The Greatest Adventure

photo by shane darby

How Homeschooling Became Our Family’s Story
By Nichole Holze

Homeschooling was not on my radar as a parent. Our family moved to the Texarkana area in the fall of 2013 for my husband’s career. All too quickly, it came time for our son to attend kindergarten—full day, five days a week—and we felt unsettled with the choices that lay ahead of us. While no choice was a lesser or inferior option, we took time to sort out what felt best for our family. The rather surprising choice we landed on was homeschooling, which we tried after my husband suggested it and I recovered from the absurdity of the idea. Neither of us was homeschooled, and it wasn’t anything we had ever considered. Well, as it turns out, 11 years in, it’s the best decision we’ve ever made.

Over the years, three simple ideas have shaped how we do this. The first is what I call being responsibly brave: saying yes to new experiences even when they feel a little intimidating, while still being prepared and thoughtful. The second is building rhythm instead of rigid rules. Our week has anchors, like a nature walk on Wednesdays or a history read-aloud on Tuesdays, but there’s always room to follow a rabbit trail if the kids get excited about something else. The third is letting the world outside our front door be as much a classroom as anything else; an afternoon at a local museum can teach just as much as a morning at the kitchen table. 

Nichole was a breakout-session leader at the Four States Homeschool Expo and Conference in 2024 and a headline speaker at the annual event in 2025. The event brings together local groups, co-ops, and vendors from across Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma. submitted photo

One of my favorite homeschool memories still makes me smile. My son went through a space obsession around age seven, so we built a few weeks around it: library books on the solar system, a hand-built model of the planets, edible moon phases made from cookies. The best morning of all came when we set our alarms for 5 a.m. to watch a live spacewalk from the International Space Station, eating pancakes in our pajamas while my kids watched astronauts float above the Earth with genuine wonder in their eyes. Much later, we made the memory even more real with a family trip to NASA Houston for one of their Family Camp Out events.

The Holze family took a trip to NASA Houston for one of their Family Camp Out events in December 2021. submitted photo

That is the heartbeat of homeschooling: following what lights your child up, then building the lesson around that spark instead of forcing the spark to fit a lesson. A love of gardening can teach botany, math, history, and language arts all at once. A fascination with the ocean can carry an entire semester, especially with bonus points for a trip to explore in real life what you studied in books. You do not need to be a specialist to make this happen. You simply need to pay attention to what your kids already cannot stop talking about.

The homeschool room in 2023. submitted photo

If you are considering homeschooling here in the four states region, know that you’re joining a community that has grown tremendously over the last decade. Texarkana sits in a unique spot: not only do we get to explore two states, we get to expand our learning to the four states area and beyond. It’s a wonderful base camp for homeschooling, and one of our favorite reasons why is the proximity to adventure within a two- or three-hour drive in any direction.

When it comes to the legal aspect, the states do differ. Arkansas requires homeschool families to file a notice of intent to homeschool by mid-August of the upcoming school year, and the state’s new LEARNS Act provides funding for educational expenses, though the program is still evolving. Homeschoolers aren’t required to participate in standardized testing unless they’ve opted into the EFA program, which does require it; our family chose the Stanford 10, taken at home. Arkansas also mandates that homeschoolers can participate in public school athletics and band. My son had the honor of playing tennis for Arkansas High School his ninth-grade year and is looking forward to playing again this year. He made varsity, played at conference, and advanced to state, earning his spot in tryouts just like every other player.

Texas differs quite a bit from Arkansas, and its homeschool legislation has been a hot topic in recent years. Currently, Texas requires no notification or paperwork to homeschool. Last year, the state began offering its own EFA program, which families can opt into if approved. Texas also leaves the athletics decision up to each school district; New Boston is one of the few districts in our area that allows homeschoolers to participate. It’s worth keeping an eye on updates as this continues to evolve. Trinity Christian School allows homeschoolers from either state to participate in athletics for a fee.

Nichole’s son, Luke, made the varsity tennis team at Arkansas High School last year. submitted photo

When we started homeschooling, the number-one question was always, “What about socialization?” It’s a fair question, but the opportunities for social outlets and extracurriculars here are plentiful and still growing, with countless other ways for homeschoolers to enrich their experience. Both of my children have found passions and stuck with them: tennis for my son, and soccer, first recreational, then travel/club, for my daughter, who also discovered a love of theater and has been a loyal participant in Silvermoon Theatre for six years. We’ve also been members of the TEACH homeschool organization for nine years. I helped start our local Wild + Free group, and this fall I’m launching a homeschool leadership and honor society for high schoolers called Northstar Fellows.

This area is full of resources many people don’t realize exist. Local co-ops and support groups meet throughout the school year, offering everything from academic classes to simple friendship and community. State parks on both sides of the state line host homeschool days, junior ranger programs, and educational tours, many of them free. One event worth adding to your calendar: the Four States Homeschool Expo, which brings together local groups, co-ops, and vendors from across Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma.

Nichole’s daughter, Lucy, has been a loyal participant in Silvermoon Theatre for six years, recently performing in their first “24-hour musical,” Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. photo by Meredith farren with silvermoon theatre

For families just beginning this journey, my best advice is to give yourself permission to figure out your own rhythm before comparing it to anyone else’s. Visit a few co-ops before committing to one, research the resources available to you, and give yourself time to try new things and see what works. Pay attention to your children’s interests, and set a purpose for your homeschool that becomes your why, the lens through which you pass every decision.

Eleven years in, I can tell you that homeschooling was never about creating a perfect replica of traditional schooling. It was about building a life where learning and adventure were never separate, where we cultivated connections and experiences based on our family’s needs. Some days it looks like sitting quietly with a book; other days, we’re paddling out to an island on a lake to camp under the stars. Currently, it looks like online classes for high school, engaging in community sports and other extracurriculars, and continuing to chase wonders wherever we wander. Homeschooling has been the best choice for our family, and it’s enriched our lives in countless ways, creating moments and memories that we will never forget. It has been the greatest adventure our family has ever taken.