“Home schooling Reimagined” – AHEA Convention 2024 was another exciting time of gathering in Red Deer at the
end of May, to enjoy speakers, attend work-shops, go curriculum shopping, make new friends and re-connect with each other. I was privileged to direct my second AHEA convention and it was again an honour.
Connie Albers, a veteran homeschool mom from Florida, inspired and challenged us to stay the course. Douglas Bond, from Washington State, reminded us of important lessons in our history and Vishal Mangalwadi, originally from India, shared with us why Christianity matters to the world.
Just over 1400 attended the weekend including 200 youth and 294 children! After feedback from many last year, we brought back our Children’s Conference run by Giant Cow Ministries which provided a sometimes needed break for parents, an exciting program for kids and a great opportunity for several young volunteers to serve. Once again, the Youth program received rave reviews from youth and parents
alike.
Over 100 exhibitors were featured in our Exhibit Hall. Friday featured the Craig Funston Memorial talk with Vishal Mangalwadi; and many enjoyed the Barn Dance once again on Saturday at noon. In our two New Homeschooler’s session, we saw over 150 participants and all this was made possible by our fabulous Convention team: Kerri Riechel (Speaker Coordinator), Bronek Walter (Exhibit Hall Coordinator), Brenda Potorieko (Volunteer Coordinator), Joel and Dana Aguilar (Facilities and Room Monitor Coordinators), Greg Lammiman (Convention Guide Editor and Advertising Coordinator), Peter Verhoog (Sponsorship Coordinator), Martin Vervloet (Security Coordinator), Heather Cartwright (Registrar), Barb Unger (Assistant Registrar), Kathy Johnson (Food Coordinator), Stephen Ramsay (Webmaster) and Lydia Riechel (Photographer). And we couldn’t have done it without the myriad of people who signed up to work at the Convention. Without you, this endeavour doesn’t happen. Thank you!
Thank you also for your feedback. We have read the surveys and will take into consideration your suggestions once again.
If you enjoyed the Convention and feel called to help us plan and organize during the year as we prepare for Convention 2025, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at Convention@AHEAonline.com. It is so rewarding and we have such a great team to work with; you will be blessed as God uses you to serve so may others on their home education journey.
If this was your first year or you are still just considering Home Education, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions or need some extra support (Info@AHEAonline.com). AHEA works all year to help support Alberta’s Home Educators and to keep Homeschooling a legal and viable option here in Alberta. Over the years we have been blessed with freedom to home educate in Alberta but we don’t take that freedom lightly. History tells us, both our own and others, that those freedoms can be taken away quickly and we must remain vigilant.
All glory be to God who has equipped each of us for every good work. He is ultimately the one we thank for our successful Convention and He has sustained this team and board through another year of challenges. We are a volunteer organization, and our board is made up of home educating parents either past or present: Peter and Andrée Verhoog, Kevin and Christina Vanderzyl, Martin Vervloet, and Ted and
Shannon Tederoff.
Please pray for us and for how the Lord would have you come alongside us, whether it be in volunteering, reaching out to your friends and neighbours about the blessing of Home Education or keeping up to date with what AHEA is doing. We would appreciate that. Our Annual General Meeting takes place in the fall and to participate, be sure to become an AHEA member so you can play your part in this vital organization. To purchase membership go to www.AHEAonline.com/become-a-member.
May you have a great summer and stay tuned for an exciting mid-summer update on next year’s
keynote speakers. See you at Convention 2025!
Shannon Tederoff is a member of the AHEA Board and served as Convention Director for the 2024 AHEA Convention.