Homeschooling Opens Doors for Olympian Gymnast Elizabeth “Ebee” Price

Catasaqua, PA, July 30, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Gymnast and homeschooler Elizabeth Price has earned a place as an alternate to the United States Women’s Gymnastics Team, after years of hard work and determination. Both raw talent and vigorous training by Coach Donna Strauss of the Parkettes of Allentown, PA, have led to success for “Ebee,” age 16. Elizabeth now waits in England, wondering whether she will receive a special emergency call to make the 45-minute train ride to London, where her friends on the U.S. Gymnastics Team are competing in the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Jessica Parnell, of Bridgeway Academy in Catasaqua, PA, is overjoyed to see one of her students come so far at such a young age. “We have many students who choose a homeschool curriculum while pursuing an athletic career during the high school years, because attending school during traditional hours simply becomes impossible.”

So, is Elizabeth Price forgoing academics in pursuit of an athletic dream? Not at all, according to Parnell, “The flexibility of homeschooling allows for students to receive an excellent education during the times when they are not at the gym or traveling. At Bridgeway, we guarantee that our curriculums exceed academic standards and are recognized by major universities and employers alike.”

Elizabeth’s mother, Diane Price, agrees wholeheartedly. “Once we finally decided to try homeschooling, the process wasn’t as difficult as we thought it would be. Elizabeth is actually very excited about her coursework through Bridgeway. She loves science, and is actually thinking about pursuing a career in bio-medical engineering.”

The Wall Street Journal reports that many universities are adjusting their admissions policies for homeschoolers. Each year the esteemed Harvard University admits up to 10 applicants who have been homeschooled. “In general, those kids do just fine,” says David Illingsworth, senior admissions officer for the university. He adds that the number of applications and inquiries from homeschoolers is “definitely increasing.”

So the power behind being named an alternate to the 2012 United States Gymnastic Team and being homeschooled won’t hurt a bit when the Price’s begin to look at universities for Elizabeth. In fact, the potential for a hearty scholarship is quite likely. “Many families are seeing the true value of a quality homeschool education,” Parnell says. “It’s exciting, it’s flexible, and it’s customized. We are available to parents every step of the way – you don’t have to be a scholar yourself to teach your children well.”

The Price family agrees. “Elizabeth was traveling quite a bit by the sixth grade, and was missing a lot of school as a result. Trying to stay caught up became extremely difficult.” Although Diane experienced a bit of trepidation when opting to homeschool – “I really needed some hand-holding,” she conceded laughingly, once the decision was finally made, everything fell into place.

"This is the best time of my career," Ebee wrote in an email correspondence recently, "this is such a great experience and it's one of a kind."

About Bridgeway Academy

Bridgeway Academy is a flexible, individualized, supportive home school academy that couples the freedom of homeschooling with a passion for encouraging students to pursue their personal excellence. Bridgeway Academy has helped more than 20,000 K-12 students with diverse academic abilities and special interests enjoy the rewards of a home-based education. Bridgeway Academy is nationally accredited and recognized as a pioneer in home education.