2025 Youth Conference

Come Home
Click Here to Apply for the Essay Scholarship Competition!

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

Youth Conference Price:

 

$30

 

Register now

  Get a 20% registration discount for groups of five or more adults and/or youth!

Group Registration

Speakers & Schedule

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

HOmeschool Grad

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. 
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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.

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David Gorham

David Gorham

Instructor

David began training martial arts when he was 18, with a mixture of submission wrestling and striking. He came to Colossal Fight Company (formerly Precision Jiu Jitsu) in 2009, and greatly enjoyed the depth of technique and challenge that gi training offered. David has competed in kickboxing, judo, jiu-jitsu, …

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Kenzie Gorham

Kenzie Gorham

Instructor

Kenzie has been training in martial arts since she started judo at four. She earned a black belt in Shorin Ryu karate as a teenager, and began training jiu jitsu during college, mostly doing no-gi. Kenzie moved to Idaho in 2009, and started training with 

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Cami Taysom

Cami Taysom

RN, CEN, CPEN

Cami Taysom, RN, CEN, CPEN balances running Caribou Yurt B&B with working as an Emergency Room nurse and Diabetes Educator at Portneuf Medical Center along with volunteering for the Pebble Creek Ski Patrol. Her time priorities include grandkids and friends, mountain biking, rock climbing, backcountry skiing, and hiking trails with her dogs. She considers teaching Wilderness Medicine for NOLS one of her most fulfilling and rewarding activities, as she enjoys building relationships with other like-minded folks who are committed to helping others and choose healthy outdoor adventure as a way of life.

Joey Mascio

Joey Mascio

Motivational speaker

Joey Mascio is a comedian, motivational speaker, certified coach, and former middle school teacher who helps teens with self-confidence, social skills, and goals. He earned a Masters in Education, was a Disneyland character actor, and is frequently in the weekend cast at ComedySportz in Provo, Utah.

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LANCE TAYSOM

LANCE TAYSOM

RN, CEN, CFRN, EMT-P

Lance Taysom, RN, CEN, CFRN, EMT-P recently retired as a Flight Nurse/Paramedic for Air Idaho Rescue. He is currently teaching Wilderness Medicine for NOLS and working with EMS providers of all levels, teaching outdoor survival skills and developing wilderness patient-care protocols for outdoor schools and guiding companies. Lance has spent several climbing seasons volunteering as a High Altitude Ranger on Denali and currently volunteers for the Pebble Creek Ski Patrol. Lance enjoys building projects in remote locations and helping Cami with the Caribou Yurt.

Aaron and Shannalee Hansen

Aaron and Shannalee Hansen

Dance Instructors

Get ready to swing with Aaron and Shannalee Hansen! This energetic couple, homeschooling parents to ten incredible children, will be sharing their love of swing dancing. Aaron and Shannalee’s story began on the track and cross-country fields of Idaho State University. Aaron graduated in business and international commerce, and Shannalee graduated with her Bachelors & Masters in Biology. They married and began their family early on and were blessed with their two oldest before living in Uruguay where they completed more of their education! In addition to their family adventures, they run a merchant services business, and Shannalee is a certified group fitness instructor and certified life coach. Their family life is a vibrant mix of adventure, faith, and shared experiences, from camping and backpacking to running, soccer, and managing their family Airbnb and farm, and above all else working as servants of Jesus Christ. In their swing dance class, Aaron and Shannalee will teach more than just steps; they’ll share the principles of connection, teamwork, and synergistic movement that make dancing a truly enriching and lasting experience. Discover how these principles can enhance your life beyond the dance floor and bring the party to every dance!

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 Duffin - Dating 101: Creating friendships and planning awesome experiences Julie Lopez —Owning your educationCassie—Why writing matters
4:30 - 5:30pmNephi—what’s next after HSScott Porter—Social Success: A Teen's Guide to Making Friends
7:00pm - 9:00pm Musical extravaganza and dance

Day 2/ Date

TimeClass AClass BClass C
9:00am - 10:00am Leah Stoddard - Christ-Centered Home: Education Resources and PrinciplesJoey Mascio - Sidekick to Hero
10:15 - 11:15amGames
11:30am - 12:30pmWilford—Surviving the teenage yearsPaul Bastian—Do hard things!Breann Duffin - Its all Up to You: Getting the Most out of your Homeschool Experience
12:30 - 2:00pmBreak for Lunch
2:00 - 3:00pmLance and Cami Taysom—wilderness survivalRebecca—ServiceSelf defense David and Kenzie Gorham
3:15 - 4:15pmWilford Hester—Acting: Who Do You Want to Be?Bill and RaNae McKee - Anxiety, Depression, and FearJoey Mascio—Get stuff done and have more fun (Stop procrastinating)
4:30 - 4:45 pm Scholarship Awards and Vendor give-aways
4:45-5:45pmClosing Keynote - Tatiana Fallon - SuffEDcated: How American's Education system in destroying our Democracy and your role in fixing it
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.

Keynote: Come Home
It seems like every time we watch or read content related to education, we hear how bad the American Education system is doing. We spend more than any other country in the world educating our children but sit well down the list on education metrics. It is sad that even when we know exactly how we will be tested, we still can’t get it right, and that completely ignores the very real problem that we face with trying to educate our children for a world that is changing at an unprecedented pace. What are we really trying to prepare our kids for, and how can we do it better, with less resources, than any other system? Come home and start figuring it out for your family.

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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.

ADULT CLASS:
Lifeworthy Curriculum: Choosing and Creating Curriculum That is Worthy of Your Child’s Future

With just a few clicks, we have access to an immense amount of collected learning from great minds throughout the centuries. No curriculum can include all the information that has required unspeakable sacrifices to obtain. Many educational entities have dug through this vast amount of information and created standards for the masses. As homeschoolers, we have the unique opportunity to separate ourselves from the masses and tailor curriculum to our individual children and what is worthy of their precious time. Come explore how to choose or create a manageable curriculum that prepares your child for whatever the future has in store for them. Using her technical expertise in curriculum, twenty years of experience in education, and her adventures homeschooling her six children, Breann will guide you on how to create a homeschool that is truly lifeworthy.

TEEN CLASS
Dating 101: Creating Friendships and Planning Awesome Experiences

Attention all youth! There is an activity that, if engaged in wisely, can help you become a better student, a stellar business owner, a contributing community member, the best future mother/father/spouse you can possibly be, and an overall better person. This activity can be so much fun and provide you hours of laughs and good times but be prepared to learn how to handle failure and resolve conflict during its down times. As you plan, prepare, and carry out this activity, you will learn to be selfless, know with more assurance what you want in your future, and develop valuable social skills. Have you guessed this important activity yet? It is dating! Dating 101 will help you learn how to get the most out of your dating experiences and we will have loads of fun testing out date ideas.

TEEN CLASS
It’s All Up to You: Getting the Most Out of Your Homeschool Experience

If your job was to manage the learning experience at You, Incorporated., would you get a raise or would you get fired? You are, in fact, the CEO of You, Incorporated., which makes you responsible for the growth in your homeschool experience. The best CEOs for growth typically possess qualities like visionary thinking, strong strategic mindset, adaptability to change, excellent communication skills, decisiveness, resilience, a focus on innovation, the ability to inspire teams, and a deep understanding of market trends; guiding their companies towards sustainable growth. This class will show you how to take these proven qualities of successful CEOs to get the most out of your homeschool.

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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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Rosie Christman

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. She loves to mentor youth and adults, help heal hearts and families, and use her gifts and talents to bless others and further the Lord’s work here on earth. She comes from a yours-mine-and-ours family with 21 kids. She has lived in poverty-stricken Bolivia, helping people learn to read, garden, build adobe huts, and embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ. As a family, they have raised pigs, dairy goats, chickens, Guinea hens, rabbits, turkeys, ducks, geese, sheep, an orphaned cow, dogs, and cats. They have also raised all sorts of crops for personal use and also to sell at farmer’s markets. They love hunting and processing their own meat, canning food, making cheese, fermenting foods, making home-made vinegar, and more! They have a business called the Homestead Institute where they teach people to be self-reliant, improve their emotional and physical health, and live off the land. Rosie loves people, life, and learning and her love for the Lord motivates her in all she does.

Power of Words

You know the old adage: “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me?” That simply isn’t true. Words have power that few people realize. They can tear down or build up. What if you could improve your homeschooling experience with just one word? I am here to tell you, you can!!! There is power in words! They carry energy with them and can transform the energy of a person, a room, an experience! Learn words you can eliminate from your vocabulary and the powerful words to add to it to completely change the energy in you, your home, your students, and your whole homeschool experience!

Engaging Reluctant Learners
Do you have kids who are struggling with school? Maybe they feel dumb, feel bored, feel distant or distracted. Maybe they’re just tired of the grind…. Come and learns some awesome tips and tricks to bring the love of learning back to your homeschool experience and create an environment that you and your child will both enjoy and even look forward to learning together!

 

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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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David Gorham

David began training martial arts when he was 18, with a mixture of submission wrestling and striking. He came to Colossal Fight Company (formerly Precision Jiu Jitsu) in 2009, and greatly enjoyed the depth of technique and challenge that gi training offered. David has competed in kickboxing, judo, jiu-jitsu, submission grappling, and mixed martial arts, and believes in consistently testing your skills in a competition venue. He has also competed in professional invitationals as a highlighted athlete. His drive to train others is supported by his methodical and detailed approach to teaching. David has gone from white belt to black belt in the Pedro Sauer association, which he is extremely proud of. Outside of jiu-jitsu, David is a financial planner, and seeks to train at other academies when he travels.

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Kenzie Gorham

Kenzie has been training in martial arts since she started judo at four. She earned a black belt in Shorin Ryu karate as a teenager, and began training jiu jitsu during college, mostly doing no-gi. Kenzie moved to Idaho in 2009, and started training with John Ralph, Heath Ivers, Jeremy Shive and others at Precision Jiu Jitsu and continued in the PSBJJ association when Precision transitioned to Colossal Fight Company. Kenzie is now a brown belt in the Pedro Sauer association, and is an instructor with the Elizabeth Smart Foundation Smart Defense program. Kenzie also volunteers as an Ambassador with the We Defy Foundation supporting veterans in jiu jitsu. She enjoys the mental challenge that jiu jitsu requires, and the very real way it teaches youth (and adults!) not to judge someone’s skills by their looks or size.

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Joey Mascio

Joey Mascio is a comedian, motivational speaker, certified coach, and former middle school teacher who helps teens with self-confidence, social skills, and goals. He earned a Masters in Education, was a Disneyland character actor, and is frequently in the weekend cast at ComedySportz in Provo, Utah. During his seven years as a middle school teacher, he volunteered to be the teacher in the discipline office. His principal thought he was crazy (and she wasn’t entirely wrong). That’s where he started coaching teens on confidence, social skills, and goals. He started his own private coaching practice and left teaching to pursue it full time in 2021. He is the creator of the gamified resilience training app for teens, Sidekick to Hero. He and his wife live in Salem, Utah where they are homeschooling parents to their four children.

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