him so far and that will keep coming. And I am sure you and your family knows that but there is no shortage of work for repairman, many around here wished they had a small engine repair shop close by (not sure they would be willing to pay the real cost of search repair though)


Thank you! Although I was concerned about the issue causing difficulty with him securing a good job, he found one! He has been working now for 3 weeks and my son in law found hima very nice car we have to go get. He can even afford to buy it himself. Having a son on law who runs a shop helps with finding a good car except it's in Washington. 



NEfarmgirl said:


> Congrats to your family on all of the success! That is quite an accomplishment for your son! Our teen is homeschooled and is a sophomore in highschool this year. I have heard so many negative things from people about our choice to homeschool. At the age of 16, he just had his Eagle project in Boy Scouts signed off so he can complete it and he has an interview this afternoon for a sponsorship so he can start the John Deere tech program at a community college in two years (There is a waiting list right now) It completely shocked his doctors at appointments this week; he has Asperger's.
> 
> I love hearing success stories of kids that have a disadvantage to their peers and yet can prove they are just as capable. I believe that there is no such thing as a disability, but there is ability to overcome it.





Micknleb said:


> I am a community college teacher (26 years) and the father of two homeschooled boys, one of whom has recently finished law school and one who will finish an MA in English this summer. I love teaching home schooled students because by and large they still believe in the value of learning, a trait that is fairly rare in my traditional HS taught students. I don't blame my traditional HS students because I think their attitude is a reasonable response to the kind of education most of them have had: cookie cutter curriculum, crowd control agenda, and a focus on abstract test scores. It is hard to motivate them, however, and get then to understand that ideas have value, opinions have weight, and that what they think and do makes a difference.
> 
> I remarried about 4 years ago, and we are now homeschooling our 16 year old daughter who, unlike my sons, is not academic. She has great intelligence when it comes to building things, wrangling animals, and socializing with people of all ages, but her academic skills are weak. She is not an abstract thinker, and the school system, at least here in Tennessee, is not set up to deal with students like her.
> 
> Congratulations to your son and to you. As someone who works with post secondary students, I think home schooling is a great choice.


Thank you! It really feels good to see him Excell when we anticipated a tougher road ahead. He is learning by leaps and bounds. He is in charge of roughly 200 machines to maintain and repair at his golf course job. They gave him a nice golf shirt today. He never could have gotten this far with the public school system. They aren't equipped with the staff to workwith my son one on one as I have for so many years. He graduates next year after ttaking more technical college classes. I am so happy for him.


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## romysbaskets

My Son never ceases to amaze me! After the golf course job, he started working in a nursing home. The stories he tells and how kind and loving he is to those elderly people just make my eyes tear up! He is again getting straight A's, his reading is going great! He is fixing cars for family, friends and small engine repair at the college. He is on track to graduate his courses in March at 18. He will have two years in and moving back to Washington with good work history on his resume. He has glowing recommendations. Just a few years ago...He was the young man who felt stupid he said back then and he believed he couldn't get to this point. These are his dreams come true! He lives and breathes mechanics! Our drummer son just recorded an album with his band, all original Jazz fusion. He finished a year at culinary arts then took music class at the community college. He just did a gig in New Mexico. Home schooled boys are stretching their wings! Me.....spinning yarn and making crafts! Learning new things as I travel on the path leading to the door of an empty nest around the corner.


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## Maura

Success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. I think when a student has to try harder because of a disability (or poor teaching methods, or lack of talent) they expect to try harder and tend to put the effort into whatever they are doing.

Kudos to all your hard working kids.


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## CountryMom22

Congrats to all of you. The kids for their accomplishments and you for your kids, the biggest accomplishment of all!~


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## KeeperOfTheHome

I was homeschooled, and I have ADHD and dyscalculia. I am doing so well in life, and I am positive I wouldn't be where I am today if I'd gone to school. Also, good call not forcing your son to go to a traditional four-year college. I think people tend to forget that there are many excellent paths in life that do not include college.


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## romysbaskets

Maura said:


> Success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. I think when a student has to try harder because of a disability (or poor teaching methods, or lack of talent) they expect to try harder and tend to put the effort into whatever they are doing.
> 
> Kudos to all your hard working kids.


Thank you! The guys are really committed to their dreams. My musician son never had issues with doing anything, everything came easy to him. This doesn't mean he didn't work for what he has achieved but had nothing to make it more challenging. This ease at which Josh can accomplish things only made the younger son, more unsure of himself until now. Since he has come here and seen what he can do, he is feeling so much better about himself. 



CountryMom22 said:


> Congrats to all of you. The kids for their accomplishments and you for your kids, the biggest accomplishment of all!~


Thank you! I do feel my children are my legacy. I would do anything to make their lives better. 



KeeperOfTheHome said:


> I was homeschooled, and I have ADHD and dyscalculia. I am doing so well in life, and I am positive I wouldn't be where I am today if I'd gone to school. Also, good call not forcing your son to go to a traditional four-year college. I think people tend to forget that there are many excellent paths in life that do not include college.


Thank you! My youngest son did not want to go to a 4 year college, you are right! The technical college has an excellent teacher who went above and beyond for my son and it was a 2 year course. His chosen profession does not require a 4 year college degree. He is well on his way for what qualifications he will need. If he went back to Washington and applied to a shop, he could go right to work after this without further education unless he chooses to. As an apprentice, he could get his master mechanics license over time.


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## meandtk

Thanks for sharing this.
It will help me and my family with our outlook in homeschooling.


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## sisterpine

I too love a good story with a great ending. I often wished I was able to teach my kids at home knowing they would learn more and do better. Unfortunately I chose to be a single parent and had to work work work and then work a bit more. By the time I realized I probably could have stayed home, mothered my child an scraped by somehow it was already too late. Hope you are as proud of you as you are of your sons.


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## LuLuToo

Congratulations to you and your son! Job well done! 

LuLu


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## romysbaskets

meandtk said:


> Thanks for sharing this.
> It will help me and my family with our outlook in homeschooling.


You are so welcome! How kind of you to say! We heard our share of others thinking we were going to hurt their future, and slow them down on social skills? It turned out to be the opposite. I enjoy seeing them help others in need and showing good manners. They are ahead of others their age in so many ways.  I believe homeschooling is a gift to them that comes back to you. In the snow and icy weather here, my now nearly 18 year old son goes out with a smile and often comes back in....to get something because a person in the parking lot is having car trouble. 



sisterpine said:


> I too love a good story with a great ending. I often wished I was able to teach my kids at home knowing they would learn more and do better. Unfortunately I chose to be a single parent and had to work work work and then work a bit more. By the time I realized I probably could have stayed home, mothered my child an scraped by somehow it was already too late. Hope you are as proud of you as you are of your sons.


Thank you Sisterpine! It wasn't always easy and we had to sacrifice to do it. In your position, you pulled off amazing things as a single MOM!



LuLuToo said:


> Congratulations to you and your son! Job well done!
> 
> LuLu


Thank you LuLu! As it turns out, my son who works at a nursing home was pulled aside at work today and offered a $4 an hour raise up to $14 an hour if he would sign a year's work contract because he is moving back to Washington! They don't want to lose him. Awww


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## Canyonero

Small engine/equipment repair is a great skilled profession. A young guy with credentials can work for somebody else, get experience, then have his own business.

I rent an industrial building to an old guy (like me) who's in this business. He can fix pretty much anything, and is able to adapt to the changing market.


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## romysbaskets

Canyonero said:


> Small engine/equipment repair is a great skilled profession. A young guy with credentials can work for somebody else, get experience, then have his own business.
> 
> I rent an industrial building to an old guy (like me) who's in this business. He can fix pretty much anything, and is able to adapt to the changing market.


He has sure done right by his folks, he helps us with our car, maintains his and now he is working on his older brother's car. My son in law runs his own auto body and repair shop. I am sure he will have opportunities when he gets there. 

I do think in time he will want his own business. That is a goal for him surely.


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