Conference

Congratulations to the Nighthawks in their first-ever Conference race! The Twin Cities Athletic Conference (TCAC) is comprised mainly of small private, charter, and other non-traditional schools. We were so thankful to have been welcomed into the group this season and enjoyed being in the mix of competition--plus it was an incredibly beautiful day for the event at St. Catherine University in St. Paul.

The girls took home the Runner-Up plaque (team hardware is a Nighthawk first!), and the boys took 3rd with a record combined team time. Congratulations to our 4 girls and 4 boys who earned All-Conference honors by finishing in the top 15: Erika Swanson (2nd place), Margaret Myskowski (6th), Marielle Chamberlain (8th), and Erin McGowan (11th); Luke Swanson (5th place), Phillip Kippley (12th), Grant Olson (14th), and Drake Fraser (15th); and to all who set season and lifetime PR's today. Go Nighthawks!

First-Ever Track & Field Meet

First-ever track & field competition for the Nighthawks! Lots going on (and of course everyone PR's and makes the Honor Roll of team bests), but today's shoutout is to our milers--all CC runners--for braving the cold and wind at the Rockford Time Trials. So fun to watch these athletes racing on the track for the very first time and finding that extra gear out there. Once we all overcame our nerves, we had a blast and can't wait for more. "Running around in circles" isn't so bad after all. :) Impressively well run meet, thanks to our organized and welcoming hosts at Rockford. And a huge Thank You to our sponsors for making this all possible! Heppner's Legacy Homeschool Resources, Three Goats in a Tub, Hanover Athletic Association, Northwest Area Jaycees.

Inaugural Track & Field Season - First Days

The track & field season is underway! "Be flexible and keep a sense of humor" is our inaugural season motto. :) We have a motley of practice locations including a city hall/park, a church, and a high school track--but it works and we're thankful. The weather has cooperated such that we've been able to run outdoors every day. These kids are true pioneers, and I can't say enough good about them.

Spring 2016 Fundraisers

Two fundraisers in five days--whew!

Thanks to Cub Foods in Rogers for the opportunity to serve their customers. We had two shifts of hardworking Nighthawks providing grocery bagging services and earning tips to help get our inaugural season off the ground. (And yes, they're all wearing CC shirts because we're so new we don't even *have* track t-shirts yet, ha.) Way to go, team!

Thanks also to WEST Homeschool Classes for inviting us to their used curriculum sale. We set up a table with hundreds of donated books as well as delicious homemade baked goods. Another successful day, and afterwards we were able to bless another homeschool co-op with our leftover books.

We are in a season (year?) of much labor in the creation process, but the goal is to grow a sustainable program. Thank you to all who are participating in the vision.

Found This

Sometimes a simple google search can bring a surprise...I'm writing this in November 2016 but backdating this to February so it falls into our blog/story chronologically. Here you go:

"Just as Heisman Trophy Winner and NFL quarterback Tim Tebow made headlines as a homeschooled student playing public high school football more than a decade ago, Erika Swanson recently made history for homeschoolers at the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) State Championship..." 
http://www.onenewsnow.com/education/2016/02/06/homeschool-athletes-on-the-rise

Um...I have to chuckle--yes, this year was a big journey, but it's not exactly the NFL. :D So thanks, Tim Tebow; congratulations, Erika; and much appreciation to so many supporters involved in the journey!

Nighthawks Make National News

Wow. Nighthawk Cross Country made national homeschooling news! Thanks to all who've been part of the story: team members, families, friends, sponsors, and competitors too. A year ago, we had no idea any of this was on the horizon. So thankful for God's leading in each tentative step. It's been quite the journey.

 

Read the full article here: http://hslda.org/hs/state/mn/201602010.asp

Proposal

People often assume that homeschoolers have the right to use public school facilities in their taxpayer districts. Mmm...not quite. We haven't given up yet--ever try to *rent* a track stadium? :D --but we do have to get somewhat creative with practice times and locations.

Last week, we attended our local City Council meeting to introduce our team and negotiate indoor early-season stretching/gathering space in a large, empty room. (We will run outdoors, but March isn't exactly meet-on-the-lawn weather.) This was a bonus opportunity as an educational glimpse into local government, but we had no idea how we'd be received or whether we'd be able to afford it.

Well, the first words from the City Administrator were, "This was the group that rented our hall for their awards banquet and left it cleaner than when they arrived." (Yes!!) They were remarkably supportive of our program and suggested volunteer service in exchange for certain practice-space days until ice-out. Win-win! After all, engaging in our local community is part of our vision.

A little encouragement goes a long way. We take the steps we can see, and trust God for the next ones. Now to fill out the rest of our practice-location lineup and meet schedule. It's quite the journey and very exciting for those not faint of heart. :)

501(c)(3)

Big news! (Seriously. More big news.) We just received our letter from the IRS, confirming our tax exemption status under IRC Section 501(c)(3). Because of our "effective date" (*before* the fundraising push), those of you who financially supported our team this year will get a tax deduction! Woo hoo! We'll be sending letters for your records.

Anyone else looking for an organization to bless with a year-end donation? Send it our way. :) For more information, visit Our Sponsors page.

End-of-Season Awards Banquet 2015

A sweet ending to a great season. We had over 100 in attendance--everyone brought their families, which is so representative of our team and the support these kids have. Amazingly there was plenty of food (one of our team-girls made the Nighthawk cakes!), and cleanup was quick with all hands on deck.

The program takes a while, with words of encouragement spoken over each athlete, one at a time, as Participation and Dedication awards are presented. Additional awards include Presidential Volunteer Service, Athlete of the Meet (given for any number of reasons and one of our favorites), Most Improved, MVP, Captains, and Seniors. And now being a Varsity program, we had the exciting privilege of awarding our very first Varsity Letters (pictured, minus a couple boys).

So cool to have all these "firsts." Love this crew. Go Nighthawks!

Facilities

Me, noting the facilities at a big Class AA cross country meet: "I'm sorry guys, I can't give you a fieldhouse."
Nighthawk runner: "What's a fieldhouse?"
Me: "Kind of like our barn. A place to stretch when it's raining.";)

Uniforms

The uniforms came in, so picture day was ON! Big thanks to our sponsors for helping us fund our uniforms and other needs this season: Dashboard Gear, Comfort Matters Heating & Cooling, Inc., Accorde Orthodontists, Kottemann Orthodontics, Orluck Organic-All Natural Housecleaning, Cornerstone Custom Concrete, River Inn Bar & Grill, Miller Trucking & Landscape Supply Inc, Four Hills Advisors, Cedar Creek Golf Course, and All Jack's Trades. And of course all the family and friends who donated personally to help make this happen. We appreciate every single one of you!

THANK YOU

We (you) did it--reached our fundraising goal in just two weeks! Anything more that comes in at this point will allow us to add a few needed items back into the budget and help us prepare to move forward into next year. What a relief that will be. The process of collecting support has been humbling to say the least: friends coming out of nowhere, team-kids chipping in their own money, team parents and grandparents, local businesses, people I've never met...

It's been months of intense planning for this team and season, all the while wondering how we'd manage to pay for it. But the answer kept coming back: If God helps you navigate all these other obstacles and the last one is money? Seriously, that is *not* too big for Him. Thanks to all for believing in us. Keep in touch, give our sponsors a high-five when you see them, and 'Like' and 'Follow' us on our team Facebook page for updates!

Photo: missing a few kids as summer winds down, but a great bunch!