ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, May 5, 1996 TAG: 9605060111
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-20 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: AUBURN
SOURCE: LISA APPLEGATE STAFF WRITER
Along a wood-paneled wall that stretches the length of their trailer hang several portraits of Patsy Wright and her three children. Each child, dressed in a white 'gi' robe and a long green belt, strikes a karate pose for the camera.
Ryan, Janna and Jared Reeves - ages 15, 14 and 12, respectively - each have at least one state karate championship under their belts.
The teens say through those karate classes, and gatherings with their church youth group, they see plenty of their friends.
But home schooling helps them avoid the social pressure their friends face at public high schools.
"There's a lot of stuff going on in schools like drugs - in the big cities, at least," Ryan said.
Except for a few years when the older two went to a private Christian school, the three grew up learning at home through correspondence courses. Their mother is still in school herself, one semester away from completing a degree in adult career guidance from Radford University.
When Wright and her former husband first considered home schooling, she said, they felt it was their responsibility to teach their children. "I still feel that way even though I'm a single mom now."
The three start their daily lessons after Wright returns from her morning route delivering newspapers. They work at their own pace.
"I can't help with math," Wright said. "Their dad's good at it - he'll help them when they visit on the weekends. They help each other out a lot, too."
It takes the children about two or three hours to finish their assignments, and then they have chores to complete. The rest of their day is theirs to play on their computer, ride their horse, Nikko, or wander around the many acres of farmland and country roads around their home.
Wright said she sees a lot of flexibility in home schooling - particularly to teach what she calls "life skills."
"I don't think it [home schooling] is all book learning." By her example, she said, "I'm hoping to show them persistence and a 'never say die' attitude about life."
LENGTH: Short : 50 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Alan Kim. Patsy Wright and son Jared, 12, spend timeby CNBtogether volunteering at the Daily Bread soup kitchen in Radford as
part of Wright's course work toward a degree in adult career
counseling. color.