Clarksville, TN – Most of us are aware that homeschooling has grown in popularity in recent years, but many would be surprised to know that more than 100 students from Clarksville-Montgomery County attended this year’s Clarksville Homeschool Co-op Prom.
Becky Bittner is one of the volunteers that help to organize the annual event.
“All these students are from homeschool families,” Bittner said. “This prom is put on each year by CHC, and everyone here is a volunteer. The parents are the ones who make this happen. I’ve been directing the event for the past couple of years, and we have a great team of parents that just want to see their kids have a great time at prom.”
Statistics estimate that approximately 1.5 million students are now homeschooled in America.
“Homeschooling is gaining in popularity across the nation,” Bittner said. “Our prom is a little different, in that it’s open to all students in grades 9 – 12. There are so many students in the area who are members of different groups. Many of those groups are not big enough to do something like this on their own, so they buy tickets and participate in our event.
“We have a total of 107 students in attendance this time. We actually have a group that has joined us this year from Bowling Green, Kentucky.”
The students gathered at Valor Hall in Oak Grove, Kentucky for this year’s event, themed Enchanted Garden. The weather was pleasant and the event started early, so students gathered outside the facility for games and social time. Inside, they sat down to dinner, catered by Olive Garden, followed by an evening of dancing and other activities, and a chance to win door prizes that were donated by local individuals and businesses.
“We’ve done out best to make this a memorable evening for these families,” Bittner said. “So, one of the things that we like to do each year, is take time to recognize our seniors.”
Most of the area’s homeschool groups can be found by searching the internet or Facebook. CHARA, Clarksville Homeschool Co-op, Classical Conversations, and more can also be found at the Clarksville Area Homeschoolers Facebook page.
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