TOS Crew Announces Blue Ribbon Award Winners

Each year the TOS Crew mates vote on which products they liked the best.  I have to tell you, this was my first time on the crew and I was amazed at how many products I actually liked and now use.  I was excited to participate in the voting and having a say in which companies get awarded.

The winners of the 2011-2012 TOS Homeschool Crew Blue Ribbon Awards are (drum roll please)...

 

Favorite Reading Instruction Product:  Reading Eggs*
Favorite Writing Product:  Write Shop
Favorite Language Arts Product: Progeny Press
Favorite Social Studies Product: TruthQuest History
Favorite Science Product: Amazing Science*
Favorite Math Product: Math Mammoth*
Favorite Online Math Product: Math Rider
Favorite Foreign Language Product: Visual Latin
Favorite Fine Arts Product: Artistic Pursuits
Favorite Christian Education Product:  Apologia: Who Am I?*
~~~
Favorite Preschool Product: Before Five in a Row
Favorite Elementary Product: All About Reading
Favorite Middle School Product:  Write with WORLD
Favorite High School Product: Excellence in Literature
Favorite College or College-Prep Product:  Excellence in Literature
~~~
Best Online Resource:  Reading Eggs
Best e-Product: Heritage History
Best Homeschool Resource: Apologia: Educating the Wholehearted Child
Best Book, Novel, or Magazine: Apologia: How to Have a HEART for Your Kids*
Best Children's Book: Amazing Animals by Design*
Best Game or Toy: Northstar Games: Wits and Wagers and Say Anything
Best Hands-On Resource: Pitsco Education
~~~
Best Resource I Didn't Know I Needed: eMeals
Best Customer Service: K5 Learning*
Most Adaptable Resource: Creek Edge Press
Most Family-Oriented Resource: Northstar Games: Wits and Wagers and Say Anything

~~~
Kids' Choice (favorite of CHILDREN ages 0-12):  Reading Eggs
Teens' Choice (favorite per the TEENAGERS): Pitsco Education
All Around Crew Favorite: Visual Latin

And below are things I voted for that did not make the cut.  We just had so many great products it was a really tough choice this year!  However, in my opinion these products deserve at least an honorable mention.  (The links below are based on MY opinion, not an official vote from the Crew.)

We Choose Virtues
Maestro Classics
Keyboard Town Pals
BigIQkids

 Now some of these I reviewed and some I did not.  Just because I reviewed the product does not mean I voted it for it in that particular category, but I did link you to what I had to say about it.  I put an asterisk by products that we reviewed and voted for in that category.  Of course I did not have the opportunity to review all of the products listed so I might not have voted for them simply because I have not used them. Also keep in mind that I reviewed these products thinking about what worked best for my daughter who has Down syndrome so keep that in my mind if you are looking for resources for children with special needs.  My blog is focused on that, the Crew is not.  

During the next few weeks I am going to highlight which products I personally chose, which ones Gess prefers and share with you which products we now use regularly in our homeschool and why. Everyone that participated in the review had an opportunity to vote. This is such a great resource for parents wanting to find quality products.  About 200 homeschooling parents have actually used these products and like them the best.  You can be sure that a mom or dad just like you love these products.  Of course we still have individual needs so reading individual reviews will give us better insight into if these are a good fit for us or not, but it's a good place to start looking!  You can visit the official TOS Homeschool Crew Blue Ribbon Awards post to read about other thoughts from the Crew.


Note:  I was not obligated to post this information, I did it simply to share this awesome resource with you all!

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