Sponsored by IHM conference organizers, regional conference organizers and a myriad of vendors including Seton Homeschool and Sacred Heart Books and Gifts, this campaign is one of increasing the community of Catholic homeschoolers by encouraging attendance at the local, regional and national conferences. The goal is to show other Catholic parents (whether homeschoolers or not) that teaching the Faith is important and that homeschooling is a great way to achieve that goal.

As Draper Warren, coordinator of the IHM conferences and this grassroots effort puts it:

One thing that seems to be missing (from all these conferences) is a sense of the importance such events represent. Conferences are not merely an annual ‘trip to the mall’ … Attending conferences is a way to show support for Catholic homeschooling. Catholic homeschooling conferences are about passing on the most precious thing each of us has, the Catholic Faith, to our children. It is a way to tell other parents that educating children in the Catholic Faith is important and that homeschooling is a great way to do that.

The name comes from the idea that over the past five years, the total attendees at Catholic homeschooling conferences across the nation has averaged about 7000 participants. The goal of the 10K is to increase that number to 10,000; 10,000 Catholics who will come out this year, the Year of Faith, to hear speakers, to shop vendors, and, most importantly, to build a community of faith-believers, sharing ideas and methods of educating our children in the Faith while building up our Catholic identity and presence.

The goal is to let parents know that their attendance at Catholic homeschool conferences, whether large or small, makes a difference; a difference not just in their own home or co-op environments, but to other Catholic parents and the Church as a whole.

I really love the idea of 10K Strong: I love the idea that I can impact my little piece of the world through attending conferences. That I can give back what has been given to me – the encouragement necessary to go out on a limb, to home-educate my children while embracing my Faith and sharing it with them in all that we do.

For more information about the 10K campaign, please see the website: www.10kstrong.org. For a listing of the Catholic homeschooling conferences across the nation, check out: www.homeschoolingcatholic.com/conferences … the “season” starts in March so definitely don’t miss any. And, finally, here’s a list of the partners behind the 10K Strong Campaign: www.10kstrong.org/partners — please support these vendors as they support Catholic education and faith identity!