NCHE Conference Speakers
Speaker Bios
Featured Speakers:
Debra Bell Sessions
Debra Bell is the author of the best-selling Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling (Thomas Nelson, 1997, 2001, 2005) and the forthcoming, The Homeschooler's Guide to High School and College and Ultimate Guide, tenth anniversary edition. She is a regular keynote speaker for numerous state and regional conferences and High School @ Home seminars. She is an English teacher with Creative Home Educators Support Services and PA Homeschoolers' Online Advance Placement English <www.pahomeschoolers.com>. She is the director of Debra Bell's Home School Resource Center <debrabell.com>. Debra is also the founder of Susquehanna Valley Pregnancy Services and co-founder CHESS family school, Learning Center homeschool co-op and Encore! Home School Productions. She is a doctoral candidate in Educational Psychology, Temple University; M.A. in English; B.S. in Communications Education, Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Debra has been married since 1981 to Kermit and has four children, all graduates of homeschooling. She has twenty-five years involvement with Sovereign Grace Ministries: a church-planting mission in the U.S. and abroad <www.sovereigngraceministries.org>.
Dr. Jeff Myers Sessions
Dr. Jeff Myers mission is to equip culture-shaping leaders to understand the times, unleash their God-given gifts and communicate the truth with confidence. To accomplish this mission, Dr. Myers has a vision of training one million leadership coaches by the year 2015. These coaches would be equipped to mentor, coach and teach emerging leaders in worldviews, leadership and communication and help place them in positions of strategic kingdom-building influence. As a vocation, Dr. Myers is Associate Professor of Communication Arts at Bryan College. He is also president of the Myers Institute for Communication and Leadership, the organization through which the leadership-training mission is being launched. Dr. Myers speaks to more than 50,000 people each year in corporations, schools, homeschool conferences, parent groups and youth-serving organizations. Over the last decade, Dr. Myers has worked with Colorado-based Summit Ministries to develop cutting-edge leadership experiences in Colorado, Tennessee, North Carolina and Alberta, Canada. Dr. Myers is the author of six books and three video coaching systems including Understanding the Times, the curriculum that introduced worldview training to America's Christian schools, and Secrets of Great Communicators. Dr. Myers earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Denver. He and his wife, Danielle, homeschool their four children, Graham, Emma, Cate and Stuart, and live in Tennessee.
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Shelley Noonan Sessions
Shelley Noonan is a conference speaker for church and homeschooling groups on topics such as mentoring your children, manners for kids and establishing a home business. Shelley's passion is for creating and providing resources that encourage vibrant, healthy parent-child relationships through strong, character building books, purity products and the delight of tea time. Through Pumpkin Seed Press, Shelley and her husband, Robert, bring Scripture and classic Christian literature together, creating an occasion for mothers and fathers to mentor their daughters, sharing insights and often learning together the tools that equip them for godly lives. Shelley and Robert also own and operate a family farm and a used homeschool book business. They have homeschooled their three children for thirteen years. They know and understand the value of homeschooling and preparing their children to live in a demanding society that does not always share the same Christian perspective and values.
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Paul Tripp Sessions
Paul Tripp is the president of Paul Tripp Ministries, a non-profit organization, whose mission statement is "Connecting the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life." He is a gifted communicator who has over sixteen years of pastoral ministry, is on the pastoral staff of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, PA, is adjunct professor at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA, visiting professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, adjunct faculty at the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation in Glenside, PA, the founder of a Christian school and has been a counselor for twenty-six years. Paul is the author of several books on practical issues of Christian living including Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands, War of Words: Getting to the Heart of Our Communication Struggles, Age of Opportunity: A Biblical Guide to Parenting Teens, Lost in the Middle: Midlife and the Grace of God, How People Change, and Relationships: A Mess Worth Making. Paul is a sought-after national and international conference speaker. He has been married for thirty-six years and has four grown children.
Other Speakers
Amy Barr Sessions
Amy Barr is an archaeologist, educator, homeschool mom and co-founder of The Lukeion Project. Her ten years of research overseas include excavations in Jordan, Greece and Homer's Troy in Turkey, on which she has published. Her advanced education includes Classics, Latin and Classical Archaeology, and her teaching experience includes Ohio State University, University of Cincinnati and Miami University (OH). She was a participant in a Congress on Cypriot Archaeology in Gotheborg, Sweden. She now lives in Holly Springs, NC, with her husband and three children, whom they homeschool.
Regan Barr Sessions
Regan Barr is an archaeologist, educator, homeschool dad and co-founder of The Lukeion Project. His ten years of research overseas include excavations on Jordan, Greece and Homer's Troy in Turkey, on which he has published. His advanced education includes New Testament and Classical Archaeology, and his teaching experience includes the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Christian University and the Institute of Learning in Retirement. He was a participant in a Congress on Cypriot Archaeology held in Gotheborg, Sweden. He now lives in Holly Springs, NC with his wife and three children, whom they homeschool.
Kay Bindrim Sessions
Kay Bindrim holds a masters degree in education, as well as a reading specialty certificate. She has fourteen years experience as a public school and homeschool educator. Kay worked for seven years in the public school system as a reading specialist, teaching a variety of ages from K-ninth grades. She has also worked in the area of adult literacy. Kay and her husband, Tommy, operate Testing and Educational Services, where they provide a variety of educational services to the homeschool community. Tommy and Kay have five children and have homeschooled since 2000. They serve on the leadership team of their local homeschool support group and Tommy serves as region twelve director on the board of NCHE.
Jan Bloom Sessions
Jan Bloom and her husband, Gary, began homeschooling their three children in 1982, after being introduced to the idea at a L'Abri seminar and being convinced of its benefits a month later following an interview of Dr. Raymond Moore by James Dobson. Using the "living books" advocated by Charlotte Mason along with the real-life experiences encouraged by Raymond Moore, three interesting, well-read children were educated into college. Jan received her B.S. degree with a major in physics and a minor in math. She taught briefly in a public school before having children. Her interest in books led to a vintage bookseller business, which led to writing a book about great authors, Who Should We Then Read? Jan's second book, What Should We Then Know? encourages families to develop a quality home library. Volume 2 of Who Should We Then Read? will be released soon. In addition, Jan has authored an ebook, Business by the Books which highlights important books for character development and business understanding. She has also been a contributor to Home Schooling Today magazine.
Deb Erbach Burger Sessions
Deb Erbach Burger is a twenty-one year veteran homeschool mom, having homeschooled her four children and provided group classes in writing and literature for other homeschooled teens. She is the author of Growing Great Writers, and The Living Literature Series, and a popular speaker for support groups and conferences throughout the Carolinas and surrounding areas. Passion, practicality and a sense of humor infuse her workshops and guide books. Now retired from active homeschooling, Deb provides testing services in Western NC and continues to encourage and equip homeschooling parents and teens through speaking and writing.
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Rachael Carman Sessions
Rachael Carman lives in Waxhaw, NC. She and her husband, Davis, have been married since 1986. God has blessed them with seven children with birth dates from 1990 to 2003. She is a C.L.A.S.S. certified speaker (Christian Leaders, Authors, and Speakers Seminar). Since 1990, she has been organizing and speaking for women's programs, retreats and seminars. She has also been a guest speaker at local and state homeschool conferences and audiences across the Carolinas. In 2003, she organized the first Real Refreshment Retreat for homeschool moms. Rachael is also the author of SoundBites from Heaven: What God Wants Us to Hear When We Talk to Our Kids. It is a Focus on the Family resource, published by Tyndale. The Carman Family Home School is in its twelfth year.
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Steve Clark Sessions
Steve Clark is a homeschool dad who personally homeschooled his own children from 1998 through 2004. He and his wife, Katrina, live in Louisville, Kentucky, and have five children, ranging from eighteen to twenty-four. From 1997 to the present, Steve has worked with VideoText Interactive, where his main focus has been to advise and counsel parents who want to make sure their children excel in high school math. In addition, Clark edited and produced Life Skills for the Homeschooler, a book that addresses practical issues that many homeschoolers forget to teach. Clark is president of the Homeschool Speaker and Vendors Association, which helps homeschool speakers and vendors in the promotion of their products and services. The goal of the association is ensuring that all homeschoolers in the US and Canada have access to the very best curriculum available.
Nancy Coleman Sessions
Nancy Coleman resides near Brevard with her husband, Tim, and six children. She has been on the NCHE board since 1996 and currently serves as the conference vice president.
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William and Kristen Eckenwiler Sessions
William and Kristen Eckenwiler Kristen earned a B.S. degree in elementary education and a masters degree in reading. While in graduate school, she was heavily involved in gathering research data for the Voyager Reading Program and the Literacy First Reading Program. For the past, three years, she has taught education courses as an adjunct at Barton College in Wilson, NC. Although both she and her husband possess current North Carolina teacher licenses, they have opted to have Kristen stay at home and homeschool their two sons. Along with the demands of homeschooling her children, Kristen stays very busy testing, tutoring, and collaborating with her husband in their business, Covenant Education Services. Not only does she serve the homeschool community through end-of-grade testing, but also assesses students for specific learning disabilities. Her tutoring and consulting practice puts her in direct contact with this special population. Her workshops on study skills and note-taking have been well received. She is a gifted public speaker, and often co-presents with her husband.
View sessions by William and Kristen Eckenwiler
William and Kristen Eckenwiler Sessions
William and Kristen Eckenwiler William earned a bachelor of science degree in elementary. He taught fourth grade and sixth grade for ten years in the Virginia public schools, and earned his masters degree in school administration, and a second masters degree in Christian education from Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi. He earned his doctor of education in reading. He chose homeschooling as topic of his dissertation. In 2002, he published A+ Education, (Baker Books), a research-based study of school choice. Over the years William has taught at the University of Central Florida, Reformed Theological Seminary, Geneva College and is currently an associate professor of education at Barton College in Wilson, NC. The courses he presently teaches at Barton College include developmental reading, language arts, children's literature, educational psychology and a reading course for those working with specifically disabled children. William and his wife have been homeschooling their two elementary aged children for four years and have been active in their local homeschool organization. They have presented a reading workshop for their local homeschool organization and in October, 2007, presented a Reading/Learning Disabilities Workshop for homeschoolers. Through their homeschool involvement they began a testing/tutoring business which they have named Covenant Education Services. Through this business they offer assessment for specific learning disabilities, as well as a wide range of other services.
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J. Mark Fox Sessions
J. Mark Fox is the pastor of Antioch Community Church in Burlington, NC, and taught communications classes at Elon for seventeen years. His weekly column for the Times-News has won three consecutive Amy Awards, a national honor given for "thought-provoking, skillful presentation of biblical truth, reinforced with Scripture in a mainstream, non-religious publication." Mark has written three books, Who's Afraid of Public Speaking? (1998) Family-Integrated Church (2006) and Real Life Moments: A Dad's Devotional.(2008). He holds a B.A. and M.A. from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and an M. Div. from Luther Rice Seminary. Mark and Cindy have been married for twenty-five years, and have homeschooled for nineteen. They have seven children: Micah, Caleb, Hannah, Luke, Jesse, Judah and Susanna, ages twenty-three to eight. Mark's passion is preaching and writing, and he is developing a love for competing in triathlons!
Rachel Gathercole Sessions
Rachel Gathercole is a homeschooling mother of three and author of the groundbreaking book The Well-Adjusted Child: The Social Benefits of Homeschooling. Holding a bachelor of arts with distinction from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Rachel has been homeschooling for ten years and is respected as an author of many informative articles and essays that cut through misconception and shed new light on homeschooling, parenting and children. Her articles have appeared in various national and local publications, including as cover stories in Mothering, Life Learning, and other magazines. Her essays have also appeared in the anthology Loving Mama: Essays on Natural Parenting and Motherhood edited by Tiffany Palisi. Rachel was recently interviewed by Mike Smith on the nationally-syndicated radio show Home School Heartbeat, is a resident parenting expert on the popular website <WithJess.com>, has been featured as a guest speaker in the Mothering-sponsored chat room at <MommyChats.com>, and has been a co-leader of The Home Education Association in North Carolina.
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Mark Hamby Sessions
Mark Hamby (M.S.; M.Div.; Th.M.; D. Min. candidate) is founder and president of Cornerstone Family Ministries and Lamplighter Publishing. He lives in Northeastern Pennsylvania with his wife, Debbie. They raised three children who were homeschooled and though they live in various parts of the US, Mark finds that he is more involved in his children's lives than ever before. As an author, speaker and Bible teacher, what Mark Hamby enjoys most is helping his audience to remove the mask in order to expose the heart. Unless the heart is reached, there can be no lasting change. Through the genre of storytelling and the life-changing power of God's Word, Mark's audiences have learned that the God of all grace is willing and able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ask or think.
Amelia Harper Sessions
Amelia Harper is the author of Literary Lessons from the Lord of the Rings, a complete one-year literature curriculum for secondary level student, and a contributor to the J.R.R. Tolkien encyclopedia. She is also a contributing editor for The Old Schoolhouse magazine, a national homeschool publication. She has homeschooled her five children for eighteen years, including three who have homeschooled through high school. She is also a pastor's wife who works as an English tutor and as a free-lance writer with over 200 published articles and poems to her credit.
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David Hazell Sessions
David Hazell has been involved in homeschooling since 1987. During several of those years, he was a stay-at-home dad directly responsible for educating his children. For eight years, David and his family lived in Russia where he served in Bible translation in Siberia and helped coordinate Bible translations in eighty languages. His six children often ministered with him as he traveled throughout Russia and Europe. David and his wife, Marie, now devote the majority of their time to the development of My Father's World curriculum with the dual goal of providing support for Bible translation and raising up generations of families that see God's hand in all of history and share God's heart for the nations.
Tyler Hogan Sessions
Tyler Hogan , homeschooled K-twelve, graduated from high school in 2004 and from Belhaven College in Jackson, MS in 2008. With his B.A. degree in Theatre Ministry, Tyler is out to share the gospel with a hurting world through theatre, mime, music and discipleship training. He is currently working for his parents, Bob and Maggie Hogan, in their homeschool ministry/business: Bright Ideas Press. Tyler is enthusiastically serving the Lord by helping to develop and publish materials to strengthen the homeschool community.
Jessica Hulcey Sessions
Jessica Hulcey , co-author of KONOS Character Curriculum, the first homeschool curriculum written for homeschool by homeschoolers in 1984, will delight you with her sense of humor and refreshing openness about her homeschool experiences. She will encourage us to enjoy our children and to educate them in a way that builds love and togetherness in our families, while teaching to the head and heart of each child. Jessica speaks nationally on a variety of public education and homeschool topics, writes curriculum for KONOS, contributes articles to several homeschool magazines, has taught for thirty-two years with twenty-four of those years spent homeschooling her four boys ages thirty-two, twenty-nine, twenty-five and twenty, lives with her husband Wade on seventy-five acres north of Dallas, TX and has just started a new business called homeschoolersmentor.com.
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Lori Lawing Sessions
Lori Lawing has come to appreciate classical education's way of training the intellect through classic literature, as well as Charlotte Mason's love of "living books." In addition to teaching her own children (ages thirteen, twelve, nine, seven and five) she delights in teaching Shakespeare to a group of thirty homeschool students ages five to thirteen. She has written six condensed scripts of Shakespeare's plays (without altering the language of Shakespeare!). Lori is a pastor's wife and a 1985 graduate of UNC Chapel Hill with a degree in public speaking. She was a member of Chapel Hill's speech team, competing in oral performance of literature. For the past five years she has served as the director of the annual competitive speech tournament (Communicators for Christ) for 100+ students in the Southeast U.S. She speaks regularly at the annual Charlotte Mason Conference, homeschool workshops and ladies church conferences.
Charlie Liebert Sessions
Charlie Liebert was born and raised in New York, He received an A.A.S. in Chemical Technology (State University of New York), B.S. in Chemistry (Fairleigh Dickenson University) and an M.B.A. in Marketing (Iona College), He retired in 1994 to spend his time teaching and speaking about issues relating to creation and evolution, but in 1998, he returned to work and began leading Creation, Dinosaurs and thE Flood. He and his wife, Terry, live in Greensboro, NC, and have two grown children.
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Bonita Lillie Sessions
Bonita Lillie wears many hats: freelance writer, editor, writing instructor and author of Hands-on Essays. Most importantly, she is a homeschooling mom with a decade of experience. She wholeheartedly believes that learning should be an enjoyable adventure and has spent many years cultivating the art of teaching with a fun twist. Bonita and her husband, John, reside in Charlotte where they are experiencing the joys of parenting two teenagers.
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Debbie Mason Sessions
Debbie Mason and her husband, Spencer, have four children, ages nineteen to twenty-seven and have homeschooled from the birth of their oldest. Alexa graduated from UNCC and is now married and has two young children. Scott graduated from Grove City College in PA and will graduate from Regent School of Law in May 2008. Levi will graduate from NC State in May 2008 and plans to graduate in May 2009 with his masters. Mereda is attending UNC Chapel Hill. Debbie and Spencer have been board members of NCHE since 1988. Debbie has coordinated the conference speakers and workshops since the 1990 conference and has been the editor of the Greenhouse Report since 1995. She was the director of the HINTS support group in Charlotte for over twenty-two years. Debbie has a B.S. in secondary education, mathematics and a M.Ed. in counseling. She and Spencer serve as NCHE's region four directors.
Mereda Hart Mason Sessions
Mereda Hart Mason is the nineteen-year-old daughter of Spencer and Debbie Mason. She is the "baby" of four children. Mereda homeschooled her entire life until she entered UNC Chapel Hill in the fall of 2007 where she is majoring in dramatic arts and minoring in creative writing and cognitive sciences. She loves the performing arts: acting, dancing and singing. She has been in many theatrical productions during her life. During high school Mereda was a leader in her youth group, leading a middle school girls small group. She has been on two mission trips to Romania. Mereda has a passion for the Lord and strives to serve and glorify Him in all that she does.
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Charles Nettles Sessions
Charles Nettles and his wife Sarah have homeschooled for twenty-three years. Their eight children, ages twenty-eight to five, have always been taught at home. The three oldest children attended college and all three have graduated at least once (two with master's degrees). Charles is a deacon in their local church, a District and State 4-H Leader, a local homeschool support group leader 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 the summer before last as a school field trip. In his "spare time" he works for Duke Power Company in the maintenance department at McGuire Nuclear Station.
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Justice Paul M. Newby Sessions
Justice Paul M. Newby , a North Carolina native, received his B.A. degree in Public Policy Studies (magna cum laude) from Duke University and his law degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He has served as a judicial intern in the United States Supreme Court and worked in private practice before becoming vice president and general counsel of Cannon Mills Realty and Development Corp. In 1985, Justice Newby was appointed as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Raleigh, where he served for over nineteen years. He taught courses for the U.S. Department of Justice and received the Crime Victims Fund Award. In 2004, Justice Newby was elected to an eight-year term on the North Carolina Supreme Court. In his personal time, Justice Newby serves as a Boy Scouts scoutmaster, being an Eagle Scout himself, and he is an elder in his church. He is also the recipient of the God and Service Award and Heroism Award for rescuing nine people from a riptide. Justice Newby and his wife, Macon, have been married for twenty-five years and have four children, whom, they homeschooled for ten years.
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Woody Robertson Sessions
Woody Robertson , a first generation homeschool grad, now speaks across the nation and internationally providing counsel on the innovative opportunities and courses available to homeschool parents and their college-bound students. Woody used accelerated Distance Learning to earn his accredited BSBA in General Management in eighteen months for a total cost of $5,500. He now serves as the director of CollegePlus!, a proven college alternative. You'll find his sessions innovative and inspiring. Be prepared to get knocked outside of your educational box. Woody recently married the girl of his dreams and is living life happily ever after in San Antonio, TX.
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Richard Rusczyk Sessions
Richard Rusczyk is one of the co-authors of the Art of Problem Solving textbooks, author of Art of Problem Solving's Introduction to Algebra and Introduction to Geometry textbooks, one of the co-creators of the Mandelbrot competition and the director of the USA Mathematical Talent search. He was a participant in National MathCounts, a three-time participant in the Math Olympiad Summer program, and a USA Mathematical Olympiad winner (1989). He graduated from Princeton University in 1993, helped inaugurate ESPN's Sports Figures program, and worked as a bond trader for D.E. Shaw and Company for four years. AoPS marks Richard's return to his vocation: educating motivated students.
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Jennifer Schmidt Sessions
Jennifer Schmidt used her bachelor of arts degree which focused on biblical studies and Christian education to serve in full time ministry as director of music and youth in Milwaukee, WI, before moving to NC. She now enjoys her number one calling in life as a wife, homeschool mom of five and daughter to the King. Jen frequently speaks at women's gatherings, retreats and young moms (MOPS) groups, but her most demanding, yet rewarding audience is her own family. Jennifer has a passion for seeing families strengthened and encouraged in their life long process of creating lasting legacies. She works as a traditions consultant and product advisor for Once Upon a Family, as well as directs a foundation's program through Classical Conversations.
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Misty Spinelli Sessions
Misty Spinelli is a homeschool mother of six, ages one to thirteen. She and her husband, Tony, own Growing Scholars, two homeschool supply stores in the Charlotte, NC, area. She comes from a long line of educators and was herself a college professor of fine art and graphic design for over eight years. Misty speaks at regional conferences, support group meetings, writes articles for newsletters and newspapers and offers info meetings for beginning and potential homeschoolers every month. She is currently serving as the director of the SALT homeschool support group.
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James P. Stobaugh Sessions
James P. Stobaugh have four home educated adult children. They have a strong burden for the new leadership group that God is calling forth from the homeschooling community. Jim has written the well-received, and one of the best resources for the 2005 SAT exam, SAT and College Preparation Course for the Christian Student (1998) as well as A Language Arts Critical Thinking Literary series, American and World History Unit Studies, and two new book, Fire that Burns but Does not Consume: Devotions for Thoughtful Christians (2003) and A Companion to 50 Classics (2004). Jim and Karen reside in Hollsopple, PA.
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Karen Stobaugh Sessions
Karen Stobaugh
View sessions by Karen Stobaugh
Jim Weiss Sessions
Jim Weiss has been a storyteller for over thirty-two years. Under the Greathall Productions label, he has produced thirty-two story telling recordings with such enticing titles as King Arthur, Greek Myths and Sherlock Holmes. Jim's recording have received noted recognition from homeschooling reviewers such as Mary Pride, Cathy Duffy, Karen Duffy, Karen Andreola, Greenleaf Press and Homeschooling Today, as well as fifty national awards from The American Library Association, Parents' Choice Foundation and the Film Advisory Board and others. Jim travels extensively across the United States doing home and public school performances/workshops, community performances and teacher/parent workshops. He has performed at the White House Easter event and starred in and hosted a PBS storytelling pilot that won a Northern California Emmy Award for Best Children's show.
Delnora Williams Sessions
Delnora Williams is a single parent of five children, ages eleven to twenty, and has homeschooled from the birth of her eldest, who is now a junior at Bryan College in Dayton, TN. She has been teaching math, science, English and history to other homeschooled students for seven years as well as administering achievement tests for homeschooling families. Delnora is currently the owner and administrator of Dayspring Tutorials, which offers classes in a variety of subjects to homeschooled high schoolers, helping to equip the next generation. She is also the bookkeeper for a local real estate company. Delnora received a B.A. in English with college honors from the University of Washington in Seattle, where she managed a pathology research lab before having children. Her latest challenge is to keep up with her children as they backpack together.
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Hal Young Sessions
Hal Young is a former president of NCHE and served ten years on the board of directors. Hal works from home as a contract engineer and sales manager for his family's importing company. He is also a contributing editor for Carolina Journal and writes on educational policy, family issues and American culture. He and his wife, Melanie, have been married twenty-two years; their seven children have been homeschooled from the beginning and their oldest is graduating this year. They live in Smithfield and attend South Smithfield Baptist Church, where Hal assists in the teaching ministry.
Melanie Young Sessions
Melanie Young has homeschooled her seven children (six boys and a girl) from the beginning and will graduate her oldest son this year. Melanie has a degree in biology and graduate study in education; she and her husband, Hal, have been married twenty-two years and served ten years on NCHE's board of directors. She is also testing director for Johnston County Home Educators and a board certified lactation consultant. Melanie has published several articles on homeschooling topics and is a popular speaker and consultant for support groups and homeschooling conferences.
