Other Speakers
Diane Allen was raised on a farm in eastern NC and has the accent to prove it. After teaching high school science for several years, she left the classroom to raise her own children and ended up homeschooling for the last nineteen years. She and her husband have two homeschool graduates who are now college graduates, married and new parents. Their youngest child is a homeschooled junior in high school. Aside from homeschooling her own children, Diane provides achievement testing for homeschoolers and teaches online science classes.
4. G B Diane Allen and Marji McIlvaine, Taking the Mystery Out of Achievement Testing Speaker Notes
6. O P Diane Allen and Marji McIlvaine, Online Classes? The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Speaker Notes
Angela Highsmith Armstrong has been happily married to Toriano for twelve years. They have three young men; Jamel, eighteen, Torin, ten, and Timothy, five. They graduated their first son this past June and have homeschooled over eight years. During their first years of homeschooling, they used their trucking company as an educational tool by schooling over the road on the big rig. This gave their oldest as well as their middle child an opportunity that’s like no other—to be able to understand geography by exploring the highway. Now that they have graduated one, they are starting all over again with one in kindergarten. She is a local support group leader and the administrative assistant for Heart for Home School Ministries, Inc.
2. M Angela Highsmith Armstrong, Re-energize Mom First!
Hope Auer was homeschooled from pre-K through high school and beyond and had quite the variety of beneficial educational experiences in addition to traditional academic subjects. At the age of twenty, she has six years of experience as a piano teacher (http://hopeful-sounds.com), and is currently serving as secretary of the Cary Apex Piano Teachers’ Association. She published her first historical fiction book, A Cry from Egypt, the spring of 2012 and is working on three more books in the series based on her love for history, research, writing and God’s Word (www.hopefulstories.com, www.acryfromegypt.com). Her book was unveiled in May at the NCHE annual conference where she spoke to over 200 people. She continues to work on writing, blogging, speaking and ministering to those interested in writing and seeking her help and counsel. She lives and serves in her father’s house and continues to be a major part of her younger brothers’ and parents’ lives.
3. P T O Ken and Hope Auer, The Value of Non-Academic Education
Ken Auer is the founder and Master Software Craftsman of RoleModel Software, Inc. (http://rolemodelsoftware.com), pastor-elder of a family-integrated church (Southwest Wake Christian Assembly, http://swcassembly.org), head instructor at the Software Craftsmanship Academy (http://craftsmanshipacademy.com) and homeschool father of three children (twenty, sixteen and seven). After twelve years as a successful software developer and leader, he started RoleModel Software in 1997, and in 1998, he started RoleModel Software’s apprenticeship system. By God’s grace, he has been learning and working out what God’s call for discipleship means in all aspects of life, how to integrate those aspects (see http://kenauer.com) and what it means “to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers” (Luke 1:17, Malachi 4:6)
3. P T O Ken and Hope, The Value of Non-Academic Education
Nathan Barrick is the 2012-2013 NC 4-H council president. Nathan, eighteen, was homeschooled for twelve years before graduating with NCHE in 2012. He is currently a freshman at High Point University double majoring in music and communications.
11. G Nathan Barrick and Hannah Davis, The Fifth H: Head, Heart, Hands, Health and Homeschooling Speaker Notes
Sandie Barrie Blackley, MA/CCC-SLP, helps struggling readers, writers and spellers to meet the everyday challenges of language. By interest and by training, she is committed to finding better ways to bring the pleasures of reading and writing into the lives of children. At the same time, she is passionate about providing better tools for the parents, educators and clinicians who work with language-challenged students. Sandie has more than thirty years of experience in the private practice sector of speech-language pathology. In 1998 she was awarded the Clinical Services Award by the North Carolina Speech, Hearing and Language Association, the award for the state’s most outstanding clinician and was elected a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the equivalent of a lifetime achievement award. Sandie recently received the Speech, Hearing, Language Association’s Public Service Award for 2011 for educating the public about language processing disorders like dyslexia. Sandie is the co-founder of Lexercise. She is a speech-language pathologist, visiting assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders at UNC Greensboro and founder/owner of the Language and Learning Clinic, PLLC, a private practice in Elkin, NC, and Greensboro, NC, specializing in communication disorders, including disorders of reading and written language.
10. L Sandie Barrie Blackley, What Is an Auditory Processing Disorder? And What Might It Have to Do with Reading and Spelling? Speaker Notes
Kevin Brown and his wife, Pam, have been married for twenty-two years, and they are the parents of four children (two adopted from China). They have been homeschooling for sixteen years and have one married daughter (a homeschool graduate) and three more children still in the home. Kevin pastors Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Wilkesboro, NC. Kevin has written a book, Rite of Passage for the Home and Church-Raising Christ-Centered Young Adults. In the book, Brown details how the Christian faith depends upon the transfer of the gospel from one generation to the next. He describes how “Rite of Passage” is not a program but instead represents a family’s commitment to making sure the principles of Scripture are passed on to the generations yet to be born.
10. G Kevin Brown, Going beyond the Books
Janice Campbell and her husband, Donald, homeschooled their four sons from preschool into college. Janice is the author of the Excellence in Literature curriculum for grades 8-12, Transcripts Made Easy and Get a Jump Start on College, among other things. She is also director of the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors. Whether teaching high school students to love literature or teaching writers and entrepreneurs how to create multiple streams of income, Janice’s focus is on lighting lamps so that others can more easily find their way. Her website, www.Everyday-Education.com, offers inspiration, resources and a free e-newsletter.
3. B Janice Campbell, Homeschool Encyclopedia: A Whirlwind Tour of Methods, Skills, Vocabulary and People You Need to Know
6. G T Janice Campbell, Microbusiness for Homeschoolers: Laying a Foundation of Family Freedom through Entrepreneurial Education
Davis Carman is passionate about being a husband and father. He and the wife of his youth, Rachael, have been married for twenty-six years and are blessed with seven children age nine to twenty-two years old. They live south of Charlotte, NC, where they have enjoyed the adventures of homeschooling for seventeen years. Davis is the president of Apologia Educational Ministries—a leading publisher of creation-based science, biblical worldview and apologetics curricula designed specifically for homeschoolers. Under Davis’ leadership, Apologia now provides online courses through Apologia Academy and social networking through Apologia World. In addition, Apologia publishes books, planners and other resources that encourage and provide practical help for homeschooling families, plus spiritual inspiration for moms via Real Refreshment Retreats. Davis is committed to staying true to the Apologia mission—to help homeschoolers learn, live and defend the Christian faith. Since 2002, Davis has served on the board of NCHE, currently fulfilling the responsibilities of administrative vice president. He is also the North Carolina Ambassador for The Home School Foundation, which is a ministry dedicated to helping homeschooling families in need. Davis is the author of two illustrated children’s books designed to instill a biblical worldview: Good Morning, God and A Light For My Path.
3. B Davis Carman, Give Me One Good Reason to Homeschool Speaker Notes
Rachael Carman is a wife and mother, and she is passionate about both. She and Davis have been married twenty-six years, and they have been blessed with seven children ranging in age from nine to twenty-two. Her journey into homeschooling included a bumpy start, but she is so grateful that God brought her to this place. She is thankful for the daily experience of His faithfulness and grace in this adventure of a lifetime. Rachael has been on the board of NCHE since 2002 where Davis serves as administrative vice president. A year later, she started Real Refreshment Retreats for homeschooling moms. Rachael had the privilege to author a book for Focus on the Family in 2005 entitled Soundbites from Heaven – What God Wants Us to Hear When We Talk to Your Kids. The most recent step in her homeschooling journey has been to enter the world of curriculum publishing via Apologia Educational Ministries. Her ultimate goal, and the Apologia mission, is to help homeschooling families learn, live and defend the Christian faith. Rachael’s latest book, How To Have A HEART for Your Kids, is published by Apologia. She has enjoyed speaking and encouraging homeschooling groups for over fifteen years. Rachael is quick to admit her many imperfections and share stories that highlight her shortcomings and the redemptive hand of Jesus Christ. Her humor will put you at ease, her honesty will surprise you, and her heart will inspire you to go deeper, stand firm, and be strong!
1. M T Rachael Carman and Savannah Anne Carman, My Mom’s Not Perfect and Neither Is My Daughter
4. M Rachael Carman, Quiet Time in a Loud House
Savannah Anne Carman is the sixteen-year-old daughter of Rachael and Davis Carman. Along with her core academic studies, she is involved in choir, theater, soccer and pro-life ministries.
1. M T Rachael Carman and Savannah Anne Carman, My Mom’s Not Perfect and Neither Is My Daughter
Nancy Coleman lives in western North Carolina in a small town named Horse Shoe, near Brevard. She and her husband, Tim, have a blended family of nine children, including two spouses, with one child still at home. Currently Nancy’s parents and Tim’s mom, who is totally disabled, are also living with them. Nancy and Tim have a combined total of just under 40 years of homeschooling with six being the largest number of students at one time. Nancy has been on the NCHE board since 1996, currently serving as advisor. She has been involved in the conference leadership for many years, serving as Conference VP for most of that time.
4. P Nancy Coleman and Debbie Mason, The Empty Nest—It’s Coming
Hannah Davis is the 2012-2013 NC 4-H council vice president. Hannah, eighteen, was homeschooled for twelve years. She is currently a freshman at NC State University majoring in livestock and poultry management.
11. G Nathan Barrick and Hannah Davis, The Fifth H: Head, Heart, Hands, Health and Homeschooling Speaker Notes
Kristen Eckenwiler, M.Ed. has a passion for teaching students to read, particularly those that may be struggling. Kristen earned her masters degree in reading instruction from the University of Central Florida. She has considerable experience in a clinical setting and has taught at both the elementary and collegiate level. She now stays home to meet the daily challenges of homeschooling their two boys, Isaiah, thirteen, and Simon, seven. In addition, she remains very involved with parents through testing for learning differences and reading difficulties. She is much sought after for her insight into curriculum, teaching and learning issues. In addition, the Eckenwilers are active in their church and have served as co-president of their local homeschool association.
2. G Kristen Eckenwiler, Research That Will Change the Way You Teach
8. L Kristen Eckenwiler, Teaching the Learning Disabled Child
9. G Kristen Eckenwiler, How to Teach Your Child to Think
Mari Fitz-Wynn and her husband, Edward, homeschooled their six children over the course of seventeen years. She is the founder and president of Heart for Home School Ministries, Inc., a 501 c (3) organization that sponsors an annual winter conference and back to school seminar to provide opportunities for veteran home educators to develop mentoring relationships with new home school families. She is a popular speaker and has been invited to speak to women’s conferences and retreats throughout the US and outside of the country. Mari also serves as the lobbyist for NCHE.
10. G Mari Fitz-Wynn, RX for Your Homeschool
Dr. Chená T. Flood currently serves as the division director for the North Carolina Division of Non-Public Education. She earned a bachelor of science degree in mathematics education from North Carolina Central University and received both her master of school administration and doctor of education from East Carolina University. She has sixteen years of experience as an educator. The first seven years of her career were spent serving children and adults in Halifax County. She was a high school mathematics teacher at Southeast Halifax High School, the curriculum specialist at Weldon Middle School and the Literacy and HRD Coordinator at Halifax Community College. She has also served as the director of University-School Partnerships at North Carolina Central University. Her research interests include quality education for all children, teacher development, health and wellness education and female leadership development. She wrote and published a book, Don’t Be a Fat Girl Anymore!,where she discusses her eighty-five pound weight loss journey and motivates others to accomplish their goals. Dr. Flood has a passion for cooking and creating new and different healthy recipes. She currently resides in Durham, North Carolina.
Leaders G Dr. Chená T. Flood, Understanding DNPE
J. Mark Fox is the pastor of Antioch Community Church in Burlington, NC, and has taught communications classes at Elon University for twenty-one years. His weekly column for the Times-News has won four Amy Awards, a national honor given for “thought-provoking, skillful presentation of biblical truth, reinforced with scripture in a mainstream, non-religious publication.” He has a weekly podcast at HealthyChurchRadio.com where he shares with leaders, church members and others what a healthy church looks like and how to get there. Mark has written six books: Who’s Afraid of Public Speaking?, (1998) Family-Integrated Church (2006) Real Life Moments: A Dad’s Devotional. (2008), You Can Write (2008), Planting a Family-Integrated Church (2008), and his latest, A Faithful Man (2012). He holds a B.A. and M.A. from the UNC Chapel Hill, and a M.Div. from Luther Rice Seminary. Mark and Cindy have been married for nearly thirty-one years and have homeschooled for twenty-four. They have seven children, two daughters-in-law and three grandchildren! Their children are Micah (and Kari), Caleb (and Celia), Hannah, Luke, Jesse, Judah and Susanna, ages twenty-eight to thirteen. Mark’s passion is preaching, writing and running. He completed his second marathon in March.
9. P J. Mark Fox, Arrows for the Target: Preparing Our Children to Leave
11. G J. Mark Fox, What I’ve Learned in Twenty Years
Dara Halydier has homeschooled for twenty-one years and just retired! Her five boys are launched and doing well. They love the Lord, serve Him and love to get together as often as possible! Dara is a pastor’s wife, a Bible teacher, a conference and retreat speaker, a mentor and a friend. She is the author of Practical Proverbs for Younger Students and Practical Proverbs for Older Students. She loves chocolate, sunsets and books. Dara has learned life’s lessons the hard way—experience! Dara has moved over thirty times. She deals with chronic pain and disabilities. Four of her children have learning disabilities. And she has overcome a past of abuse and shame to proclaim God’s grace, forgiveness and freedom. Dara dances before her King and climbs up in her Father’s lap daily.
6. G B L Dara Halydier, What Homeschoolers Won’t Talk About Speaker Notes
Julie Hiramine is the founder and executive director of the ministry Generations of Virtue (www.generationsofvirtue.org) that equips parents to empower their children for purity in our world today. As an internationally noted speaker, author and Christian leader, Julie has encouraged and impacted parents and teens both in the US and internationally through her speaking and written materials. Julie’s background in youth ministry has shaped her into a passionate advocate for raising the next generation to fulfill their God-given destinies. Julie is based with her husband, Kay, and five children in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
2. O Julie Hiramine, Adolescence 101: Who Are You and What Have You Done with My Child? Speaker Notes
7. Y O Julie Hiramine, Setting a Paradigm for Purity Speaker Notes
Ernie Hodges is the state commisioner for the NCHE Athletic Commission and administrates the North Carolina Homeschool Leagues and post season tournaments in baseball, boys/girls basketball, boys/girls soccer volleyball, girls volleyball, golf, cross country and swimming. He is a strong proponent of homeschoolers obtaining scholarships to continue their athletics in college as well.
1. P T Ernie Hodges, Homeschool Sports, Is It for You?
Jim Hodges is a committed Christian, husband to Monica for thirty-two years, father of three grown homeschooled children and Navy retiree. Monica once asked what his dream job would be? He answered “I’d record books.” And so began Jim Hodges Audio Books, producing unabridged recordings of the G. A. Henty historical novels, children’s books, overtly Christian titles and reissues of Old Time Radio Shows.
2. G Jim Hodges, Teach Your Children to Listen Speaker Notes
Caryn Hommel graduated from North Carolina State University with a BA degree in Spanish language and literature in 1989. Mrs. Hommel taught in public and private schools for ten years, during which time she designed and implemented an ESL summer school curriculum, presented and presided at the Foreign Language Association of North Carolina, served as co-president of the Johnston County Second Language Network and led educational tours of Spain and Mexico. In 2003, Mrs. Hommel began homeschooling, continuing to teach Spanish to individuals, groups, classes and/or co-ops. But, as a homeschool mom, she researched intensively to uncover foreign language teaching solutions to better meet students’ needs. In 2011, she published a Spanish curriculum (Excelerate Spanish) which allows homeschooling families anywhere to provide Spanish instruction for their students. Additional languages to be made available soon.
8. G L Caryn Hommel and Marji McIlvanie, Foreign Language in Your Homeschool: from the Traditional to the Revolutionary! Speaker Notes Speaker Notes
Laura House is a registered nurse and accomplished instructor with the Institute for Excellence in Writing. Through the many years of homeschooling three children, Laura developed a passion for teaching writing. Believing that writing is an important skill and powerful tool to proclaim truth, Laura’s goal is to help even the most reluctant writers find success. Laura and her husband, Gary, have served as leaders in their homeschool community, spoken at homeschool conferences and found fulfillment in encouraging other families on their homeschool journeys. Alongside her husband, who has served as a pastor and professor, Laura finds joy in ministry and seeing others come to know the Lord. Her family resides in Lynchburg, Virginia, where her three children, Ryan, Megan and Nathan, attend college and seminary.
4. G Laura House, Teaching Writing across the Curriculum Speaker Notes
Jason Jimenez has been a pastor to children, teens and families for almost fifteen years and absolutely loves teaching, serving and impacting the family as a whole! He has helped set vision and leadership in children’s ministries, student ministries, college ministries and provided pastoral direction and care to at-risk youth within the community. He is the founder and president of re|shift Ministries (non-profit organization) with the sole passion to equip more Christian families and pastors with a biblical worldview. He is the author of The Raging War of Ideas: How to Take Back Our Faith, Family, and Country.
5. G T Jason Jimenez, The Verge: Intellectual Suicide or Biblical Truth
8. T Jason Jimenez, Firm in Your Faith
Andrew Kern is founder and president of the CiRCE Institute, the founding author of The Lost Tools of Writing, a co-author of the best-selling book Classical Education: The Movement Sweeping America, which he wrote with Dr. Gene Edward Veith and is on the board of The Society For Classical Learning (SCL). Since establishing CiRCE as a research and consulting service to classical educators, Andrew has trained teachers, led board retreats and assisted with institutional development and start up in over 100 schools since 1996. He has been directing the CiRCE Institute full-time since the summer of 2000. Andrew helped start Providence Academy in Green Bay, WI, in 1993 where he served as “lead teacher,” Foundations Academy (now Ambrose School) in Boise, ID, where he served as director of classical instruction from 1996-2000, The Great Ideas Academy in Charlotte, NC, where he served as headmaster from 2001-2003 and The Regent Schools of the Carolinas where he served as dean of academics from 2006-2008. He and his family live in North Carolina.
1. G Andrew Kern, You Become What You Behold
9. G Andrew Kern, Getting the Classical Education You Never Got
Bonita Lillie will cross the finish line of homeschooling in 2013. Her older son graduated in 2010 and is a rising senior at Berry College and her younger daughter will graduate in June with plans to attend college in the fall. Bonita and her husband, John, live in Charlotte where she is a freelance writer, the author of Hands-On Essays and a writing instructor who is wondering what the future holds now that her homeschooling journey is complete.
5. M Bonita Lillie, The Mommy Spa
7. G Bonita Lillie, Everything I Know about Homeschooling
Mike and Ronda Marshall are the homeschooling parents of six (ages nine to twenty-six) in Asheville, NC. They are in their eighteenth year of homeschooling. Mike is an electrical engineer, working as an engineering consultant to the electric utility industry. Together they serve on the board of NCHE where Mike is president and have established and coordinated local homeschool support groups, email groups, co-ops and conferences in their area. Ronda is the director of Biltmore Baptist Church Homeschool Ministry that serves families in western NC. Over the past few years, they have had the privilege of speaking at various support groups and state homeschool conferences.
1. B Mike and Ronda Marshall, Getting Off to a Great Start
6.M Ronda Marshall, Mary Homeschooling in a Martha World
9. G Mike and Ronda Marshall, I’m Worn-Out, Going Crazy and Making My Kids Stupid, Would Somebody Please Help?
Debbie Mason and husband, Spencer, have four adult children who were homeschooled from birth. Alexa graduated from UNCC and is a homeschooling mother. Scott graduated from Grove City College and Regent School of Law and is a lawyer in the Army. Levi has his master’s and bachelor’s from NC State and is a computer engineer. Mereda graduated from UNC Chapel Hill. An NCHE board member since 1988, Debbie has coordinated the conference speakers/workshops since 1990 and been the editor of the GREENHOUSE since 1995. She directed a large homeschool support group for over twenty-two years. Debbie has a B.S. in secondary education, mathematics and a M.Ed. in counseling. She is a consultant for homeschoolers, primarily for teaching high school and applying to college, and has written a five-year, grades eight through twelve, curriculum, The Mason Plan, integrating all the humanities. She speaks on a variety of homeschool subjects.
2. P Debbie Mason, Homeschooling High School Speaker Note 1 Speaker Note 2
4. P Nancy Coleman and Debbie Mason, The Empty Nest—It’s Coming
7. G Debbie Mason, The Place of Outside Classes and Activities in Your Homeschool
Dr. Matthew McDill and his wife, Dana, homeschool their eight children near Boone, NC. Matthew is a pastor at Highland Christian Fellowship and a Bible teacher with a Ph. D. in biblical studies. He is also president of the High Country Christian Home Schoolers and teaches communication at Appalachian State University.
1. G T Dr. Matthew McDill, Equip Children for Life with Three Critical Skills
8. G Dr. Matthew McDill, A Basic Educational Strategy
Marji McIlvaine and her husband Rick have homeschooled for twenty-five years across four states. Five of their children have graduated from their homeschool—two have graduated from college, two are in college, one is in-and-out of college and one daughter is still being homeschooled. Marji’s heart is to encourage other parents in the homeschool journey. She is the on the board of Henderson County Homeschool Association, administers the Woodcock-Johnson test in WNC, teaches with Landry Academy and BBC tutorials and has a passion for foreign languages, science, writing, history—oh, the whole of God’s incredible creation! She also likes to take naps.
4. G B Diane Allen and Marji McIlvaine, Taking the Mystery Out of Achievement Testing! Speaker Notes
6. O P Diane Allen and Marji McIlvaine, Online Classes? The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Speaker Notes
8. G L Caryn Hommel and Marji McIlvanie, Foreign Language in Your Homeschool: from the Traditional to the Revolutionary! Speaker Notes Speaker Notes
Charles Nettles and his wife Sarah have homeschooled for twenty-eight years. Their eight children, ages ten to thirty-three, have always been taught at home. The four oldest children attended college and all have graduated (two with master’s degrees and two working on theirs). The fifth is a college sophomore. Charles is a deacon in their local church, a district and state 4-H leader, active in their local homeschool support group and has served on the NCHE board. His hobby is photography, and he gets many opportunities during extended field trips across the country. He and the family drove to Alaska one summer as a school field trip. In his “spare time,” he works for Duke Energy in the maintenance department at McGuire Nuclear Station.
5. B Charles Nettles, Getting Started and the NC Homeschool Law
Steve Noble, has been homeschooling four children for ten years. He is a teacher, author, speaker, talk radio show host and Christian activist. He is the host of Called2Action Today daily radio program on the Truth Radio Network in NC. He has organized over 75,000 Christians in the Triangle for various causes. He is the east coast ambassador for Harvest Crusades and Harvest America with Pastor Greg Laurie. He has worked with Focus on the Family, The Truth Project, Dr. David Jeremiah, Convoy of Hope, American Family Association, Family Research Project, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
9. D T Steve Noble, Becoming a Man of Valor
11. G T Steve Noble, Foundations of Freedom
Jeff Sande is a certified instructor for Relational Wisdom 360. He was homeschooled through the eighth grade. He graduated from Billings Central High School with high honors in 2012 where he ran cross country and played on the football team. He has a Black Belt in Tai Kwan Do and enjoys hiking, mountain biking and snow-boarding. He is presently pursuing a degree in business management and psychology at Montana State University (Bozeman) where he is active in his local church and Cru.
6. G T Ken and Jeff Sande, Overcoming Artificial Maturity
Jennifer Schmidt a full time family manager and veteran homeschool mom of five, understands the need to balance and embrace both the beauty and bedlam of daily life. As a motivational speaker, worship leader and writer, she shares with humor and authenticity on a myriad of topics, many falling under her passion for “Living on Less and Loving It.” She shares these at her food blog, 10 Minute Dinners and her lifestyle blog, Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, which reaches thousands each day. Her practical, yet tangible, lifestyle ideas encourage others to remember that the little things are often the big things in our lives. Jen loves time with her family and regularly dreams about a clean house, couponing, meal planning, homeschooling ideas, DIYing, thrift store hunting and pondering her next trash to treasure purchase.
10. M Jennifer Schmidt, Living the 80% off Lifestyle and Loving It
Alan Scholl is the executive director and vice president of American Opinion Foundation, sponsor of FreedomProject Education. He is also a member of the American Opinion Foundation board of directors. Alan has been involved in youth education for over twenty-five years. He has served as director or primary speaker at over fifty week-long youth seminars. He has been a keynote speaker for many homeschool, constitutional and political conferences and gatherings and has conducted numerous individual live seminars on American heritage, history, government and culture, among other topics. He has previously served as the national director of a busy nation-wide speakers bureau, and as chief operations officer and director of mission and campaigns for JBS Corporate Operations. Mr. Scholl earned a MBA in business administration in June of 2008, at the University of Phoenix. Alan has served as a deacon in three different churches in Fresno, CA, Livermore, CA, and since 1992 at Grace Baptist Church in Appleton, WI. Alan and Doreen Scholl were married in 1975, have seven children, seven grandchildren, and have home educated for over twenty-five years.
3. G T Alan Scholl, The Relationship between God and Government
Dori Staehle has close to twenty years of tutoring and consulting experience and has worked with public, private and homeschooled students and their families. She is a former homeschooling parent and a former admissions counselor. Dori holds a B.A. in French and German from Wagner College in NY, and an M.B.A. in finance from Fairleigh Dickinson University in NJ. In addition, she has done both graduate and post-graduate work in gifted education and gifted psychology. Dori loves to speak to homeschooling groups about managing ADHD symptoms naturally, homeschooling tips, transcript preparation and the college maze.
5. G L Dori Staehle, Hearing the Music: Homeschooling Instead of Ritalin for Gifted, Talented and Creative Kids Speaker Notes
7. P Dori Staehle, Navigating the College Maze Speaker Notes
Lynne Taylor and her husband, Andy, have been homeschooling since 1992 and live in Mooresville, NC. Lynne has been a past NCHE conference speaker, current board member and leader for Legacy 22:6 Homeschool Group and board member for Heart for Home School Ministries, Inc based in Raleigh, NC. Lynne is the former co-manager of The Fieldtrip Gals!, LLC (homeschool field trips). Lynne is also a published author, website guest writer and Facebook administrator for Parents of International College Students. Lynne was honored as a 2011 recipient of The Distinguished Educator Award from the National Society of High School Scholars.
7. B Y Lynne Taylor, Teaching Styles 101 Speaker Notes
Paige Timer, the daughter of a pastor and lover of music and theatre, is passionate about building relationships and strives to lead others to engage and invest in the lives of those around them. A self-titled free spirit, Paige is an encourager who loves helping parents discover tools for leading their families toward success. She and her husband, Josh, have been homeschooling their two children for the past eight years. They now work for My Father’s World, where Paige is a curriculum consultant and speaker.
6. G B Paige Timer, Creating a Solid Biblical Education with the Best of Academic Methods Speaker Notes
Jeremy D. Troxler is a native of Alamance County, NC, and currently resides in the Elon area. Jeremy graduated from NC State University in 2000 with a master of science in civil engineering and is a registered professional structural engineer and works as a structural engineer and steel fabricator at the family business, Piedmont Metals of Burlington. He was married in September of 2000, and he and Nicole have five children that they have been homeschooling since 2007. He is the author of In, not of: Christian Relevance in Twenty-first Century America and has appeared regularly as a guest columnist in The Times News of Burlington, NC.
10. G T Jeremy D. Troxler, Practically Speaking: Principles for Living a Biblical Christian Worldview
Jim Weiss has been a storyteller for over thirty years. In June, 1989, Jim decided to do something more with the craft that he had formerly practiced solely for pleasure. He and his wife, Randy, formed a production company, Greathall Productions, and have thus far produced over forty-six storytelling recordings with enticing titles from classical literature, such as Greek Myths, King Authur and Sherlock Holmes. In addition to the single CDs, Jim has also recorded numerous G.A.Henty titles, and unabridged recordings such as Jean Lee Latham’s Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, and Ralph Moody’s Come on, Seabiscuit. Jim’s Greathall line is the recipient of over 100 major national awards from The American Library Association, Parents’ Choice Foundation, NAPPA, the Parents’ Council, The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, The Film Advisory Board, Parents’ Guide to Children’s Media Award and has received the highest acclaim from countless homeschool journals and professionals. Greathall’s motto is, “Intelligent entertainment for the thinking family” and the line is true to that motif. Jim’s newest releases are Women in Blue or Gray: True Stories from the American Civil War, The Lion of St. Mark, by G.A. Henty, and an unabridged reading of Howard Pyle’s, Men of Iron. Most importantly, he is the creator and producer of The Path to the Stars and Stripes: Inspriational Stories for American Heritage Girls. He and Randy live in Charlottesville, VA, and are the proud parents of their married daughter and son-in-law.
5. G T Jim Weiss, Virtues and Values: A Family’s Quest for Conscientious Living Via Literature and History Speaker Notes
10. G T Jim Weiss, Throwing Light on the Dark Side: Good vs. Evil in Contemporary Youth Literature
Delnora Williams is the single homeschooling mother of five children, ages fifteen to twenty-five and founder of Kairos Equipping. A graduate of the University of Washington in Seattle, she has taught high school classes to homeschooled teens, administered the Woodcock-Johnson test of achievement and worked with youth in her community for over thirteen years. For the past three years, she has regularly hosted worship, study and prayer weekends in her home for teens and young adults to experience the love the Father, the richness of the Word of God and the freedom available in Christ.
5. G S Delnora Williams, Unwary Victims: Finding Freedom from Mindsets that Enslave
7. G T S Delnora Williams, The Paradigm of Wonder
Dr. Saundra Wall Williams is the senior vice president for and chief of technology and workforce development for the NC Community College System (NCCCS). With fifty-eight institutions and over 900,000 students, the NCCCS is the third largest in the country and is the state’s primary agency for delivery of curriculum programs, job training, literacy and adult education. In her position, Dr. Williams leads the information technology and resources, data and reporting, technology infrastructure, distance learning, continuing education programs, workforce development programs and project management within the community college system. Dr. Williams is also a research adjunct professor at NC State University. She also has worked thirteen years in business and industry in the areas of information technology and training. She holds a bachelor of science in mathematics, master of science in applied mathematics and statistics and a doctor of education in adult and community college education from NC State University. Dr. Saundra Wall Williams is also the founder of T.E.A.C.H. (Teach and Educate for Active Christlike Holiness TM), Inc. T.E.A.C.H., Inc., headquartered in Raleigh, NC, is a teaching ministry which focuses on teaching in spirit and in truth for women in ministry, women in ministry leadership and all women who have a call on their lives for Kingdom ministry.
11. G T Dr. Saundra Wall Williams, Critical Lessons from the Successes and Failures of Leadership Speaker Notes
Hal and Melanie Young, authors of the Christian Small Publishers 2011 Book of the Year, Raising Real Men, are parents of six real boys and two real girls. They have published articles with Homeschooling Today, Homeschool Digest, TEACH, Homeschool Enrichment and The Old Schoolhouse. Hal and Melanie have made more than fifty media appearances in venues as wide ranging as the Bob Dutko Show to CBS Evening News with Dan Rather. They routinely draw standing room only crowds with their mix of uniquely entertaining cross-banter and practical, powerful scriptural principles. Recently, Hal and Melanie have glorified the Lord through Hal successfully fighting stage IV cancer and through a life-threatening heart condition in their youngest. Despite it all, the Youngs live in noisy familial bliss in NC. Hal and Melanie served on the board of NCHE for over fourteen years, including three years as president for Hal.
3. G Hal and Melanie Young, My Beloved and My Friend
5. G Hal and Melanie Young, Raising Real Men
8. M T Melanie Young, Sanity’s in the Freezer
Michele Zavatsky, an author for over a decade, has visited 5,000 places to find the best sites that kids love to visit! This adventure of writing and publishing family travel books has taken Michele on a journey of experience—sneaking in lessons along the way. Michele has been blessed to be called the “mom that travels for a living” by over 500 radio and television programs. Michele has also spoken to hundreds of groups throughout the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and much of the Southeast promoting family-friendly inexpensive and educational travel. Michele’s blog is where she shares many recent finds and tips: www.kidslovetravel.com/family_travel_blog.htm
4. G Michele Zavatsky, Families Love Travel: On The Cheap! Speaker Notes