teens have a ball By Kirsten Buys When the Hooper family of Farmington Hills first started home schooling their children about five years ago, there were few programs established in the area for teens to interact for fun the same way kids in mainstream schools do. After a few years of organizing gatherings with another parent, Kimberly Hooper and her group of parent volunteers have expanded their events to include four major dance events annually for any home-schooled teen — no matter where they live or what organizations they may be affiliated with. That included a masquerade ball Oct. 25 at the Finnish Cultural Center, 35200 W. Eight Mile Road, in Farmington Hills. “The community itself is pretty connected, but most people participate primarily with one or two specific groups and are kind of on the edges of the others,” Hooper said. “This is open to the entire home-schooled community. If they are home-schooled, they can participate.” This was the first time sisters Anya and Sasha Arens of Commerce Township attended one of the events. “It was the first time I went there and I liked it a lot,” 14-year-old Anya said. “I was planning to go to the Christmas one as well. The kids were nice.” The sisters, who are natives of Russia, are two of Sandy and Steve Arens’ 10 children, six of whom are adopted. Sandy has been home schooling their brood — which ranges in age from 4 years old to Sasha, who is 15 — for seven years. Sandy Arens said she initially started home schooling the kids because some of them had peanut allergies, but she found more benefits over time. “I have the flexibility to teach what I want them to learn when I want them to learn it at their pace,” she said. “If they’re a year ahead in math or a year behind in reading, you can accommodate them that way.” Arens is happy to have found a social outlet for her kids that she says is in line with the family’s set of beliefs. “I want them to have a social life, but I want them to have a social life that I think is appropriate for them,” Arens said. “I think it’s important for them to spend time with their peers that are truly their peers — people who have the same values we do.” The group’s upcoming annual events include a Christmas semi-formal dance Dec. 5, a Valentine’s Day dance Feb. 14 and a spring formal April 25. For the masquerade ball and other events, the city of Farmington Hills has donated its teen club, Club Second Floor, on certain Friday nights for students who want to take dance lessons. For $5 they can attend the one-hour dance lesson and then stay at the club, in the Farmington Hills Ice Arena, which hosts teen bands and activities each Friday night until 11 p.m. “They are normal kids,” Hooper said. “Just because they’re being home- schooled, they’re not different. They need all the same stuff that other kids need, and this gives them that venue.” Hooper said she was amazed at the costumes the students came up with for the 2007 masquerade ball. Boys’ costumes included capes, suits and masks, and many of the girls transformed old prom dresses or made their own. “These girls came in these fantastic dresses — it was so cool,” Hooper said. “It was just amazing what they did.” Sharia Roberts-Hobson’s 14-year-old son Nathaniel Roberts attended the masquerade ball for the first time this year and saw some new faces along with a few familiar ones after three years of home schooling. “He thought it was great. He immediately signed up for the Christmas dance, so that was great,” said Roberts-Hobson of Detroit. “It’s good to get him out, socialize and see what people are doing. And the moms can sit and do that too, chitchat about their curriculum and what they’re doing.” Roberts-Hobson likes that events targeted at home-schooled kids seem to pay extra attention to what music is played, what clothing is appropriate and how to act like a lady and a gentleman. “I think people who don’t home- school think that’s this huge problem with home-schoolers, that they stay in the house all day and they never have any friends,” she said. “That’s just not the case. I would recommend to any home-schoolers that they get out there and get to know the rest of the home- school community.” Anyone who is interested in attending the dance lessons or future events can contact Hooper at kimberlys@gmail.com. You can reach Staff Writer Kirsten Buys at kbuys@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1030. |
