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Meet the Speakers
from the 2005
National LDS Homeschool Association
Conference
We know and understand that not
everyone was able to make it to the National
Conference. We thought you would be
interested to get to know the speakers who
were there. In order of appearance at
the conference:
Aaron Edson, Musician, Composer and
Co-director of “Liken the Scriptures”
Born in Michigan and raised in Wisconsin,
Aaron Edson has been a musician all his
life. He served a mission for the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in
Caracas, Venezuela. He attended Brigham
Young University before leaving to pursue a
music career in Los Angeles. While there, he
formed a partnership with Dennis and Ken
Agle, two brothers who lived in his ward.
Together, they produced "Wondering," Aaron's
debut CD of contemporary LDS music.
Encouraged by the album's success, the trio
began producing “Liken the Scriptures,” a
series of live-action musicals based on
scripture stories and released on DVD. In
addition to co-directing, Aaron composed the
music for all three episodes in the series,
including the recently released "One Smooth
Stone," the story of David and Goliath,
featuring Thurl Bailey as Goliath. He is now
at work on the fourth episode, "All He Asks
Me," featuring the story of Alma, Abinadi
and King Noah, which goes before the cameras
in June 2005. His company, One South
Studios, recently relocated its offices from
Pasadena, California, to Provo, Utah.
Byron Hunter, “Homeschooling Experiences
of a Teen”
Byron (“BJ”) Hunter is the son of Dan and
Janice Hunter. He is 16, and has been
homeschooled all his life. Byron’s message
to teenagers is: “Be a leader.” Byron
believes that learning in the home gives
teenagers the foundation they need to make a
stand for the things they believe in, and
helps them to do well in academic learning.
He advises teenage homeschoolers to set
goals, then pursue them to see them
accomplished. He will address how to set
priorities, work hard, and still have time
to socialize with other teens. He will
discuss what Church leaders have said about
education and learning through the home.
Byron participates in classes at the Wasatch
High School, including Concert Choir and
Madrigals, the top performing choirs at
Wasatch. For part of his homeschooling
curriculum, Byron uses his father's history
books, Living History, which are used across
the nation in private schools and
homeschools. In the last year, Byron's
family bought Archive Publishers and he has
been named Operations Manager. Also in the
last year, his family bought Wholesome
Books, which is run by the family. Byron
also has his own business, Heber Valley
Gifts, a distributor of porcelain statues
and other gift items. He is currently
serving on the youth committee for the
National LDS Homeschool Association.
Doreen and Steve Blanding, "Making the
Subjects Come Alive"
“Life is school and school is life,” is the
mantra at Helaman’s Academy in Redmond,
Washington, where head schoolmarm Doreen
Blanding plays teacher, nurse, school
bus driver, cook, laundress, and most
importantly, mom to a family of five boys
and one little princess. Doreen has been
homeschooling since the day she went
visiting teaching and a sister shared with
her this weird and crazy idea of
homeschooling. That was back in 1993 when
her oldest was just barely two and she has
never looked back since.
Doreen was studying elementary education
when she left BYU to be with her husband in
his new job with Microsoft in her home state
of Washington. She would love to go back and
get her paper diploma, but for now she loves
getting her real life diploma. She feels she
has learned more from her “on the job”
training as a homeschooling mom than any
school room could have taught her.
She loves music, cross stitching, sewing,
gardening, reading, learning, scouting, and
her family. She has served as a Relief
Society President and Young Women’s
President, but spent most of her time in
primary as a music leader or pianist (her
favorite calling). She is a soccer coach,
web master and president of Washington State
Latter-day Saint Family Educators (WALDSFE),
and helps put on a yearly family education
conference for LDS families in Washington
State. Her main goal in raising and training
her children is to prepare them to fulfill
the mission the Lord has called them to do
(D&C 88:77-80). Doreen currently serves on
the National LDS Homeschool Association
Board as the Public Relations Director.
Steve Blanding, is the wonderful
husband who allows his wife, Doreen, to
homeschool their six children. Steve
graduated from BYU with a degree in Computer
Science and went to Microsoft where he is a
computer programmer. He is also the owner of
House Full of Games; an online game store (www.housefullofgames.com).
Steve is an involved homeschooling dad who
gets his hands dirty by helping his children
learn in all sorts of interesting ways. He
loves “field trips,” games, science
projects, and deep thinking.
Ken Ebert, “On Being a Great
Homeschooling Dad”
Ken is the father of 7 children, co-author
of the Four Year Plan books, and designer of
the Family Phonics program. He has 26 years
of experience in the software industry, most
recently as President of a wireless
communications software company. He also
manages the Ebert’s educational resource
company, Kindred Learning. Ken will be
addressing homeschool dads with specific
suggestions that can empower them to make a
real difference in the success of their
homeschool families. Ken will share
real-life experiences of the good, the bad,
and the beautiful.
Lori Scovill, "Remember the Spiritual
Witness"
Lori has been married to Terry for 27 years.
They have five children, Randi (24) and her
husband Paul Ostler, Erin (23) and her
husband Brock Shepard, and Nathan (14). They
also have one granddaughter, Sierra Ostler,
who is five. Lori started homeschooling her
youngest son four years ago.
Lori attended Utah State University,
University of Utah, and finally finished at
University of Houston, majoring in English
and Psychology. She also earned a Masters of
Psychology and a Ph.D. in Developmental
Psychology at the University of Houston.
Teaching is her passion. Learning is her
passion. Lori also likes to read and walk.
She loves art, amazing plays and movies and
traveling -- especially if it involves
seeing Sierra or Broadway plays!
Lori and Terry worked for 15 years in
residential treatment. They worked with
teenagers from all across the country who
had problems. Lori says, “We learned so much
about parenting, about the power of love to
heal, about hanging in there, about
listening to learn. The experiences we had
working with those incredible kids set the
foundation for much of my life. They taught
me that it was okay, even necessary, to love
easily and deeply, even when the
relationship isn't perfect or permanent.”
Her expertise in applying education theory
is both informative and encouraging. She
teaches audiences in a way that has made her
a favorite homeschool speaker. She is a
powerful speaker on educating our children
with the spirit and though she can give
multiple factual reasons for homeschooling,
nothing matches the spiritual witness as to
why homeschooling is so desirable.
Jolene Irving, "You Are Not Alone"
Jolene began homeschooling one child in
1995, and in 1996 all the children came
home, where they have been ever since. Born
and raised in the heart of the Rocky
Mountains, Jolene and her husband, Dave,
settled to raise their six children in
Houston, Texas. The oldest three are
graduated and married; the younger three are
still at home.
Though Jolene started to homeschool out of
necessity, homeschooling quickly became her
preferred choice of education. She knew that
if her efforts were going to be successful,
she wanted and needed the support and
association of like-minded people.
Jolene is the founder of CTR Beacons of
Light, a large and successful Texas support
group, and has greatly enjoyed and benefited
from her associations with other
homeschoolers over the years. Jolene knows
that in many places, homeschoolers feel
alone and are struggling, but when we feel
of one another’s strengths, it helps keep us
going. Jolene’s heartfelt desire is to see
this special feeling of connection, and the
sharing of information continue to grow.
Jolene now serves as the Director of the
National LDS Homeschool Association.
Darla Isackson, "Converted to
Homeschooling by Research and Experience"
Darla Isackson believes that faith is
sharable and that faith-filled words can
lift and build. She graduated from Utah
State University, served a mission in
Southern California, then married and had
five sons. Darla has a writing and editing
career that spans three decades. After years
of writing and speaking, she has been
Managing Editor of Latter-day Woman
magazine, worked with Covenant
Communications where she also produced talk
tapes, and with Aspen Books. Darla has
edited well over two hundred uplifting books
-- shepherding them successfully from
manuscript to bookstore shelves.
The last several years she has done
free-lance editing and writing at home. She
treasures the peacefulness of being home and
more available to those she loves. She
adores her four small grandsons and two
granddaughters who live nearby and bring her
great joy. She lives in West Jordan, Utah,
with her husband, Doug.
Darla's great interest in homeschooling
began when her son and daughter-in-law
decided to homeschool two years ago. They
began giving her books to read on the
subject and soon she had her own witness
that homeschooling was the most important
thing she could support for her
grandchildren's well-being. Since she was a
writer for Meridian Magazine, it only
followed that she began a series of articles
about what she was learning. She has now had
twelve articles posted there on Education.
There are links to all of them with her
current article: “To Homeschool or Not to
Homeschool,” available at www.ldsmag.com.
Jay Powell, “Discipleship from the Garden
to the Kingdom”
Jay Powell graduated from BYU in 1994 with a
Bachelor's degree in music and in 1997 with
a Master's degree in business. An
accomplished musician, Brother Powell has
performed at the Tabernacle as a guest
organist and has played at many venues
throughout the country for both social and
corporate functions. In addition, Jay is
well versed in a wide variety of musical
performances and has played leading roles in
such Broadway classics as "Fiddler on the
Roof," "My Fair Lady," and "Brigadoon."
Most recently, Jay sang the part of the
Gardener in Michael McLean's and Bryce
Neubert's allegorical oratorio, "The
Garden." Jay is currently an adjunct staff
member at Hollins University in Roanoke,
Virginia, where he teaches piano in the
Music Department's Preparatory Division.
When he is not performing as a musician, Jay
works as a pharmaceutical sales
representative for the Sanofi-Aventis Group.
He fulfilled a full-time LDS mission to
Montreal, Quebec, and has served in various
capacities in the Church, including Bishop,
Young Men's President, ward mission leader,
stake mission presidency counselor, and Cub
Scout leader. Jay and his sweetheart,
Bridget, are the proud parents of two
homeschooled young men, ages thirteen and
ten.
Paul Savage, "Teaching Leadership through
Homeschooling"
Paul Savage graduated Magna Cum Laude from
Brigham Young University in 1985, where he
earned a Bachelor of Science degree in
Business Administration. Nearly 20 years
experience in the consulting field,
including 7 years as an independent business
development consultant, have allowed him to
work closely with dozens of companies from
the Fortune 500 to entrepreneurial
start-ups. Having closely observed the
dynamics of employee interaction in many
different settings, and with a wealth of
knowledge gained from his 2-year missionary
service and his other Church callings, Paul
has realized that excellence is a habit, not
an action.
Just as “no nation will rise above the
caliber of its homes,” (Ezra Taft Benson, CR
7 April, 1984) Paul has also observed that
no organization can rise above the caliber
of its individual members. In his current
role as an Executive Coach, Paul focuses on
helping individuals recognize and develop
the leadership abilities that are an
intrinsic part of each one of us. By helping
them master the skills of effective goal
setting, time management, decision making,
and accountability, he instills the
confidence they need to accomplish great
things personally, professionally, and
spiritually.
Paul and his wife of 21 years, Connie, make
their home in Granite Bay, California with 4
of their 5 children. (One other son is
currently serving a mission in Chile.) They
decided to begin homeschooling their three
youngest children five years ago, and they
have enjoyed the journey immensely. His
favorite activities include working out,
reading, and spending time together with his
family.
Jack Monnett, "Continue the Course"
John D. ("Jack") Monnett holds degrees in
education from Brigham Young University and
a Ph.D. in the Historical Foundation of
Education from the University of Utah. He
has taught full-time and part-time for the
LDS Church Education System for over 30
years and now teaches part-time for BYU
Continuing Education. One of the early
pioneers of homeschooling, he has been
deeply involved in homeschooling as a parent
and as a sought-after lecturer at many
conferences across the nation. He is the
founder and former owner of Archive
Publishers, an LDS publishing company which
furnishes many texts to LDS homeschoolers.
He is the author of Revealed Educational
Principles and the Public Schools, a
widely-read book which outlines the
historical teachings of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints regarding
education. These early church teachings were
in favor of Church-directed private schools
or homeschools and strongly discouraged
reliance upon public education by LDS
families. He has also authored John Taylor:
Educator, which recounts President Taylor's
influence on early Utah education and his
strong stance against the use of teachers
who are not church members to teach our LDS
youth.
Brother Monnett has previously served in the
Church as a Bishop and as a member of a
Stake Presidency. He is the father of
thirteen children. Jack currently serves on
the National LDS Homeschool Association
Board.
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