The PSAT test is given once a year in October.  Sophomores may take the PSAT for practice, while those in their third year of high school may take the PSAT to potentially qualify for the National Merit Scholarship.  Homeschoolers must register for the test at a local public or private school.  Since schools may order their tests in the summer, you should contact your local school now to register your child for the test if she/he is planning to take it.  For more details on the PSAT see http://www.hslda.org/highschool/testing.asp and http://www.hslda.org/elert/archive/2005/10/20051006151350.asp .  If you are an HSLDA member and have any difficulty when trying to register your child for the PSAT, please contact us.

If applying to college this year, your child will probably need 2 letters of recommendation.  Get a jump on this by having your child contact potential letter writers now giving them plenty of lead time to write their letters.  Check the individual college applications for specific guidelines to follow for requesting and submitting these recommendations.

Home school or church groups may be interested in checking out ministry opportunities with YWAM’s Gleaning for the Hungry ministry. Volunteers process dried fruit and package soup mix that is then sent to the world’s poor and hungry in the name of Jesus.  Youth groups as summer teams are housed and fed at reasonable costs.

Lou Priolo recently spoke at a CHEA of CA conference and he said that “we are hopeless when we don’t see God’s hand in our trials.”  What a great reminder to constantly be watching for God’s hand in the midst of difficult times. 

Don’t wait until the senior year to start thinking about all of the necessary preparations for college admission.  The College Board website offers great information for what to do during the freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior year.  By doing a little planning each year, the senior year preparations will not be overwhelming.

A great plan to start familiarizing yourself with the federal financial aid process is to read info from the US Department of Education’s Student Aid on the Web. 

Focus on the Family is sponsoring a mother/daughter cruise to the Bahamas, February 14-18, 2008. If you are interested in this opportunity, either go to the website or call Inspiration Cruises at 800.247.1899 for more information.  Space is limited so act soon!

Summer is a good time to establish or re-establish the habit of personal daily devotions. There is nothing better than reading the Scriptures. Here are some questions to ask as you read a passage: What is God saying to me? Is there a promise for me to claim? An example to follow? Sin to avoid? Command to obey? New thought about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit? New thought about the devil? What is today’s thought?

Of course, every passage may not answer every question, but looking for truths and applications will keep your minds focused on the passage and open your hearts to hearing what God has to say to you.