2025 Homeschool Convention

Convention Schedule

Thursday, April 10

New to Homeschool Night with Kirk Smith – 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

To Homeschool or Not to Homeschool, That Is the Question

This special FREE event is for new and first year homeschoolers. There will be a time for interaction and questions.

Vendor Hall Shopping – 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

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Friday, April 11

Registration – 8:30 a.m.

Keynote: Steve Demme – 9 to 10:15 a.m. in the Sanctuary

Loving Your Family as God Has Loved Us - Jesus calls us to love others as He has loved us. Instead of loving others as we want to be loved, we are called to love each other as we have been loved. This dynamic bears wonderful fruit in family relationships as we focus our attention on Jesus and His heart for us.

• CPR & First Aid with Diane Wier – All Day | $60 per student | 9 student max per day (Ages 12+)

Vendor Hall Opens – 10 a.m.

Session 1: Friday – 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

• Steve Demme – From Crisis to Christ, the Journey of a Husband & Father
• Andrew Pudewa – Principles of Motivation
• Will Estrada – Homeschooling & the History of Parental Rights
• Kathie Morrisey – Training Character into Your Children
• Pamela Gates – Identifying & Correcting Blocked Learning Gates
• Andi Eliott – Homeschool Planning: Roadmapping & Minimum Viable Day
• Carla Estell – Dinosaurs & Ancient Man (youth)
• Terri Gambetti – Painting the Masters: Picasso | $20 per student | 20 student max

Lunch – 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Session 2: Friday – 1 to 2 p.m.

• Steve Demme – Home Education or School at Home?
• Andrew Pudewa – Hacking High School: Rethinking the Teen Years
• Will Estrada – CPS Investigations & Your Family: How to Protect Your Family
• Kathie Morrisey – Staying on Track: How to Get it All Done
• Pamela Gates – Teaching the Right Brain Child
• Aimee Eucee – End Overwhelm: Making Homeschooling Simple & Fun
• Dr. Amy Moore – 5 Pillars of ADHD (via video) with Q&A
• Carla Estell – Animals of Africa (youth)
• Sheryl Kaiser – American Sign Language Class | $10 per student | 15 student max (Ages 12+)
• Terri Gambetti – Painting the Masters: Picasso (repeat) | $20 per student | 20 student max

Session 3: Friday – 3 to 4 p.m.

• Steve Demme – Math You See & Understand
• Andrew Pudewa – Power Tips for Improving Teaching & Learning at Home
• Kirk Smith – The Seduction of Socialization
• Will Estrada – Confessions of a Homeschool Dad
• Kathie Morrisey – 10 Things Every Homeschooler Should Remember
• Pamela Gates – Smart Kids Who Hate to Write
• Carla Estell – Mount St. Helens (youth & adults)
• Amie Eucee – Why Teaching Boys to Read & Spell Is Different Than Teaching Girls
• Sheryl Kaiser – American Sign Language Class (repeat) |$10 per student | 15 student max (Ages 12+)
• Terri Gambetti – Painting the Masters: Picasso (repeat) | $20 per student | 20 student max

Vendor Hall Closes – 5 p.m.

Pizza Dinner – 5 to 6 p.m.

Movie Night! – 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Family Camp – In this faith-based comedy, when two polar-opposite families are forced to camp together, the dads struggle to hold onto their families and marriages as they compete for the coveted camp trophy.

 

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Saturday, April 12

Registration – 8:30 a.m.

Keynote: Andrew Pudewa – 9 to 10:15 a.m. in the Sanctuary

Preparing for Persecution – A Curriculum Proposal – In the future is it imaginable that freedom of speech and freedom of religion could be suppressed where we live? History indicates so. Andrew discusses ways to prepare for such a contingency, which may include persecution and even martyrdom. He also explains how to cultivate necessary virtues without sparking burdensome fears. Although this is not a pleasant subject to contemplate, it is an important one.

• CPR & First Aid with Diane Wier (repeat) – All Day | $60 per student | 9 student max per day (Ages 12+)

Vendor Hall Opens – 10 a.m.

Session 4: Saturday – 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

• Steve Demme – Family Worship U-See
• Andrew Pudewa – The IEW Method of Teaching
• Will Estrada – Homeschooling in Illinois
• Pamela Gates – Training the Photographic Memory
• Paul Maitland – Boys Need Books: Reaching the Mind & Spirit of Boys with Books
• James Cox – TBD
• Aimee Eucee – Learning to Read and Spell SHOULD be FUN
• Chris Solaas – Rexx & Jester: Homeschool & Friendship (puppet show & creative writing class)
• Terri Gambetti – Painting the Masters: Bob Ross | $20 per student | 20 student max
• Allen Brokken – Joke Telling Workshop (Part 1 of 2)

Lunch – 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Session 5: Saturday – 1 to 2 p.m.

• Steve Demme – Be Fruitful & Multiply (& Divide)
• Andrew Pudewa – Nurturing Competent Communicators
• Kirk Smith – The Power of Joy in the Homeschooling Journey
• Will Estrada – Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
• Kathie Morrisey – Managing Multi-Level Teaching
• Pamela Gates – The Biology of Behavior
• Andi Eliott – Starting a Business with Your Kids (of All Ages)
• Chris Solaas – Rexx & Jester: Fear & Faith (puppet show & crafts)
• Terri Gambetti – Painting the Masters: Bob Ross (repeat) | $20 per student | 20 student max
• Allen Brokken – Joke Telling Workshop (Part 2 of 2)

Session 6: Saturday – 3 to 4 p.m.

• Steve Demme – Developing the Habit of Daily Bible Reading & Prayer
• Andrew Pudewa – Why You Need Superpowers & How to Get Them
• Kathie Morrisey – Dealing with a Difficult Child
• Pamela Gates – Auditory Processing & Memory
• Andi Elliot – Life Skills: What Are They? Why Are They Important?
• Carla Estell – Reading & Math Helps
• CIBAD Speech Team – Inform! Entertain! Inspire!
• Terri Gambetti – Painting the Masters: Bob Ross (repeat) | $20 per student | 20 student max

Vendor Hall Closes – 4 p.m.

Keynote: Will Estrada – 4 to 5 a.m. in the Sanctuary

Winners Announced, Song & Prayer

Our State of the Union – “I’m from the government, and I’m here to protect you.” In this talk, Will discusses a looming threat to homeschool families: the Coalition for Responsible Home Education’s new model bill, Make Homeschooling Safe Act. Will discusses the history of homeschool freedom, the Coalition for Responsible Home Education, this new model bill and the worldview behind it, and how this bill would affect your family and homeschool freedom. Will closes with how homeschoolers can prepare to defend their freedom in the months ahead.

Convention Ends – 5 p.m.