Homeschool association forms choir
By JENNIFER WILSON
News editor
The show started about 15 minutes late — because one family went to the wrong location — but once it got underway, Christmas cheer filled the Hillsboro Senior Center.
The holiday program, which was presented on Tuesday, came courtesy of 25 Marion County homeschoolers. They and their families are all a part of the Marion County Home Educators, or MCHOMES.
Overall, there are about 50 students involved in MCHOMES, which includes 17 families. They come from all across the county.
MCHOMES has been in existence for about ten years, but this is the first year for the group to have its own choir.
The choir began with a new activity, called Club Day. On Club Day, the homeschoolers meet once a month at the First Southern Baptist Church in Hillsboro. There, they have choir practice, take sign language classes, and give oral book reports.
Hillsboro resident Connie Hendrickson has been directing the choir, and she led the group's Christmas program. Hendrickson teaches piano, and five of the children in the program are her students, she said.
The group started practicing in November, but most of the students memorized their lines and songs at home, Hendrickson said.
All the costumes for Mary, Joseph, the angels, the shepherds, the wise men, and the animals were made by the mothers. Hendrickson brought the script together.
With the success of the program, the choir might consider putting on a spring musical or a Thanksgiving concert next fall.
Having public performances like this is a good way to let family and friends see the children at work.
"It lets other relatives see what the kids are doing," Hendrickson said.
