During the Covid epidemic and for a period of time even before that, many families in Sullivan County chose to homeschool their children. Recent studies including one done at Harvard found that homeschooled children tend to score much higher on standardized tests compared to their public-school counterparts and tend to turn out happy, well-adjusted and engaged. While specific data by counties within New York State are impossible to come by we do know that thousands of compulsory aged school children are enrolled in homeschooling programs in our State. I came across an interesting local program, Barefoot University Forest School with a site located in Circle Park in Glen Spey that offers homeschooled kids weekly meetings featuring nature learning experience in outdoor classrooms for forest and nature explorations. 

The program teaches nature-based sciences, art, outdoor skills, citizenship, local history, math, physical education, and environmental studies. The curriculum is divided into four sections called “rhythms” Earth, Fire, Water and Sky. As an example, the Sky curriculum includes celestial patterns, weather and winged migration and bird species. The Barefoot University also emphasizes learning through service projects in their local communities such as park cleanups, raking leaves and clearing brush, and volunteering at animal farms and gardens.

The programs is for three developmental stages-ages 5-8 years focus on exploration and observations;  ages 9-13 learn to navigate and analyze the natural environment, and for ages 14-plus the studies focus on applications and independence. The Barefoot University is a 501C-3 registered not for profit founded in 2019 by two moms with home schooled children and now has over one hundred locations across the country. A semester of classes is $150 per family and an additional $50 child supplies fee. The enrollment is from April 15 - June 30. And the mid-year classes fee is $150 per family and has a $30 child supplies fee. Enrollment opens after May 1. For more detailed information go online to barefootuniversity.org. 

Sara Kovacs, the daughter of Judit and Konrad Kovacs, the owners of the Yulan Country Store, started a small and very successful business last year – Sara’s Cheesecakes. I have bought them and given several as house gifts when I go visiting during any holidays and let me tell you a verifiable truth that Sara certainly inherited her parent’s culinary genes as her cheesecakes are completely delicious. Sara who is still in her high school years loves to travel and was definitely born with globetrotting dust in her shoes and is a member of her school’s award-winning choir and they perform in locations all over the world-which seems to suit Sara just fine! With the profits she earns from her cheesecakes, Sara is able to pay the expenses for her choir schedule of trips as well as her vacation expeditions. With the Easter holiday around the corner, she has a special menu ready featuring lemon, plain, chocolate swirl (my favorite), raspberry, strawberry, chocolate, and blueberry. All the cheesecakes are made to order and come in two sizes-7” at $35 and 9” at $45. Your Easter orders must be called into the Yulan Country Store (845-557-0425) by Thursday, April 17. Pickup for orders will be on Saturday, April 19th at the Store. If you want to try a slice before you order, Sara usually has some cheesecakes available in slices at the store as part of their dessert menu. The Yulan Country Store has wonderful food and is located at 218 Airport Road in Yulan.