Heres a short three-question quiz.
Geography
What Hawaii Island is 63% of the landmass of the entire state, bigger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined?
Answer: Big Island, "Hawaii"
Social Studies
Which of the Hawaii Islands has only 1.3% of the state's total population?
Answer: Big Island, "Hawaii"
Economics
How do you educate your kids when private schools cost too much and the nearest public school is a 1-hour bus ride away?
Answer: You homeschool.
That's what I learned when, on behalf of Convention of States, we attended the 4th Annual Hawaii Homeschool Network Convention July 28th in Kamuella (Waimea) on the Big Island.
Designed to bring distant homeschooling parents together for a day of learning and fellowship, this year's event featured homeschooler, author, lawyer, and speaker Merrilee Boyack.
Our Convention of States table was prominently on display in Waimea.
Here's something else I learned: if you want to get people in an uncertain group to sign your petition, bring along Big Island Captain Michelle (Mikie) Kerr.
Mikie gains new homeschool petition signers for Convention of States Hawaii.
I couldn't believe how effective Mikie was at getting supporters to sign the Convention of States petition. There I was, approaching these homeschoolers tentatively, thinking I needed to persuade them to support Convention of States.
Then I noticed Mikie using a direct approach and getting all kinds of people to sign up. You couldn't tell this was her first time working a Convention of States display table! Another lesson learned.
Not only was Mikie a great host, picking me up at the airport at 5:45am, but she was the perfect Big Island resident to help at the event. The former dental hygienist, real-estate broker, and blogger for liberty really knows her island and its people.
In all, we collected 17 signatures, which isn't bad considering that was over 50% of those attending the event.
Hawaii homeschoolers really love Convention of States and our message of self-governance!
