“...you can spot the home-schooled girls within minutes.
Yes, there is that big a difference.”
I used to coach youth baseball.
I don’t think we had any home-schooled kids, but you could immediately tell the parochial school kids apart from the public school kids: the parochial school kids had much better language skills, better self-control at frustrating calls by the umpire, and yes, they spit a whole lot less!
(I hate the habit of spitting among athletes at all levels!)
Language skills,yes - but more importantly, thinking skills.
We staged a mock disaster as a capstone event for the camp - combining (assumed or explicit) tasks based on skills taught in the week.
The home schooled girls in one group quietly assumed leadership and got the other girls sorted out and on task fairly quickly in the ‘older’ of three groups participating.
Parent and adult leaders could watch, but no sideline ‘help’ was allowed. A detailed AAR was held to point up the good/bad/ugly.
In the back brief to the sponsoring organization leadership (the event was taped) we were able to stop the tape - and make the comment - watch these girls, they are your future and future leaders.