Keynote Speakers

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Deb Chitwood
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Deb’s Session: Following God Through Life’s Twists, Turns, and Miracles

Deb Chitwood grew up on a farm 40 miles from Little Town on the Prairie, went to a country church as a child, and was raised by loving parents who recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Deb attributes God’s help and the positive family values she was raised with as primarily responsible for two of her proudest accomplishments: a happy marriage of 37 years and homeschooling two children through high school. She and her husband, Terry, have focused their lives on following God’s direction and have passed that same focus on to their children. Their 22- and 27-year-old children were both international figure-skating medalists and received bachelor’s degrees with straight A’s. They are now happily married and successful in their own careers.

God led Deb to become a certified Montessori teacher, Montessori school owner in the 1980s, and certified Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and Godly Play instructor. God even led her across the ocean to get her M.A. degree in Early Childhood Studies from Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England. Deb was the author of a children’s book, The Magic Ring, published in 1983 about following God and using your unique talents. She blogs mainly at Living Montessori Now and Raising Figure Skaters. Her eBook, Montessori Education at Home or School: How to Teach Grace and Courtesy, is scheduled for publication in early 2013.
You can connect with Deb on Twitter, Living Montessori Now Facebook page, Raising Figure Skaters Facebook Page, Spring Snow Publications Facebook Page, Google+, and Pinterest, where she enjoys sharing ideas and encouragement to help parents in their own homeschooling and blogging journeys.

Rachael Carman
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Rachael’s Session: How to Die to Yourself and Live to Tell About It

Rachael Carman is a wife and mother, and she is passionate about both roles. She and Davis have been married twenty-five years, and have been blessed with seven children ranging in age from 9 to 22. Her journey into homeschooling included a bumpy start, but she is 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.

Since 2002, Rachael has been on the board of North Carolinians for Home Education. A year later, she started Real Refreshment Retreats for homeschool moms. In 2005, she had the privilege of authoring a book for Focus on the Family entitled Soundbites from Heaven—What God Wants Us to Hear When We Talk to Our Kids.

The most recent step in her journey has been to enter the world of homeschool curriculum publishing. In June 2008, Rachael and Davis became the new owners of Apologia Educational Ministries. God has given them a vision to expand the ministry of Apologia by bringing the moms’ retreat under its umbrella. Apologia held its first Real Refreshment Retreat in Baltimore in 2009; and the retreat has expanded to other locations, including Chicago, Austin, Atlanta, and Big Lake, Alaska. Her ultimate goal, and the Apologia mission, is to help homeschool families learn, live, and defend the Christian faith.

Rachael’s latest book, How to Have A H.E.A.R.T. for Your Kids, is published by Apologia. She has enjoyed speaking and encouraging homeschool groups for over fifteen years. It is her heart’s desire to become all God has planned for her to be for His glory. She loves challenging others to dare living in reckless, obedient faith. 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!

Rebecca Keliher
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2013Rebecca
Rebecca’s Session: Conquering the Tyranny of the Urgent

Scot and Rebecca Keliher are the founders of Home Educating Family Publishing, but more importantly, parents to five unique, humorous, and fun-to-hang-with kids. With three girls in the lead and two boys following close behind, life in the Keliherd is never boring. As a graduate of homeschooling and daughter of homeschooling pioneers Ron Scarlata and Robin Scarlata Sampson, Rebecca transitioned with ease from mother of preschoolers to official title of Homeschool Mom, roughly ten years ago. Today she teaches her crew, in grades ranging from 3rd – 10th, with a mix of Charlotte Mason and Classical books. When polled, her children unanimously choose Mom-Reading-Out-Loud as their favorite school subject.

Zan Tyler
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Zan’s session: Raising Children to be Intentional Christians in a “Whatever” World

Zan Tyler and her husband, Joe, homeschooled each of their three children from kindergarten through high school, for a total of twenty-one years. When she began homeschooling in 1984, she was threatened with jail by the South Carolina State Superintendent of Education. After prolonged legal battles for the rights of her family and homeschoolers in her state, Zan founded the South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools (SCAIHS) in 1990 and served as its president for ten years. She has been honored as the South Carolina Homemaker of the Year, and in 1998 the governor awarded her the Order of the Palmetto, the highest South Carolina honor a civilian can receive. She has appeared on NBC’s Today Show with Katie Couric.

Zan is the director of Apologia Press, where her goal is to support homeschooling parents by bringing them the very best authors and biblically sound resources. A longtime speaker, writer, and homeschooling advocate, she derives deep joy from speaking to and encouraging homeschooling parents across the country and around the globe. Zan says, “After speaking at a conference in Japan, I spent time with a mother who said, ‘You gave me strength because you gave me Christ.’ My heart soared because my greatest desire is to give parents a sustainable vision for raising their children for Christ while providing them the very best education.”
Zan has served as the National Grassroots Director for ParentalRights.org. The author of 7 Tools for Cultivating Your Child’s Potential, she is also a popular columnist. Her articles appear in a variety of online and print publications, including HSLDA’s Court Report. Zan is also the South Carolina Ambassador for the Home School Foundation, a ministry dedicated to helping homeschool families in need.
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