Homeschool benefits and savings in Wheeling and Ohio County
Wheeling Parks & Recreation's Youth Scholarship Fund, made possible by the J.B. Chambers Memorial Fund, lets Ohio County children whose families cannot afford full fees pay only part of the cost of recreation programs, workshops, camps, and Mountaineer Leagues. Your share is set by your household's financial ability, and there is no school requirement.
Who qualifies
Lives in Ohio County
The fund helps Ohio County youth. The application does not ask about school, so a homeschooled child applies like any other.
Cannot afford the full fee
The fund is for youth who do not have the financial means to take part, and you explain on the form why you need help.
Documents household income
Send a copy of the most recent W-2 or Form 1040 for all adults, or IRS Form 4506-T so the city can verify non-filing status.
What it is worth
The terms come from the Youth Scholarship Fund application, new as of January 2026, and the Wheeling Parks & Recreation support page.
- Programs
- Recreation, workshops, camps, leagues
- Your share
- Part of the fee, by ability
- Equipment
- Listed per child on the form
- Payment plans
- Can be approved
- Canceled program
- Full credit
The application sets no dollar amount, so ask the department what share it expects you to pay before you register.
From applying to keeping it
- Before you register
Fill out the application
List each child, the activity, any equipment needed, household income, and why you need help.
- To apply
Send it with income proof
Email the form and W-2 to wheelingrec@wheelingwv.gov, or mail it to Parks & Recreation, Attn: Youth Scholarship Fund Application, 1500 Chapline Street, Wheeling, WV 26003.
- After review
Get your amount
Staff notify you of the approved program, the amount you pay, the due date, and whether a payment plan applies.
- By the due date
Pay your share
Pay by Visa, Mastercard, cash, or check.
What it pays for
Covered
- Recreation programs
- Workshops
- Camps
- Mountaineer Leagues
Who to contact
The Parks & Recreation office takes Youth Scholarship Fund applications and answers questions about what you will pay.
wheelingrec@wheelingwv.gov 304-234-3641 Support our parks
Homeschool rules and statewide help in West Virginia
You must file a one-time notice of intent with the county superintendent before home instruction begins, or by the first home-instruction day when withdrawing from public school. After moving counties, notify the former superintendent and file a new notice with the new one. You must notify the superintendent when home instruction ends.
West Virginia sets these rules:
- Subjects: Provide instruction in reading, language, mathematics, science, and social studies.
- Testing: Obtain an academic assessment annually; submit results to the county superintendent by June 30 in grades 3, 5, 8, and 11, as applicable.
- Records: Keep a copy of each student’s academic assessment for three years.
- Teachers: High school diploma or equivalent, or a qualifying postsecondary degree or certificate from an accredited or state-authorized institution.
West Virginia also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.
- The Hope Scholarship pays about $5,436 for 2026-27, and existing homeschool students can apply starting this year. Taking it changes your child's attendance path: you file the program's notice and report academic progress each year.
Read the West Virginia homeschooling guide See statewide programs in West Virginia
Questions parents ask
- Can a homeschooled child get a Wheeling youth scholarship?
- Yes. The fund serves Ohio County youth whose families lack the means to pay full fees, and the application asks nothing about school enrollment.
- Does the Wheeling scholarship cover the whole fee?
- Usually not. Qualifying applicants may be required to pay a portion of the fee according to their financial ability, and staff set that amount when they approve the request.
- We did not file taxes. Can we still apply?
- Yes. Complete IRS Form 4506-T so the city can verify your non-filing status.
- Can one application cover several children?
- Yes. The form has room for several dependents, each with their own activity and equipment.
- Is there a deadline?
- None is listed. Apply before you register so the department can approve the program and set your share.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
Camps and local activities give your child new interests to explore. Their discoveries can shape the examples and questions they study at home.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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