2025 Youth Conference

"Come Home"

Friday – Saturday, 17-18 January 2025

Youth ages 11 (turning 12 in 2025) through 18 are invited to come connect and make friends with other East Idaho homeschool kids. We will learn together through inspiring and engaging classes, play fun team-building games, do a service project, and party the night away at a family dance.

Idaho State University Pond Student Union Building Pocatello Idaho

Register here

Speakers

This years speaker line up will not disappoint!  We are very excited about those who are coming to share their experience and knowledge with us.

Nephi Zufelt

Nephi Zufelt

Entrepeneur

Nephi Zufelt is a servant of Christ; Elizabeth’s devoted husband; Zoe, Ainsley, Keller, Melina, and Stratton’s homeschooling father; world traveler; and a wannabe church basketball star. 

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Wilford Hester

Wilford Hester

Home School Dad

Wilford Hester grew up homeschooled and absolutely loved it. He also loves reading, writing, and music–piano is his main instrument, but he also plays cello and guitar. 

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Cassie Keller Cole

Cassie Keller Cole

Home School Mom

Cassie Keller Cole teaches and mothers eight children. She and her husband have been home educating for eight years. Cassie has an MFA in creative writing from BYU and taught courses there for almost five years.

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Breann Duffin

Breann Duffin

Homeschooler

Does her family always eat their daily veggies? Nope. Is her house a pristine canvas able to welcome guests at any moment? Also a negative.

 

 

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Julie Lopez

Julie Lopez

Home Educator

Julie Lopez is a homeschooling veteran of 23 years. She has loved every minute and is fighting being placed into forced retirement, as most of her children have graduated and moved on, by helping others on their journeys.

 

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Rosie Christman

Rosie Christman

Homeschool Mom

A homeschool mother of 8 with a degree in social work, Rosie worked with infants, toddlers, and adult mental health until she received a promotion and became a full time stay-at-home-mom, which is the hardest, yet most rewarding work she’s ever done.

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Tatiana Fallon

Tatiana Fallon

Mentor

Tatiana Fallon was homeschooled her whole life, well almost, she told her mom at age five after four months of kindergarten she would not go back to school. She struggles with dyslexia and did not learn to read until she was twelve. She started teaching at age fourteen. 

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Paul Bastian

Paul Bastian

Paul Bastian 
Is from Washoe Valley near Reno NV.  
Growing up Paul spent his free time exploring the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. 
By the time he was 11 surviving for a week at a time, on his own, in the mountain wilderness with water, pocket knife, hook, string and flint, became the norm. 
Learn more...
Scott Porter

Scott Porter

Scott Porter is a dedicated homeschool dad to four awesome kids, married to his dream girl of 18 years. During the day, Scott gets to teach seminary, which is his dream job.

Learn more...

Schedule

Idaho State University Pond Student Union Building Pocatello Idaho

Click here for a map of the student union building classrooms

Day 1/ Date

TimeKeynote - Nephi Zufelt Class BClass C
9:00am - 10:00amKeynote - Nephi Zufelt
10:15 - 11:15amGames
11:30am - 12:30pmRosie Christman
The Power of Words		Tatiana Fallon -
To Thine Own Self Be True		Nephi Zufelt -
Be an Entrepreneur
12:30 - 2:00pmLunch Break
2:00 - 3:00pmShannalee—swing danceRebecca—Service
3:15 - 4:15pmBreann DuffinJulie Lopez —Owning your educationCassie—Why writing matters
4:30 - 5:30pmNephi—what’s next after HSIan CoxScott Porter—"how to win friends
and influence people” of a sort
7:00pm - 9:00pm Musical extravaganza and dance

Day 2/ Date

TimeClass AClass BClass C
9:00am - 10:00am Keynote: Leah Stoddard-Constitution
10:15 - 11:15amGames
11:30am - 12:30pmWilford—Surviving the teenage yearsPaul Bastian—Do hard things!Breann Duffin
12:30 - 2:00pmBreak for Lunch
2:00 - 3:00pmWilford Hester—actingRebecca—ServiceSelf defense
3:15 - 4:15pmLance and Cami Taysom—wilderness survivalMcKee's - Healthy RelationshipsJoey?—Get stuff done and have more fun (Stop procrastinating)
4:30 - 5:30pmClosing Keynote - Tatiana Fallon - SuffEDcated
NEPHI ZUFELT
Nephi is a servant of Christ; Elizabeth’s devoted husband; Zoe, Ainsley, Keller, Melina, and Stratton’s homeschooling father; world traveler; and a wannabe church basketball star. In his free time from these important roles, he is the CEO of NexTek Innovations (a medical device incubator), entrepreneur, founder and president of Wealth Mentality Families, author of 2 best-selling books (Katie Bell and the Wishing Well; A Story of Finding True Wealth and The Big Startup Guidebook for Kids), and keynote speaker.
Nephi grew up in the beautiful landscape of Moab, Utah and graduated from Utah State with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a M.S. in Biomedical Engineering and MBA from the University of Tennessee. He has spent 10 years working his way into the C-Suite at a medical device manufacturing company only to turn around and leave it all for the uncertainty of startups and entrepreneurship so he could spend time doing what was most important to him; raising his family.
Nephi still enjoys the process of innovation and creation in the world of medical devices but finds his true passion in teaching and helping families to find their true purpose and create the life they desire. He teaches parents and youth how to avoid falling into the traps of worldliness and consumption while also pursuing true wealth in the correct way to be used in the service of others.
Dads, We Need You
Target Audience: Adults (Fathers and others)
Description: The world has a Dad problem. Study after study demonstrate the dire effects of fatherlessness on society. Crime rate, sexual immorality, success in school, drug use, lifetime earnings, and every other measure of success are drastically different between families that have a father in the home and those that do not. Dads, we need you in the lives of your children. We need you home more often. We need you engaged with your family. We need you to be spending quality time with them, and we need you to take the leadership role in homeschooling. In this class we will talk about the importance of your role as a father and how you can arrange your life to better fulfill your dream job, being the World’s Best Dad.
Being Creators in a Consumption World
Target Audience: Youth and adults
Description: We live in a world of consumption where it is commonplace to sit and consume hours and hours of content (Netflix, video games, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) every single day. As a society, we are losing our ability to create and produce because of our tendency to consume. This class is not intended to teach you how to avoid consumption through screens and social media. Instead, we want to focus on teaching ways that you can change your usage of modern technology from consumption to creation. The tools we have been given are amazing, but we absolutely must use them to create and produce in lieu of using them as tools of consumption. We will discuss strategies to change our use of technology and introduce the production/consumption ratio.
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Wilford Hester

Wilford Hester grew up homeschooled and absolutely loved it. He also loves reading, writing, and music–piano is his main instrument, but he also plays cello and guitar. He comes from a family of 11, and was born and raised in North Carolina. When he grows up, he wants to be someone who can make a difference in the world.

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Cassie Keller Cole

Cassie Keller Cole teaches and mothers eight children. She and her husband have been home educating for eight years. Cassie has an MFA in creative writing from BYU and taught courses there for almost five years. She loves learning. She is endlessly curious about how communication works (or doesn’t) and how to improve it. She trusts in the power of language and knows that each person has an essential story to share.

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Breann Duffin

Does her family always eat their daily veggies? Nope. Is her house a pristine canvas able to welcome guests at any moment? Also a negative. Sometimes as her six children, ranging from preschool to high school, pass by her, she wonders if their fashion inspiration came from a Dr. Suess book with tassels of hair flailing, mismatched socks, no shoes, and the constant reminder to brush their teeth. Sacrifices had to be made as Breann Duffin grinded to learn everything she could about how to educate in a superhuman way. She has earned two Bachelor’s Degrees from Brigham Young University-Idaho. The first in Agriculture and the second in Secondary Education; certificates in Agriculture and All Sciences. She earned her Master’s Degree in Education in Curriculum Design and Instruction with an emphasis in Learning Design and Technology from Purdue University. She added her Elementary Education certificate after she finished her master’s degree. Over the last twenty years, she has taught all levels, PreK through 12th grade, and also has a decade of experience in teaching at the university and adult levels. She has trained teachers from all over the nation, built a thriving music studio of fifty students, started and directed a PreK-12th grade youth softball program in her community, sang her heart out as the lead in the community musicals, served as the president of her town’s Arts Council, and has built the curriculum for and mentored three IDX STEAM teams who all won first place in Idaho.  She did all this as she was doing the most important work of homeschooling and nurturing her family. Her most valuable experiences have come through the constant introspection of her family’s character, their level of motivation and diligence, and the educational methodologies used in their homeschool. She is honored to be amongst other beautiful individuals at this conference as we learn to develop strengths that make us secretly superhuman.

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Meet Julie

Julie Lopez is a homeschooling veteran of 23 years. She has loved every minute and is fighting being placed into forced retirement, as most of her children have graduated and moved on, by helping others on their journeys. She has opened her own micro-schooling program, MAPLE Scholars, this fall, still teaches at the local co-op, and enjoys discussing homeschooling and mentoring every opportunity she has.

Her older children are on missions and attending college with merit scholarships- all in their own interests. She has used a variety of methods to homeschool all the way through highschool and is a strong believer that these years can be some of the best and most rewarding of all.

Julie started what is now called the “Quest” homeschool co-op 11 years ago with some friends and a lot of advice from those that went before (because what better way is there to learn?). She has taught the 12-18 year olds for all 11 of those years. Her classes have been varied including: Shakespeare, History, Biology, Videography, Mock trial, Government, Leadership, Robotics, Simulations, Speech and writing. She has also directed 6 Shakespeare plays and run multiple youth trips and other opportunities for the youth. Her favorite saying is: “It’s not about the play, it’s about the kids.”

In her spare time, she loves reading all kinds of books, spending time with family(especially her 1 year old grandaughter), serving on the board of the ARRE Foundation, dreaming up new ideas for special needs schools and supports, and diving into medical research to help find answers for her beautiful younger daughter who has some severe special needs.

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Tatiana Fallon

Tatiana Fallon was homeschooled her whole life, well almost. She told her mom at age five after four months of kindergarten she would not go back to school. She struggles with dyslexia and did not learn to read until she was twelve. She started teaching at age fourteen. She is the creator of the LEMI Key of Liberty Project and the Sword of Freedom project. She has traveled around the United States speaking and training. She has been mentoring homeschooling parents for over 20 years. She worked as a citizen lobbyist from age 15-21 and has been striving to serve her country any way she can. She is now homeschooling her 4 children, two of whom also struggle with dyslexia. She has lived in Riga Latvia, Virginia, Utah and now calls Louisville Kentucky her home.

YOUTH Class
“To thine own self be true” Find your own powerful sense of self in the chaos of world today.
Discover how timeless classics like Shakespeare and Little Women can inspire a strong sense of self and leadership. This engaging presentation invites youth to explore themes of individuality, resilience, and character through literature. By connecting with the struggles and triumphs of iconic characters, students will learn to embrace their unique strengths, make confident choices, and become leaders among their peers. Join us for an enriching journey into the power of classic stories to shape modern lives!
ADULT Classes
Start out homeschooling on the right foot by failing fast.
Starting your homeschool journey can feel overwhelming, but with the right foundation, it can be a rewarding adventure! This presentation is designed for homeschool moms just beginning their journey. We’ll explore five crucial questions every homeschool parent should ask themselves to set their homeschool up for success. Learn how to balance the dual roles of parent and educator, discover practical resources, and develop systems that bring structure and harmony to your home. Join us for this empowering session and leave equipped with the tools and confidence to create a thriving homeschool environment!
Homeschooling in the Age of AI: Preparing Your Children for the Future
In a rapidly evolving world shaped by artificial intelligence, how can homeschool parents prepare their children for the future? This presentation explores the impact of AI on education and society, offering practical strategies to equip students with essential skills. We’ll discuss fostering critical thinking, creativity, and adaptability—qualities that set humans apart in an AI-driven landscape. Parents will learn how to incorporate AI tools into their homeschool curriculum responsibly, teaching their children to use technology ethically and effectively. Empower your family to thrive in a world where AI is transforming the way we learn, work, and live!
SuffEDcated: How American’s Education system is destroying our Democracy and your role in fixing it
We live in unsettling times and we have been told many times that our democracy is at stake. Is it and if so what can you do to save it? Here are 5 key principles you can implement into your homeschool if you want to raise children who will keep our democracy around for the next generation. Following the life of founding mother Elisabeth Willing Powell and her example we will learn how to save our Democracy.
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Meet Paul
Paul Bastian is from Washoe Valley near Reno NV.  Growing up Paul spent his free time exploring the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.
By the time he was 11, surviving for a week at a time, on his own, in the mountain wilderness with water, pocket knife, hook, string and flint, became the norm.
After Paul graduated from high school, lacking in funds for further education, was determined not to have any loan debt.
Working full time while going to school shaped his values to eventually give him the ability to successfully own and manage his own business.
Jobs he had during that time are:
Digging ditches, carrying cement for brick layers, roofing, delivering floors, shoveling cow manure, mining in a gold mine, maintenance for apartment complexes, Navy Commission Corp of Engineers.
Paul’s completed education consists of Bachelors in Civil Engineering, with a minor in Physics, Chemistry and Math and a Masters in Geotechnical Engineering.
Paul has worked for numerous Engineering firms. He Progressed to advanced Management and owning Partnership, then decided to start his own Geotechnical Engineering Company, Xcell Engineering, in 2006.
Paul is licensed in 8 States to practice as a professional engineer.
Pauls work history includes top secret Government Projects, NASA, Clean water design systems for Oil rigs all over the world, hydro electric dams, Formaldehyde and polyacetal plants, and Nuclear waste storage facilities.
Usually his job entails designing infrastructure including keeping the earth safe from toxic waste.
Within Pocatello and outlying communities, there are very few areas that have not been designed or tested by Xcell Engineering in development.
Paul’s motto is
“Nobody’s coming to help…it’s up to you”
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Scott Porter

Scott Porter is a dedicated homeschool dad to four awesome kids, married to his dream girl of 18 years. During the day, Scott gets to teach seminary, which is his dream job. Scott cherishes family time and is always up for an adventure. Whether traveling to new places, mountain biking, skiing, or exploring the great outdoors, he loves creating unforgettable memories with his family. With a passion for teaching and a zest for life, Scott brings enthusiasm and heart to everything he does.

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