HSC Conference 2019: Full Schedule

HSC Conference 2019

5:30pm PDT

Teen Meet and Greet Game

Feel awkward because you don't know anyone yet? Can't remember that person's name? Join us for a fun Meet & Greet Game! There are 3 Meet & Greet Games during the conference because we all know how easy it is to forget that interesting person's name even when we wish we had remembered it!

Speakers

Rebecca Gonzales Lawler

Thursday August 8, 2019 5:30pm - 6:30pm PDT
Silicon Valley

Games & Gameschooling

Suggested Age Range Teens

5:30pm PDT

Teenspace 2019

Teenspace: A place designed with teenagers in mind! The Teenspace is a lounge, a refuge, a social space for teens to hangout and connect with friends old and new. Daily “Meet & Greet” events, Foosball, Evening Bingo, Games, and space to hang out with your friends are here. Feel free to drop in between sessions, or anytime, and if you are brave enough, take a stab at our 1000 piece puzzle. Watch for times and special events, as well.
Open until midnight Thursday & Friday, and 1:00 am on Saturday!

Speakers

Rebecca Gonzales Lawler

Thursday August 8, 2019 5:30pm - Friday August 9, 2019 12:00am PDT
Silicon Valley

Suggested Age Range Teens

7:00pm PDT

Santa Monica, Who?

Cowabunga dudes! Wear your swimsuits under your beach wear cuz we’ll end up at the pool after this gnarly dance. Be there, or be square.

Speakers

TCC

TCC is the Teen Conference Committee. We are responsible for planning the Teen Events throughout Conference. Check out our Instagram to learn more @2022teenconference. If you’re interested in joining TCC or volunteering for TCC, please email us at tcc@hsc.org or talk to a TCC member... Read More →

Thursday August 8, 2019 7:00pm - 9:00pm PDT
Cedar

Special Event

Suggested Age Range Teens

8:45pm PDT

HSC Talks

Borrowing from the inspiring TED Talks, we are again organizing our very own HSC Talks at this year's conference! Our community is full of passionate, inspired people, and we want to hear what you have to say. Each presenter will have seven minutes to dazzle the audience with their big ideas, awesome projects, or personal triumph. We want to hear your voice. No slide shows or power points, just you on stage sharing what sparks your heart with the audience.

The only thing that could make a free exchange of ideas and inspiration sweeter is dessert, so that's what we'll serve alongside your inspiring words!

Speakers

Alexx Souter

Board Member, HSC

Alexx is a 24-year-old unschooled graduate from Southern California with a passion for enacting positive change in the world. Alexx has worked with HSC as a Teen Conference Committee member and coordinator and helped to spearhead our Young Adult Conference Program. They teach about... Read More →

Thursday August 8, 2019 8:45pm - 10:30pm PDT
Oak

Special Event

Suggested Age Range Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

9:00pm PDT

Santa Monica, Who? Get Wet!

What up? Come catch a wave in the pool with us at this totally tubular pool party! Be there, or be square.

Speakers

TCC

Thursday August 8, 2019 9:00pm - 10:30pm PDT
Pool

Special Event

Suggested Age Range Teens

8:00am PDT

New to Conference meet-up

First HSC Conference? Overwhelmed by all of the AWESOME? Join Conference Coordinator Jocelyn Cooper for a brief orientation and some tips to get the most out of Conference. We will meet by the fireplace in the lobby at 8am.

Speakers

Jocelyn Cooper

Conference Coordinator, HSC

Friday August 9, 2019 8:00am - 8:30am PDT
Lobby

New Homeschooler

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Kids, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

9:00am PDT

HSC Podcast!

Returning by popular demand, HSC podcast is back in town! Join us for a round-table discussion of HSC conference, teen lifestyle, bad jokes, and any other topics you bring to the table! This event is a GREAT ICEBREAKER for any new attendees, so make sure to drop by!

Speakers

C Oldham

Patrick Lawler

Hey y’all! It’s Patrick. I’m an 18 year old concurrent enrollment student, I’ve been homeschooled most of my life and I’ve been on TCC since BEFORE we had dances with Ben Jammin (yes! There are people still alive from all the way back then!).Besides that, I love my friends... Read More →

Friday August 9, 2019 9:00am - 10:45am PDT
San Martin

Creative Arts

Suggested Age Range Teens

9:00am PDT

Zen Zone

Need a quiet place to reset? This small but mighty room is for you.

Please respect the needs of others. If you are ready for more activity and noise, step out, so that others may regroup.

Friday August 9, 2019 9:00am - 5:00pm PDT
Capitola

Suggested Age Range Adults, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults, Children

9:00am PDT

Epic Play Space

Come bounce, build, and PLAY under the big top in this year's Epic Play Space! This is a giant space for big games, our giant inflatable obstacle course, the Construction Zone, giant balls and more!

Note: The EPS is not intended to provide child care. Please plan to stay and play with your kids!

Speakers

Teresa Carver

Friday August 9, 2019 9:00am - 5:00pm PDT
Sierra & Cascade

Active/Movement

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

9:00am PDT

Craft Zone

Children yearn for inspiration and self-expression. Bring them to the Craft Zone, a welcoming space for our younger attendees. They'll find child-friendly crafts, colorful activities, and room to experiment. The Craft Zone is the perfect place to color, glue, create, decorate...bring your creative energy and dig into a beautiful array of craft supplies!

Speakers

Laurie Gracia-Alikhan

Friday August 9, 2019 9:00am - 5:00pm PDT
Sierra & Cascade

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Children, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

9:00am PDT

Fiberland

Speakers

Fiber Maven

Friday August 9, 2019 9:00am - 5:00pm PDT
San Juan

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

9:00am PDT

Makerspace

Come tinker and build new skills in our wonderful makerspace! Learn how to use tools and materials to build and hack projects and get expert advice from mentors on how to dream big and create big at home! Scheduled workshops will be offered throughout the day, or simply drop in and start making.

Speakers

Jodie Fillhardt

Friday August 9, 2019 9:00am - 5:00pm PDT
San Jose

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Kids, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

9:00am PDT

Game Deck

Come check out the expanded Game Deck. The game deck has always been a nice spot to get away and relax, but now it is even better. Come play our new cooperative games, or slaughter your friend at chess; participate in a Magic Tournament, or line up dominos and make them fall down; or just enjoy a quiet game. Regardless of what is scheduled, you can still put your feet up and play any game of your choice. Or make up your own game—rules are made to be broken.

Speakers

Michelle McNeill

Mom to an always unschooled 14 year old, game designer, urban homesteader, beekeeper, and all around nerd.

Andrea Schrimp

Andrea is an always unschooling mom to three wild, awesome kids. She is also a professional computer geek. In the highly unusual event that she has free time, she likes to drink fancy chai, take naps, read post-apocalyptic fiction, and bake, not necessarily in that order.

Friday August 9, 2019 9:00am - 5:00pm PDT
Santa Clara

Games & Gameschooling

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

9:00am PDT

Teenspace 2019

Speakers

Rebecca Gonzales Lawler

Friday August 9, 2019 9:00am - Saturday August 10, 2019 12:00am PDT
Silicon Valley

Suggested Age Range Teens

9:30am PDT

How to raise an Adult

Based on her New York Times bestselling book by the same name, in this talk Julie draws on her own insights as a mother and as a student dean to highlight the ways in which overparenting harms children, their stressed-out parents, and society at large. While empathizing with the parental hopes and, especially, fears that lead to overhelping, Julie inspires audiences to examine their behaviors and join the growing movement to allow children to develop the resourcefulness, resilience, and inner determination necessary for success.

Speakers

Julie Lythcott-Haims

Friday August 9, 2019 9:30am - 10:40am PDT
Oak

Parenting

Suggested Age Range Adults, Grandparents, Young Adults, Teens, Tweens

9:30am PDT

Mixed Media Flower Workshop

Many materials are used to make beautiful flower arrangement. Paper, cloth, felt, tissue - lots of imagination and crafting with beautiful arrangements to take home at the end of the workshop.

Speakers

Nyree

Friday August 9, 2019 9:30am - 10:45am PDT
Sierra & Cascade

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Children, Adults, Grandparents, Kids, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

9:30am PDT

LARGE ART: The Power of Breaking Free of Drawing and Coloring In The Lines.

Interactive workshop by Cesar Becerra: Historian, Author, Artist and self-proclaimed Rebel. This workshop will cover Large Scale Installation With A Message, beginning with how to inspire students to “step outside the mold” and be artistic rebels. Across the country, artists have been pushing the envelope outside the contained and measured walls of galleries and museums.
Contemporary Art and Kamikaze Art are both happening and your students can attack it too! Big emphasis will be placed on constructing with recycled or free materials and the elasticity of Andy Warhol’s famed quote “Art is what you can get away with!”

Speakers

Cesar Alejandro Becerra

Friday August 9, 2019 9:30am - 10:45am PDT
Pine

Creative Arts

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Kids, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

9:30am PDT

Harry Potter Trivia & Games

Harry Potter fans unite and have fun! We'll have a trivia contest, play a Who Am I guessing game and more.

Speakers

Luke Kee

Luke has been unschooling for nine years, leaving school after second grade. He's passionate about Star Wars, engineering, cars and learning what he wants. He's now studying auto mechanics at community college.

Friday August 9, 2019 9:30am - 10:45am PDT
Fir

Games & Gameschooling

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Kids, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

10:30am PDT

Bracelet and ID Tag Creation

Create a one of a kind bracelet that reveals an expression of self. We'll have an array of inspirational ideas and a variety of found and repurposed materials on hand for you to create your bracelet.

Speakers

Susan Miller

Friday August 9, 2019 10:30am - 11:45am PDT
San Jose

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

11:00am PDT

Book Signing -- Julie Lythcott-Haims, How to Raise an Adult

Join Julie as she personalizes your copy of How to Raise an Adult. If you don't have a copy with you, they will be for sale at our conference book store for your convenience.

Speakers

Julie Lythcott-Haims

Friday August 9, 2019 11:00am - 11:30am PDT
City Foyer

Book Signing

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

11:00am PDT

Hints, Tips, Tricks, and Hacks -- How Homeschooler Can Learn to Cost-Effectively Travel the World

A 50 Minute workshop which will immerse all attendees in everything that The Destinator himself (Lalika Kaponay 17, Worldschooler), learned and uses day-to-day in his business to provide people with the most cost-effective and convenient modes of travel. Nothing will be held back here. In 50 minutes you will learn all you need to know to navigate the maze of resources you can tap into to find cost-effective ways to travel the world. As a family of four, the Kaponays have lived and travelled the world on less than $25K a year, and the Destinator, will share with you how you too can experience this.

Speakers

Lalika Kaponay

Friday August 9, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm PDT
Carmel

Education Theory & Homeschool Methods

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Kids, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

11:00am PDT

Project-Based Learning: Creating a Modern Education of Curiosity, Innovation and Impact

Project-based learning is a profound learning methodology that applies knowledge and skills to real-world problems, questions, and challenges. Project-based learning creates a partnership between parent and child, as they journey through the process of planning, learning, documenting, and presenting tangible outcomes for personal and social impact. Join Samantha Matalone Cook, MAT, for this informative, hands-on workshop/talk based on their new book that will cover everything from the inspirational “why” through the practical “how-to”, empowering you to begin using project-based learning in your home education!

Speakers

Samantha Matalone Cook MAT

Samantha Matalone Cook, MAT, is a history and humanities educator, writer, and maker. She has almost three decades of experience in education, program development, and the arts and has worked with both small and large organizations to create educational programming that centers... Read More →

Friday August 9, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm PDT
San Martin

Education Theory & Homeschool Methods

Suggested Age Range Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

11:00am PDT

Teen Opening

Come celebrate the start of conference by playing games, reconnecting with old friends, and meeting new people at the annual Teen Conference opening! The Assassin game will be explained, and Assassin cards will be distributed at this event! Be there, or be square!

Speakers

TCC

Friday August 9, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm PDT
Cedar

Special Event

Suggested Age Range Teens

12:00pm PDT

HSC Teen Scavenger Hunt

You’ll need a sharp eye and quick wits to compete for glory in the HSC Scavenger hunt. The hunt will take you to all ends of HSC conference and show you the best we have to offer, so this is a GREAT way for New Attendees to tour conference!

Speakers

TCC

Patrick Lawler

Friday August 9, 2019 12:00pm - 12:15pm PDT
Cedar

Active/Movement

Suggested Age Range Teens

12:00pm PDT

California-based Roadschoolers and Worldschoolers Meetup

Speakers

Lisa Betts-LaCroix

Lisa Betts-LaCroix is a speaker, actor, podcaster and dancer. A champion of radical educational reform, Lisa Betts-LaCroix co-founded of a network of 350+ San Francisco Bay area families who independently educate their children outside of traditional school; the group sets new precedents... Read More →

Linda Maepa

MaryAnne Kochenderfer

Friday August 9, 2019 12:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Chardonnay

Meetup

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

12:30pm PDT

Homeschool 101

New to homeschooling? You are not alone! Every year thousands of families in California make the same choice to take learning outside of the schoolhouse. Families turn to homeschooling for a variety of reasons, intending to follow a multitude of paths. HSC supports them all! Homeschooling in California encompasses enrollment in public independent study programs through districts or charter schools, enrollment in private school satellite programs, and establishing your own private school. This session will discuss all these legal options for homeschooling. HSC maintains a list of parent-driven homeschool support groups by county to help you find local support. We also offer a website full of resources, several annual campouts, online communities, phone support, and of course the awesome annual conference. Session host Stephanie Hood will help answer any questions you have about HSC, homeschooling in CA, socialization, transitioning out of full-time school, preparation for college, or any other topics that concern you. Welcome to homeschooling and the freedom it brings!

Speakers

Stephanie Hood

Friday August 9, 2019 12:30pm - 1:45pm PDT
Monterey

New Homeschooler

Suggested Age Range Adults, Grandparents, Teens, Young Adults

12:30pm PDT

Homeschool 101 en Español

Eres nueva en educando tus hijos/as en el hogar? No estás sola/o! Todos los años miles de familias en California toman la decision de educar sus hijos/as en el hogar. Familias deciden educar los hijos/as en el hogar por varias razones y siguiendo diferentes caminos, los cuales HSC apoya! Educando los hijos/as en el hogar en California tiene varias formas: hay programas independiente públicos dirigidos por los varios distritos o escuelas de charter, programas satélites de escuelas privadas, o estableciendo su propia escuela privada. En éste taller hablaremos de todas las opciones legales para educar los hijos/as en el hogar. Compartiremos información sobre grupos de apoyo dirigidos por padres en los varios condados de California, ofreceremos recursos, hablaremos sobre socialización juvenil y otros recursos que provee HSC como comunidades por el internet, apoyo por teléfono, y por su puesto la conferencia anual. El taller estará dirigido por Edith Guillén-Núñez, una abogada y terapeuta que educa sus dos hijas (16 años y 10 años) en el hogar. Edith le responderá a preguntas sobre los tópicos mencionados además sobre la preparación para la Universidad y otros tópicos que les interesa. Bienvenidos a la educación de nuestros hijos/as en el hogar y a la libertad que esto les trae.

Speakers

Edith Guillen-Nunez

Friday August 9, 2019 12:30pm - 1:45pm PDT
San Simeon

New Homeschooler

Suggested Age Range Adults, Grandparents, Teens, Young Adults

12:30pm PDT

STI Risk Reduction and Pregnancy Prevention

In this fast-paced workshop we'll cover the basics of STI prevention/treatment, and all the FDA-approved methods of pregnancy prevention. Our model is based on risk-reduction (not abstinence). Participant questions welcome!

Speakers

Melina Winterton

Melina received her Masters in Public Health from Eastern Virginia Medical School and has been teaching students of all ages about sex and drugs for over 20 years. She is also a veteran homeschooling parents, with two full grown, content kids.

Friday August 9, 2019 12:30pm - 1:45pm PDT
San Martin

Wellness

Suggested Age Range Teens, Young Adults

12:30pm PDT

Parenting Patois Exploring liberation language in our parenting with Akilah S. Richards

What is patois? Patois is a term used to describe a blending of languages used to establish shared meaning and mutual understanding among people who do not speak each other’s primary language. In our context together, we will explore what it means to partner with children to make space to learn about their needs, and to express our own, without trying to force understanding upon our child, or to become passive as we attempt to ease tension by trying to fit ourselves into what we think will make children happy. Adults are bilingual; we speak oppression by training and we speak liberation by choice. This workshop will help you hold space to realize how many of us arrived at a parenting approach that centers parental controls (performance arts and power-over), and then to discover how we can get to collaborative, emergent, culture co-creation with our children.

Speakers

Akilah Richards

Akilah S. Richards is a writer, an unschooling organizer and podcaster, and a founding board member of The Alliance for Self-Directed Education. She is the primary voice behind Raising Free People Network, a community-oriented project that uses various media and training to challenge... Read More →

Friday August 9, 2019 12:30pm - 2:00pm PDT
Oak

Parenting

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Kids, Tweens, Young Adults

1:00pm PDT

Marble Roller Coasters

Speakers

Dr. Lynne Adler

Friday August 9, 2019 1:00pm - 2:15pm PDT
San Jose

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

2:00pm PDT

Teen Meet and Greet Game

Speakers

Rebecca Gonzales Lawler

Friday August 9, 2019 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Silicon Valley

Games & Gameschooling

Suggested Age Range Teens

2:00pm PDT

Screenprinting!

Back by popular demand, join Samantha in learning how screens are made and printed! Bring your own t-shirt, bag, or fabric and choose from a selection of popular characters and homeschool quips to screenprint!

Speakers

Samantha Matalone Cook MAT

Friday August 9, 2019 2:00pm - 3:15pm PDT
San Jose

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Kids, Tweens, Young Adults, Teens

2:00pm PDT

Queer Basics and Coming Out: You're Not Alone

Topics covered will include Gender Identity and Sexuality, Coming out: How To, is it safe? and when to, rights and access to confidential medical services as a minor, risk reduction, and community resources.

Speakers

Tyler Bennett

Hello everyone, I am a gay cis-gendered male (he/him) living in Berkeley, California. I am a community college student working toward degrees in Public Health and Social work. I am passionate about education and advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community and look forward to meeting you al... Read More →

Friday August 9, 2019 2:00pm - 3:15pm PDT
San Martin

Wellness

Suggested Age Range Tweens, Teens, Young Adults

2:00pm PDT

Writer's workshop Series 1

Join author Elana K. Arnold for a two-day workshop. Together, we will play with story. You are welcome to come to one or both sessions. Fill your creative well with a series of writing activities, insight, and conversations. All are welcome.

Speakers

Elana Arnold

Elana K. Arnold is the author of many books for and about children and teens. Elana’s books have been listed on numerous best lists and earned many awards, including a Printz honor, a National Book Award finalist citation, a Westchester Fiction Award, the Golden Kite Award, and... Read More →

Friday August 9, 2019 2:00pm - 3:15pm PDT
Carmel

Writing & Language Arts

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults, Kids

2:00pm PDT

Teen Improv Games

One hour of improv games. Improv is a form of acting in which there's no script and no planned scenes. No experience necessary!

Speakers

Remy Foley-Voosen

Friday August 9, 2019 2:00pm - 3:30pm PDT
Fir

Active/Movement

Suggested Age Range Teens

2:00pm PDT

Bizarre Bazaar

What do you get when you smash the Artisan Craft Fair, the Recycled Resources Fair, and the Local Groups Fair into one grand space? It's the Bizarre Bazaar!

Join us Friday afternoon for a marketplace where attendees are encouraged to display and sell their arts, crafts and gently used resources (books, computer/board games, puzzles, dvds, etc...) Please tag all of your own items and staff your space while you are selling.

Those with services for sale (henna, face painting, fortune telling, etc...) and friendly performers with musical or magical talents are encouraged to join in the fun and contribute to the Renaissance Faire atmosphere! However, due to hotel regulations, please, no food sales.

Finally, come find your people! Local groups will have an opportunity to host a table and promote their groups. Mingle with others and find local people for park days, classes, field trips and more. Local groups are welcome to bring an item or basket to donate to the HSC Raffle.

For those selling arts/crafts/recycled resources: Set-up begins at 1:45 p.m. and tables are available on a first-come, first-served basis. HSC will not staff nor collect items for this event nor collect any proceeds from sales. During the last half hour, we ask that all remaining sellers consider offering their items for free.

Friday August 9, 2019 2:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Siskiyou & Donner

Special Event

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Kids, Tweens, Young Adults

2:30pm PDT

How In-the-Moment, Inspiration-Led Learning Transformed Our Lives

This presentation is about interest led learning, and challenging accepted homeschooling and world schooling conventions. It’s about not being afraid of being unique in an already unique crowd. It’s about not doing what everyone else is doing and rather, to the contrary, investing in the experiences that are going to make your children more flexible, dynamic and adaptable in an already drastically changing world. With interest led learning, learn what you can achieve together as family when you don’t allow fear and convention to hold you back.

The Kaponay family has been traveling the world for eight years, across 45 countries on 6 continents. But while they are now seasoned travellers, living what many of their old friends and family consider to be an extremely polarising lifestyle, when they stepped onto that first plane that would commence their international travels, all they had were four backpacks, each other, and a deep, unrelenting passion for inspiration-led, in-the-moment learning. Not wanting to allow societal norms to dictate the life they wanted to live together as a family, they forged an ongoing journey of discovery that fundamentally challenged every idea of what they once considered learning to be.

George will take you on this journey of both challenging and illuminating experiences that started with their children’s very early traditional schooling, a journey that now, at the end of their children’s formal schooling years, has completely integrated the family's desire for continuous learning and development into their daily lives, creating numerous integrated and dynamic projects; successful family ventures inspired by their passions, which now fund their world travels.

This wildly nonconventional journey has seen their daughter become a published author, one of the world’s youngest published authors at age 14 and their son a successful entrepreneur, by developing his passions for learning and transforming them it into his professional pursuit.

George will share his family story and give insight into how learning doesn’t need to stop, but rather can transform when your children reach adult age, into an ongoing journey you can all take together...One that will challenge you to question what you consider the boundaries of learning to be.

Speakers

George Kaponay

Friday August 9, 2019 2:30pm - 3:45pm PDT
Oak

Education Theory & Homeschool Methods

Suggested Age Range Adults, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults, Grandparents

3:00pm PDT

Camp AC

Sick of all those pesky mosquito bites and sunburns? Then come on down to Camp AC! Join one of four cabins to play active camp games, win prizes, and compete for victory.

Speakers

TCC

Friday August 9, 2019 3:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
Pine

Special Event

Suggested Age Range Children, Kids, Teens, Tweens

3:30pm PDT

Practical Matters for Teens

Some transitions into adulthood must be handled differently for homeschooled teens compared to their traditionally schooled peers. This workshop will explore these topics: Work Permits, Driver’s Education, California High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE), diplomas and transcripts, community college dual enrollment, applying directly to university after homeschooling, graduation and celebration!

Speakers

Stephanie Hood

Friday August 9, 2019 3:30pm - 4:45pm PDT
Monterey

Careers & College

Suggested Age Range Teens, Adults, Grandparents

3:30pm PDT

Fairy Lanterns

Make magical fairy lanterns in any color imaginable with upcycled jars, tissue paper and your own imaginations. Create your own glowing lamp and summon fairies to your dreams (or bedroom or garden) with it.

Speakers

Rennie Gregoryck & Andrea Schrimp

Friday August 9, 2019 3:30pm - 4:45pm PDT
San Simeon

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Children, Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Grandparents, Adults

3:30pm PDT

Googlicious - Putting Google Apps to work for your homeschool

Are you mystified by technology? Do you want to learn how to use Google Apps to keep your crazy homeschool life organized? Would you like Google to do the grading for you? Are you tired of using pen and paper to keep track of events, grades, etc.? Does even the thought of typing out and essay exhaust you? Do you want to be able to keep a digital portfolio of all your amazing work? Would you love to learn how to make your own website? Then this session is for you! Come learn all of the above and more! All that Google has to offer kids, young adults, and parents presented to you by a homeschool mom who is a Certified Google Educator and has learned to adapt classroom tools to homeschool situations! You will leave this session with an incredible amount of tools and resources to rock your homeschool! While devices (phones, iPads, Laptops) are not necessary, to maximize your learning in this session they are most welcome!

Speakers

Shauna Anderson

Friday August 9, 2019 3:30pm - 4:45pm PDT
Carmel

Education Theory & Homeschool Methods

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Kids, Tweens, Young Adults

3:30pm PDT

Homeschooling 411 and Beyond

How to do everything homeschooling that is not traditional school work.

Speakers

Hannah Rosenthal

Hannah Rosenthal, a mother of two teens (18,14), was born in Israel, and came as an adult to the states. She was unschooling during her high school years (without her parents agreement).After teaching a special photography class at different LAUSD schools, she figured that with all... Read More →

Friday August 9, 2019 3:30pm - 4:45pm PDT
San Martin

Education Theory & Homeschool Methods

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

3:30pm PDT

D&D Character Creation Workshop

We will go through the basics of creating your own Dungeons and Dragons character. We will go over race, class, how to roll stats, and even discuss the complicated looking skill box on the character sheet. Every one who attends will get help creating their own D&D character that they can use to play in any future D&D campaign (including the Dungeon Crawl that Lexy is also running at the con, if they want).

Attendees need to be independent readers and able to do simple math.

Limit 10 attendees for one on one help, but others are welcome to hang out and watch.

Speakers

Lexy Gregoryck

Friday August 9, 2019 3:30pm - 4:45pm PDT
Santa Clara

Games & Gameschooling

Suggested Age Range Tweens, Teens, Young Adults

4:00pm PDT

Microscope Mischief (Making Slides for Microscopes)

Speakers

Navanita

Friday August 9, 2019 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
San Jose

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

4:00pm PDT

Talking about Race and Racism: A Frank Discussion

The idea of race has a difficult and complex history, especially here in the US.
It has been used for centuries to categorize, reward, and penalize people based on perceived differences.
And despite often being misguidedly defined by skin tone and other physical attributes, race has no genetic basis but this powerful social construction has a tremendous impact on individuals’ lives because it is often employed to establish and maintain privilege and power dynamics.
Even the definitions of race and racism are themselves a product of racism's long and conflicted history in our society.
So with all of that in mind, how does one go about having a dialogue about this important topic?
By coming to this informative and lively discussion!
This talk will discuss Race and Racism and how it impacts us all, especially us as Un/Homeschoolers.
Please come with your questions, concerns and solutions as we navigate this very important topic. All are Welcome.

Speakers

Erika Davis-Pitre

Board President, HSC

Erika Davis-Pitre and her husband Michael have 4 children - one daughter (43) and three sons (39, 37 & 29). They also have two sons-in-law, two daughters-in-law and two grandsons(15 & 7).She and her husband live in San Francisco and Erika became Co-President of HSC four years ago... Read More →

Friday August 9, 2019 4:00pm - 5:45pm PDT
Fir

Diversity Inclusion & Social Justice

Suggested Age Range Adults, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

5:00pm PDT

SAT, ACT, AP exams -- oh my! Standardized Test Preparation for Homeschooled Students

Preparing for standardized tests -- like the SAT, ACT, and AP exams -- can be a daunting prospect for homeschooled students and their families. In this workshop we will help you navigate the test-taking maze by demystifying these exams (particularly the SAT and ACT which have both changed significantly in recent years), identify great resources to help students prepare for these important tests, and help families develop timelines for what to take and when.

Speakers

Jared Greene

I am Senior Director at AJ Tutoring, the Bay Area's leading provider of customized & flexible 1-on-1 academic and test preparation tutoring. AJ Tutoring works with a significant number of homeschooled children to help them enhance their mastery of school subjects and tackle standardized... Read More →

Friday August 9, 2019 5:00pm - 6:15pm PDT
Monterey

Careers & College

Suggested Age Range Teens, Tweens, Adults, Grandparents

5:00pm PDT

Using Video Games for Educational Applications

This talk will focus on how to use common video games as part of your kids' homeschooling experience. We'll focus on both traditional core education subjects like history, math, etc and other topics like social learning, philosophy, critical thinking, and more.

Speakers

Victoria Khaze

Victoria Khaze’s passion for business and children lead her to create Money Munchkids; a children’s financial education company. She has over seven years in business, four in marketing, over 15 years as a child care professional and 12 as a sister. She utilized both her own experience... Read More →

Friday August 9, 2019 5:00pm - 6:15pm PDT
Carmel

Education Theory & Homeschool Methods

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Kids, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

5:30pm PDT

Teen Workshop: Managing Money

It is important for our teens to learn about money management before they go out on their own and have to handle expenses, are offered credit cards, and so on. Rob will show them how to get started early to make their money work for them and get set up for a financially secure future! Most people wait too long and don’t know what to do and where to begin. I'll help your teens get the knowledge that we didn’t have so they can make the right decisions along the way.

Speakers

Rob Endres

Rob Endres is an Investment Advisor for Stonebrook Capital Management and he is also an insurance agent for Dimond Bros Insurance, but more importantly, he’s an unschooling dad to two boys, Brady 29 and Jonathan 25. Rob has also taught classes at Urban Homeschoolers in Los Angeles... Read More →

Friday August 9, 2019 5:30pm - 6:30pm PDT
Silicon Valley

Life Transitions & Adulting

Suggested Age Range Teens

6:30pm PDT

Tubbin'

Come talk, relax, and meet new friends at this hot tubbin' experience!

Speakers

Max Arnold

hey, i'm max. i like tubbin.

Friday August 9, 2019 6:30pm - 7:30pm PDT
Hot Tub

Special Event

Suggested Age Range Teens

6:30pm PDT

Movie Screening of Self-Taught

A movie screening of my new film Self-Taught: Life Stories From Self-Directed Learners

Speakers

Jeremy Stuart

Jeremy’s involvement in the television and film industry has spanned over 25 years. As an editor he has worked on hundreds of music videos, commercials, and corporate projects, as well as award winning documentaries and short films for clients such as Lucasfilm, Dolby Laboratories... Read More →

Friday August 9, 2019 6:30pm - 8:30pm PDT
Oak

Education Theory & Homeschool Methods

Suggested Age Range Adults, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

7:00pm PDT

LGBTQ Reception

You are invited to the LGBTQ reception. Let's meet, greet, and take pride in being together!

Speakers

Alexx Souter

Board Member, HSC

Friday August 9, 2019 7:00pm - 8:00pm PDT
San Simeon

Special Event

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Kids, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

7:30pm PDT

Gamers' Lounge

Join us for free range gaming in a communal space. Bring your laptops/ iPads and games -- all ages welcome. You're welcome to bring game platforms like PS3 or Xbox (we'll have a projector available). Parents of young children must stay. All games welcome, including but not limited to Minecraft, WOW, LOL, Team Fortress 2, etc. Join us for a digital, awesome, gamingly good time!

Speakers

Carl Eliot Nelson

Carl Nelson is an aspiring lighting designer and lover of the theatrical arts who wants to spread the knowledge of what goes on behind the scenes of the shows we all know and love

Friday August 9, 2019 7:30pm - 10:00pm PDT
Monterey

Games & Gameschooling

Suggested Age Range Tweens, Teens, Children, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

8:00pm PDT

Banana Tag

Run around and have fun. Bring friends and make new ones.

Speakers

Tera Clare

Tera is the crazy cat lady of active games and passions. She loves respectfully facilitating fun for kids and teens, watching them get involved and solve problems. She got started when her own kinesthetic, unschooling son needed more active things to do at conference.

Friday August 9, 2019 8:00pm - 8:50pm PDT
Pine

Active/Movement

Suggested Age Range Children, Teens, Tweens

8:00pm PDT

Not Your Ordinary Bingo!

Yes, it's not your ordinary Bingo! Come see what it's all about!

Speakers

Rebecca Gonzales Lawler

Friday August 9, 2019 8:00pm - 9:00pm PDT
Silicon Valley

Games & Gameschooling

Suggested Age Range Teens

8:00pm PDT

A Night in New Vegas

Are you tired of aimlessly wandering the wasteland? Join us for a night of high stakes, low odds, and few serious injuries at this post-apocalyptic casino night. Be there...or be square.

Speakers

TCC

Friday August 9, 2019 8:00pm - 11:00pm PDT
Cedar

Special Event

Suggested Age Range Teens

8:00am PDT

Movement & Mindfulness

Let's get curious about our embodied experience through Hatha Flow Yoga (slower paced than Vinyasa Flow) as a movement meditation. Invite yourself to land in the body, breath, head, & heart through basic sun salutations, standing, seated, inverted and resting poses. Eunice will lead you through a well rounded sequence of asanas (poses) for about thirty minutes in preparation for 15 to 20 minute meditation (seated, standing, or lying down). Previous experience with yoga, mindfulness, meditation or movement is awesome but not necessary! Please bring two or three towels as props to use. Open to all ages!

Speakers

Eunice Young Kim

As a kid in New Jersey, Eunice discovered yoga via PBS during the 1990’s. While living in New York, the sudden death of her mother in 2000 and the events of nine eleven were turning points that jump started a deeper dive into asking what she might want from this life. Some of the... Read More →

Saturday August 10, 2019 8:00am - 9:15am PDT
Pine

Active/Movement

Suggested Age Range Children, Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

9:00am PDT

Pokemon Trading Card Game Meetup

A Meetup for all things Pokemon TCG! Card trading and game play, we have some loaner decks if you are new.

Speakers

Andrea Schrimp

Michelle McNeill

Mom to an always unschooled 14 year old, game designer, urban homesteader, beekeeper, and all around nerd.

Saturday August 10, 2019 9:00am - 10:00am PDT
Santa Clara

Games & Gameschooling

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

9:00am PDT

Zen Zone

Need a quiet place to reset? This small but mighty room is for you.

Please respect the needs of others. If you are ready for more activity and noise, step out, so that others may regroup.

Saturday August 10, 2019 9:00am - 5:00pm PDT
Capitola

Suggested Age Range Adults, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults, Children

9:00am PDT

Epic Play Space

Speakers

Teresa Carver

Saturday August 10, 2019 9:00am - 5:00pm PDT
Sierra & Cascade

Active/Movement

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

9:00am PDT

Craft Zone

Speakers

Laurie Gracia-Alikhan

Saturday August 10, 2019 9:00am - 5:00pm PDT
Sierra & Cascade

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Children, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

9:00am PDT

Fiberland

Speakers

Fiber Maven

Saturday August 10, 2019 9:00am - 5:00pm PDT
San Juan

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

9:00am PDT

Makerspace

Come tinker and build new skills in our fabulous makerspace! Learn how to use tools and materials to build and hack projects and get expert advice from mentors on how to dream big and create big at home! Scheduled workshops will be offered throughout the day, or simply drop in and start making.

Speakers

Jodie Fillhardt

Saturday August 10, 2019 9:00am - 5:00pm PDT
San Jose

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Kids, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

9:00am PDT

Game Deck

Speakers

Michelle McNeill

Mom to an always unschooled 14 year old, game designer, urban homesteader, beekeeper, and all around nerd.

Andrea Schrimp

Saturday August 10, 2019 9:00am - 5:00pm PDT
Santa Clara

Games & Gameschooling

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

9:00am PDT

Teenspace 2019

Speakers

Rebecca Gonzales Lawler

Saturday August 10, 2019 9:00am - Sunday August 11, 2019 1:00am PDT
Silicon Valley

Suggested Age Range Teens

9:30am PDT

Real American

Julie Lythcott-Haims came up through brand name schools and entered the corporate world, all the while feeling a desperate need to prove that as a Black woman she had what it would take to succeed. In this moving and insightful talk, Julie turns her journey from self loathing to self love into practical recommendations about how to create an environment in which all humans can thrive. Her candid and incisive commentary on our broken system opens hearts and inspires action.

Speakers

Julie Lythcott-Haims

Saturday August 10, 2019 9:30am - 10:40am PDT
Oak

Diversity Inclusion & Social Justice

Suggested Age Range Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

9:30am PDT

Frankinstuffies

Frankinstuffies are stuffed animals that you make out of all kinds of different stuffed animal parts. Whether you make a turtle body with a cat head and monkey arms to a cow teletubby. it's up to you! And the best part is you get to keep your new creation! so come and make something! To parents of younger kids, We suggest that you come and supervise because we will have needles and hot glue guns. We will try our best to keep an eye on things but we don't want to take any chances.

Speakers

Katherine Lawler

Lindsey LoBue

Saturday August 10, 2019 9:30am - 10:45am PDT
San Juan

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Children, Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

9:30am PDT

Re-thinking adulting: Partnership not Power in Support of Self-Directed Education

What is the optimal role of adults in children’s lives today? If we are too controlling, too present, we risk creating a learned helplessness and limiting or reversing growth of innate and critical human capacities. Yet if we pull back too much, and say “anything goes”, we risk another set of problems.

In this workshop, we will explore two key areas to rethink adulting:

Principles and practices we can use as teachers and parents to maintain strong connection with youth while respecting their right to self-direction and freedom, and;

The deconditioning we need to do to shed ingrained societal assumptions and norms about the roles and rights of adults and children in our communities.

Speakers

Aaron Eden

Saturday August 10, 2019 9:30am - 10:45am PDT
Carmel

Parenting

Suggested Age Range Adults, Grandparents, Young Adults, Teens

9:30am PDT

Easy Self-Help Acupressure to Expand Learning and Thriving

Are you ready to discover how you can easily increase focus, self-confidence, and happiness??

In this workshop, participants will gain tools to encourage learning and living in an effortless way. Self-directed education is more easily accomplished when mindfulness, self-empowerment, and creativity are accessible to the learner, regardless of age.

A happy, dynamic environment is of major importance to facilitate learning. And that environment starts with discovering how to be a partner with your own body and program it to experience health and wellness. The techniques we choose for self-care work best when they are easy to do, simple to follow, time efficient, and have successful outcomes. Above all, we need to feel empowered that we can actually make a difference in our own health and wellbeing.

Self-help acupressure (lightly touching energy balance points) is a technique that can create that successful outcome, and it can be used by people of all ages. When the body experiences energetic balance and harmony, we can make a difference – physically, mentally and emotionally. Whether 3 years old or 93 years old, the body appreciates knowing breath, health and ease. And, there is nothing better than teaching children at a very early age that they can truly be partners with their own bodies.

In this workshop, both youth and adults will learn how to easily create:
Increased attention span
Increased clarity and focus
Reduced anxiety and stress
Pleasant learning experiences
Balanced emotions
Improved performance in sports and creative activities
Improved health, including letting go of chronic conditions like headaches
Increased self-confidence and mindfulness

A daily practice of self-help acupressure can create an environment in which children can be more carefree, happy and productive. It’s an easy way to give your children an edge in both academic and nonacademic endeavors, and it’s a great tool for parents. You’ll leave this workshop knowing how to experience consistent ease and calm, increased self-confidence, a boosted immune system, and a new sense of vitality. You’ll leave with a handout that will allow you to easily learn the acupressure poses and do the “work” throughout your day.

Speakers

Deborah Myers

Saturday August 10, 2019 9:30am - 10:45am PDT
San Martin

Wellness

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

10:00am PDT

Teen & Young Adult LGBT+ Meetup

Come and meet other members of the LGBT+ community in a safe and welcoming space!
This is meant for young members of the LGBT+ community to give an empowering space to queer youth voices though discussion and community.

Speakers

C Oldham

Saturday August 10, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Chardonnay

Meetup

Suggested Age Range Teens, Young Adults

10:00am PDT

Hand Sewn Pocket Purses

Speakers

Susan Miller

Saturday August 10, 2019 10:00am - 11:15am PDT
San Jose

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

10:00am PDT

Exhibit Hall 10:00 AM-6:00 PM

Be sure to visit our Exhibit Hall, open Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The Exhibit Hall is free to the general public both days and is the perfect place to find inspiration and resources for your next homeschooling year! The Exhibit Hall will be bursting with vendors including books, games, charter schools, toys, and tech items! There is a full schedule of demonstrations, activities and presentations happening INSIDE this special space, so be sure to wander through and spend some quality time with our generous exhibitors.

Speakers

Heidi Locicero

Saturday August 10, 2019 10:00am - 6:00pm PDT
Siskiyou & Donner

Special Event

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

11:00am PDT

Book Signing -- Julie Lythcott-Haims, Real American

Join Julie as she personalizes your copy of Real American. If you don't have a copy with you, they will be for sale at our conference book store for your convenience.

Speakers

Julie Lythcott-Haims

Saturday August 10, 2019 11:00am - 11:30am PDT
City Foyer

Book Signing

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

11:00am PDT

Nerf Battles (Ages 5-99)

We will play multiple Nerf battles, with breaks in between for collecting darts, resting and reloading. Game modes may include: freeze tag, civil war, defend the core, seize the balls, capture the point, or king of the hill. Depending on number of attendees, we may need to have everyone take turns. All ages from 5-99 and all genders are encouraged to participate! BRING your own Nerf blaster(s), NO SHIELDS/NO MELEE (swords, foam weapons). I will provide a few blasters for borrowing if you don't have one and enough elite style darts for all. If your blaster uses mega darts, balls, or discs, please bring your own ammo. Put your initials or mark on your equipment and ammo for identification. All players are expected to help pick up darts after EACH game mode. Rules will be explained at the session. (can also be viewed ahead of time at www.eastbayareanerf.com) Children participating must be able to follow directions, be good sports and be team players (no bad language allowed). All players must have glasses, sunglasses or some sort of eye protection for each round. I will have a few extras in case someone forgets. Parents may watch through the doors but may not be in the room due to limited space. Come and join in the FUN!

Speakers

Jamie Heston

Saturday August 10, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm PDT
Pine

Active/Movement

Suggested Age Range Children, Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

11:00am PDT

Writing a Personal Statement: for colleges, scholarships, and personal growth

If you or your teen are feeling overwhelmed by or curious about the Personal Statement that is often a requirement for entry into universities or for scholarship applications, join author Elana K. Arnold for an overview of how to approach it. Elana has helped hundreds of teens write statements that they feel accurately represent who they are and where they want to go—for college admissions, scholarship opportunities, and and even for personal insight. Preteens, teens, and adults are welcome.

Speakers

Elana Arnold

Saturday August 10, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm PDT
San Martin

Careers & College

Suggested Age Range Adults, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

11:00am PDT

How To Overcome Opposition

In your homeschooling journey, or as you consider homeschooling, you may have encountered opposition which in some cases was based on a misunderstanding of homeschooling or unfounded ideas about traditional schooling. Wes will explore these misunderstandings and baseless ideas, and will also tell the stories of young people he has worked with who have been very successful in a wide variety of occupational pursuits after very out-of-the-mainstream preparation for the workplace and/or college.

Speakers

Wes Beach

Saturday August 10, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm PDT
Fir

Education Theory & Homeschool Methods

Suggested Age Range Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

11:00am PDT

SHTEAM: Why History Matters in a STEAM Education

Join Samantha Matalone Cook, author for Pandia Press' History Odyssey and long-time history educator, for a hands-on workshop that makes the case for why history should be an essential component to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) education, and how to make history come alive and relevant for every kind of kid and every situation!

Speakers

Samantha Matalone Cook MAT

Saturday August 10, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm PDT
Carmel

History Government & Politics

Suggested Age Range Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

12:00pm PDT

Teen Meet and Greet Game

Speakers

Rebecca Gonzales Lawler

Saturday August 10, 2019 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Silicon Valley

Games & Gameschooling

Suggested Age Range Teens

12:30pm PDT

Nerf Battles (Ages 5-99)

Speakers

Jamie Heston

Saturday August 10, 2019 12:30pm - 1:45pm PDT
Pine

Active/Movement

Suggested Age Range Children, Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

12:30pm PDT

Artist Trading Cards

Artist Trading Cards Funshop.
Open to all ages.
What are Artist Trading Cards?
Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) are simply pieces of art that are made out of cards measuring 2.5”by 3.5”.
You can buy special paper already cut to this size, or better yet, simply use sturdy paper you already have at home. Old file folders, card stock, greeting cards – any paper that is not flimsy – can be cut to the right dimensions and used as an ATC. Think about baseball trading cards and look for paper about that weight. Or, be
creative and use materials other than paper. Just keep to the 2.5” x 3.5” size.
Once you have your 2.5 x 3.5” card, what you do with it is up to you. Draw on it, paint, collage, sew, embellish, write words.
In an ATCs funshop, all of the participants share materials, themes, techniques and ideas with others in the funshop to make unique ATCs. And we always schedule time for trading/swapping finished cards too.

Speakers

Erika Davis-Pitre

Board President, HSC

Saturday August 10, 2019 12:30pm - 1:45pm PDT
Gateway Foyer

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Children, Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

12:30pm PDT

How To Start a Podcast

"According to Edison Research, 24% of Americans have listened to a podcast in the last month. Not only that, the popularity of podcasts continues to rise. To say that podcasts are having a moment would be an understatement."

Do you want to start a podcast?

Are you an educator? A parent? Or a student? This is the workshop for YOU!

Starting a podcast isn’t difficult and it's a great way to learn and to teach. But there are a number of steps you’ll need to know and some planning you'll want to do in advance.

In this podcasting workshop, I’ll give you an overview of the steps needed including:

* Topic ideas
* Podcast format
* Show Description and Artwork specifications
* Episode Planning
* Equipment selection
* Recording and editing
* Launching and Publishing to iTunes and other platforms

This is a how-to guide covering everything you need to know to get started. The workshop is led by an independent podcaster with over 70 episodes produced and hosted. Lisa is also a longtime leader in the homeschooling and independent learning communities.

Speakers

Lisa Betts-LaCroix

Saturday August 10, 2019 12:30pm - 1:45pm PDT
San Martin

Creative Arts

Suggested Age Range Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

12:30pm PDT

Special Effects Makeup

Love monsters? Zombies? Cosplay?! Come learn about the basics of special effects makeup with professional teen makeup artist C Oldham. Oldham was featured a year ago on All In With Cam Newton for her sfx skills!
Oldham will be using people from the audience to model the makeup!

Speakers

C Oldham

Saturday August 10, 2019 12:30pm - 1:45pm PDT
Monterey

Creative Arts

Suggested Age Range Children, Adults, Grandparents, Kids, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

12:30pm PDT

Homeschool Charters and ISPs

CA families have several ways they can legally homeschool/unschool. Many choose to enroll in a state-funded homeschool charter school or district Independent Study Program, most of which offer free curriculum, lending libraries, field trips, optional class days, supportive community, instructional funds, graduation ceremonies, and/or accredited high school transcripts. Some district programs also allow high schoolers to participate in sports, music, lab science, and other classes. In exchange for these lovely benefits, families are expected to submit work samples, meet with a supervising teacher on a regular basis, follow a rigid course of study during the high school years, and take state tests. Is the homeschool charter/ISP option right for you? Is it time to make a change from public to private homeschooling, or vice versa? FOR FAMILIES WITH TEENS: Anyone considering homeschooling for 9th grade and above should inform themselves of how the public/private homeschool decision affects their future choices. Come ask questions and explore your options.

Speakers

Stephanie Hood

Saturday August 10, 2019 12:30pm - 1:45pm PDT
San Simeon

Education Theory & Homeschool Methods

Suggested Age Range Teens, Adults, Grandparents

12:45pm PDT

The Dating Game

Come experience our take on the classic ABC television series, maybe you'll meet that special someone ;)

Speakers

TCC

Saturday August 10, 2019 12:45pm - 2:45pm PDT
Cedar

Games & Gameschooling

Suggested Age Range Teens

1:00pm PDT

Magic The Gathering Meetup

Play and trade Magic the Gathering. Loaner decks will be available!

Saturday August 10, 2019 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Santa Clara

Meetup

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

1:00pm PDT

Parenting Baby’s and teens: how to make it all work.

Let's meet up to exchange ideas of how to thrive while managing a wide age range of kids.

Speakers

Marieke van Der Graaf

Saturday August 10, 2019 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
San Carlos

Meetup

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

2:00pm PDT

Why Your Brain Wants to Unschool

Did you know that unschooling is actually good for your brain? The latest analysis of cutting-edge brain research indicates that the choice to unschool may be the very best thing you could do for your child's brain. In this talk we will explore:
*how unschooling makes learning more relevant and memorable to the brain
*how the hemispheres of the brain effect learning and how you can help your child optimize them
*how a child's readiness to learn is key
*how our environment impacts how we encode information
*how our unique learning styles are supported by unschooling
*how the brain's rhythms of waking, sleeping and body movement correspond to learning
*how stress impairs the brain's ability to learn and how unschooling works to create more resiliency

Speakers

Kirstin Eventyr MA

Saturday August 10, 2019 2:00pm - 3:15pm PDT
Oak

Education Theory & Homeschool Methods

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

2:00pm PDT

BUILDING BRIDGES WITH A SMART PHONE CAMERA …From Overwhelmed to Overjoyed, One Photo at A Time

BUILDING BRIDGES WITH A SMART PHONE CAMERA
…From Overwhelmed to Overjoyed, One Photo at A Time

We’ve become addicted to the technology that was intended to liberate us. Janet Caliri shows us how to take back our personal power and connection, de-escalate stress and trauma, enhance creativity & connection, build bridges from a place of calm, joy and personal power, all by using our smart phones.

Speakers

Janet Caliri

Janet Caliri is a creative, energetic and sought after international speaker and coach who brings her innovative and playful process to audiences across the nation. Participants at her events laugh, wonder and explore their childlike curiosity as they discover the keys for ease in... Read More →

Saturday August 10, 2019 2:00pm - 3:15pm PDT
Pine

Wellness

Suggested Age Range Children, Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

2:00pm PDT

Writer's Workshop Series 2

Speakers

Elana Arnold

Saturday August 10, 2019 2:00pm - 3:15pm PDT
Carmel

Writing & Language Arts

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Kids, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

2:00pm PDT

Make your Own Wind Up Toy

Join us in the Makerspace to build your own cool wind up toy! No experience needed!

Speakers

Jodie Fillhardt

Saturday August 10, 2019 2:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
San Jose

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Children, Tweens, Teens, Kids, Young Adults, Grandparents, Adults

2:30pm PDT

Bugs with the Beetlelady

Bugs! Hands-on time with live bugs: Does your child love tarantulas, beetles, or millipedes? Join Stephanie, the Beetlelady, as she shares her fascinating array of live and museum quality insects upclose!

Speakers

Stephanie Dole

Saturday August 10, 2019 2:30pm - 4:30pm PDT
Monterey

Environment Nature & Outdoors

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Kids, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

3:00pm PDT

Teen Roundtable: Teens Taking Their Passions for Learning and Turning Them into Their own Entreprenuerial Ventures

Réka and Lalika would be very honored to share the very practical aspects of taking brilliant ideas, the things teens are passionate about in learning, and how you can create and transform them into ventures that will inspire and sustain them in their ongoing journey of learning and discovery.
In this 50 minute roundtable, Réka and Lalika will share their stories, what inspired them in their learning, and what they practically did to follow their passions and turn them into ventures from which they continue their tertiary life-learning experiences.

They will cover topics such as:
How you can identify what it is you are passionate about learning
How you can take that learning and turn it into a realisable project
What is necessary for any learning venture to thrive
How you can practically approach your very own idea and find your market
How to find and enlist the support you need
How to involve your family and make it one big learning process

Speakers

Réka & Lalika Kaponay

Saturday August 10, 2019 3:00pm - 4:15pm PDT
Silicon Valley

Careers & College

Suggested Age Range Teens

3:00pm PDT

Friendship Bracelets

Come make new friends or hang out with old friends while making friendship bracelets to keep or trade! Feel free to bring someone to aid you in the bracelet making. We'll do our best to help too!

Speakers

Jasper Harvest

Jasper has loved creating since the first time she picked up a glue stick. As long as she can recall, she's been making and creating! She likes sharing her crafts and making with others. She believes it's the most fun making stuff with other people.

Saturday August 10, 2019 3:00pm - 4:15pm PDT
San Juan

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Children, Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

3:00pm PDT

Minute to Win It

Grab some friends and come play these lightning fast party games! Events swap every half hour to keep you coming back.

Speakers

TCC

Saturday August 10, 2019 3:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Cedar

Special Event

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Kids, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

3:30pm PDT

30 days to launch your business (And provide for your kids homeschooling journey, while being there for them)

To be home and provide for your family may be a necessity or an ideal lifestyle. Or you may be a homeschooler that’s very interested in starting your own business to be in control of your own life. Let’s get started! Starting a business is not hard, but there are so many things to do that overwhelm may postpone our plans to make things work. Marieke wants to show you a quick and easy way to start a business, in 30 days, that will actually bring you paying clients within a month.This presentation is for anyone who would like to start a business and want to learn how to provide an income quickly, without it taking you hours away from your family. She will show you a 30 day plan to execute and get your business launched. She will share strategies to make sure you get your business up & running quickly and how to get customers in the first 30 days since you started your business.

Speakers

Marieke van Der Graaf

Saturday August 10, 2019 3:30pm - 4:45pm PDT
Carmel

Careers & College

Suggested Age Range Adults, Grandparents, Teens, Young Adults, Tweens

3:30pm PDT

Unschool Panel

A Q&A panel about unschooling, from purely "academic" to radical unschooling. Panel members are long-time unschooling parents.

Speakers

Erika Davis-Pitre

Board President, HSC

Saturday August 10, 2019 3:30pm - 4:45pm PDT
Fir

Education Theory & Homeschool Methods

Suggested Age Range Children, Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

3:30pm PDT

4-H ; What's it all about?

What does 4-H have to offer? You'd be surprised! Volunteers share their knowledge through a variety of projects. There are also many leadership opportunities. Come and find out what 4-H is all about.

Speakers

Leigh Hunt & Jonathan Hunt

Saturday August 10, 2019 3:30pm - 4:45pm PDT
San Simeon

Environment Nature & Outdoors

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens

3:30pm PDT

The Kobold's Courage - D&D Dungeon Crawl

The party has been tasked by a small group of kobolds to retrieve their friend, who has been captured by something mysterious and unknown and imprisoned in a dungeon full of monsters...and maybe worse. The party will have to enter the dungeon and get the kobold's friend out alive.

Participants need to be able to read independently and do simple math.

Up to 10 participants in this workshop. Others are welcome to hang out and watch.

You are encouraged to bring characters from the D&D Character Creation Workshop that Lexy is also running, if you attend, but we will also have pre-generated characters for anyone who needs one.

Speakers

Lexy Gregoryck

Saturday August 10, 2019 3:30pm - 4:45pm PDT
Riesling

Games & Gameschooling

Suggested Age Range Tweens, Teens, Young Adults

3:30pm PDT

Raising Free People Dialogue and Mad-question-askin’ with Akilah S. Richards

A brief, live version of a 9-week workshop. We are challenging the things we held in our minds as true, getting to know the world through our own lenses, and seeing how we were participating in the oppression of our own people through our parenting, caregiving, and overall relationships with children. Raising Free People workshop is the space for us to apply what we’re learning* into the way we raise and relate to children. And into the way we support children in owning themselves. Key Question: How do I want to feel in my relationships with children, and what am I doing to stay aligned with my desired feeling?

Speakers

Akilah Richards

Saturday August 10, 2019 3:30pm - 5:00pm PDT
Oak

Parenting

Suggested Age Range Adults, Grandparents, Young Adults, Teens, Tweens

4:00pm PDT

Exhibit Hall - LAST 2 Hours of the day - Closes at 6

Speakers

Heidi Locicero

Saturday August 10, 2019 4:00pm - 4:15pm PDT
Siskiyou & Donner

Special Event

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

4:00pm PDT

Glitter Tattoo Designs

Speakers

Phoenix Snedeker

Saturday August 10, 2019 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
San Jose

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

4:00pm PDT

Chronic Illness Meetup

Speakers

Samantha Matalone Cook MAT

Saturday August 10, 2019 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Chardonnay

Meetup

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

5:00pm PDT

The World Record Paper Airplane

They circle back, tumble, spin, flip over and fly back upside down; and some seem to fly forever (actual forever may vary). Explore the wonder of flight with paper airplanes and learn to make the world record paper airplane.

Speakers

The Paper Airplane Guy

Saturday August 10, 2019 5:00pm - 6:15pm PDT
San Martin

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

5:00pm PDT

Rock Your Talk: Acting Skills for Speaking and Presenting

Rock Your Talk is an experiential workshop introducing the basics of skills used by actors to communicate more effectively.

Your voice and your information are important and persuasive communication is a critical meta-learning skill — the great news is that it can be learned.

Learn skills developed during and since my years in theater school and later as a professional actor featured in 100+ television, radio, movies, feature film and news pieces.

We won't be focusing on content but rather on the meta-learning skill of Being Heard. Expect a fast-paced, experience and fun exercises intended to ensure that visionary change-makers and leaders can better communicate to get what they need for big impact.

If I can help you rock your message to the world freeing you to DO and MAKE, I'll be thrilled.

Join me to learn the 3 Key skills that will instantly impact your ability to reach people with your message.

Speakers

Lisa Betts-LaCroix

Saturday August 10, 2019 5:00pm - 6:15pm PDT
Fir

Creative Arts

Suggested Age Range Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

5:00pm PDT

Finding your People

Homeschoolers don't go it alone. One key contributor to happy homeschooling is to find a supportive community, both for you and your child. Did you know there are over 300 local homeschool support groups in California? The HSC website has a list of these organized by the county in which you live. There are groups for unschoolers or families following the same method like Classical or Charlotte Mason. There are groups where families share the same religious faith, or share a love of the outdoors and nature exploration. Most groups include members with diverse backgrounds and philosophies, and children of varying ages. Park days, field trips, game nights, opportunities to explore common interests, shared learning experiences, friendship, and encouragement are just a few of the benefits you’ll find being part of a homeschool group. Our roundtable discussion will explore opportunities for finding others with shared interests in the larger community as well.

Speakers

Stephanie Hood

Saturday August 10, 2019 5:00pm - 6:15pm PDT
Monterey

Education Theory & Homeschool Methods

Suggested Age Range Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

5:00pm PDT

Making Your First 2D Video Game in Unity!

Hello! Would you like to learn how to make video games, but don't know a thing about coding? Or do you know some coding, but would like to use it to make some actual video games, in one of the most popular game engines, Unity? Well then you're welcome to come make your first 2D video game in Unity!

We are going to be making a simple, 2D platformer game that will teach you the basics of script writing, object-oriented programming, and more! Even if you feel intimidated by programming, don't worry! I did too! I will make sure to explain everything in an easy to understand way, and you'll be making games in no time.

WHAT TO BRING: Before coming to this workshop, be sure to closely follow the instructions in this video to correctly download and install Unity Hub and the latest version of Unity, on to a laptop:
http://bit.ly/HowToInstallUnity. Then bring that laptop along with you to the workshop.

See you there! :-)

Speakers

Elliot Clark

Elliot Clark is 15 and has been unschooled and attending the HSC conference his whole life.He started making drag-and-drop video games on Sploder at around age 9 and has had an interest in making video games ever since. After Sploder, he started using the game engine GameMaker's drag-and-drop... Read More →

Saturday August 10, 2019 5:00pm - 6:15pm PDT
Carmel

Games & Gameschooling

Suggested Age Range Teens, Tweens

5:00pm PDT

Open Q&A on Sex and Drugs

Stop by the Teen Room during this workshop to get ANY sexual health or recreational drug question answered in a low-key, non-judgmental setting. There are index cards provided for your questions, or you can submit questions anonymously here:
https://forms.gle/S3VvPjGEPCfYpokEA

Speakers

Melina Winterton

Saturday August 10, 2019 5:00pm - 6:15pm PDT
Silicon Valley

Wellness

Suggested Age Range Teens

7:00pm PDT

Talent Show

The Talent Show is a beloved HSC tradition. Music, dance, comedy, amazing feats of unusual dexterity...we want to see it! To participate, sign up at the Info Table in the Bayshore Foyer by 5:00 PM on Saturday. We can play music if it's on an iPod or phone. Emcee: Remy Foley-Voosen!

Speakers

Remy Foley-Voosen

Saturday August 10, 2019 7:00pm - 9:00pm PDT
Oak

Special Event

Suggested Age Range Children, Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

7:30pm PDT

Gamers' Lounge

Speakers

Carl Eliot Nelson

Carl Nelson is an aspiring lighting designer and lover of the theatrical arts who wants to spread the knowledge of what goes on behind the scenes of the shows we all know and love

Saturday August 10, 2019 7:30pm - 10:00pm PDT
Monterey

Games & Gameschooling

Suggested Age Range Tweens, Teens, Children, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

8:00pm PDT

Bingo for Prizes

Come play the game you know & love for prizes!

Speakers

Rebecca Gonzales Lawler

Saturday August 10, 2019 8:00pm - 9:00pm PDT
Silicon Valley

Games & Gameschooling

Suggested Age Range Teens

8:00pm PDT

Chill Room: Cartoon Costume Contest

What’s up, Doc? Come show off your cartoon costumes before the dance! Prizes awarded to both single and group costumes. Spectators are also welcome! The contest will be located in the chill room, which will also be open during the dance.
be...there...or...be...square.

Speakers

TCC

Saturday August 10, 2019 8:00pm - Sunday August 11, 2019 12:00am PDT
Pine

Special Event

Suggested Age Range Teens

9:00pm PDT

Square Dance Hoedown

Come one, come all, come young, come old! Dance with us as we introduce the basic steps of this exciting and vibrant modern tradition. No prior experience necessary. Open to all ages, though parents may want to pair with children under 8 to help ensure a good experience. A Hoedown is a party so come out and party with us!

Speakers

Thomas Allen

Thomas Allen is an engineering manager for a software company in Mountain View. He is also an unschooling dad to two great kiddos, is excited about exploring the world with his family, playing games, and hanging out with good friends. Thomas also enjoys square dancing and has recently... Read More →

Saturday August 10, 2019 9:00pm - 11:00pm PDT
Fir

Active/Movement

Suggested Age Range Children, Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

9:00pm PDT

Animation Celebration

Mom! The TCC are making a cartoon dance!
Draw yourself into a world of animation as your favorite character, or just as yourself. Jinkies! I almost forgot, make sure to come to the costume contest beforehand in the Chill Room. Th-th-th-th-that’s all folks! B-b-b-be there, or be SQU-SQU-SQU-SQUARE.

Speakers

TCC

Saturday August 10, 2019 9:00pm - Sunday August 11, 2019 12:00am PDT
Cedar

Special Event

Suggested Age Range Teens

8:00am PDT

Neurodiverse Family Meetup

A meetup for neurodiverse families to connect over a cup of coffee or tea, make friends, and share resources for homeschooling with neurodiversity. This could mean kids and/or parents with adhd, autism, dyslexia, cerebral palsy, bipolar, etc. Come alone as a parent or bring the kids or whole family if you need to. Let's keep the discussion respectful, and not say things in front of kids that you wouldn't say about an adult in front of them. Please respect people's privacy and don't share stories outside of this space

Speakers

Kaitlin Walker

I'm Kaitlin, she/her. Mom to two always unschooled kids. I have a Phd in English and Feminist Theory which I now put to use moderating discussions about neurodiversity, unschooling, social justice , and abuse. I'm interested in how we can learn from each other, prioritize lived experience... Read More →

Sunday August 11, 2019 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
Chardonnay

Meetup

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

8:00am PDT

Vinyasa Yoga - Dropping in...

Feeling inspired but a little frazzled? Come join us in an all-levels vinyasa flow yoga class that provides you little self-love, self-care, a little me time at the homeschool conference. We will begin with a little meditation, followed by yoga sequences and breath practice that will help you sink back into yourself. Hopefully, you'll leave your mat feeling a little lighter and more centered.

Speakers

Asia Morgenthaler

Sunday August 11, 2019 8:00am - 9:15am PDT
Pine

Active/Movement

Suggested Age Range Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

9:00am PDT

Exhibit Hall 9:00 AM-2:00 PM Note: Starts an hour earlier for the early birds at conference!

Speakers

Heidi Locicero

Sunday August 11, 2019 9:00am - 2:00pm PDT
Siskiyou & Donner

Special Event

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

9:00am PDT

Teenspace 2019

Speakers

Rebecca Gonzales Lawler

Sunday August 11, 2019 9:00am - 3:30pm PDT
Silicon Valley

Suggested Age Range Teens

9:00am PDT

Epic Play Space

Speakers

Teresa Carver

Sunday August 11, 2019 9:00am - 3:30pm PDT
Sierra & Cascade

Active/Movement

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

9:00am PDT

Craft Zone

Speakers

Laurie Gracia-Alikhan

Sunday August 11, 2019 9:00am - 3:30pm PDT
Sierra & Cascade

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Children, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

9:00am PDT

Fiberland

Speakers

Fiber Maven

Sunday August 11, 2019 9:00am - 3:30pm PDT
San Juan

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

9:00am PDT

Makerspace

Speakers

Jodie Fillhardt

Sunday August 11, 2019 9:00am - 3:30pm PDT
San Jose

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Kids, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

9:00am PDT

Game Deck

Speakers

Andrea Schrimp

Michelle McNeill

Mom to an always unschooled 14 year old, game designer, urban homesteader, beekeeper, and all around nerd.

Sunday August 11, 2019 9:00am - 3:30pm PDT
Santa Clara

Games & Gameschooling

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

9:00am PDT

Zen Zone

Need a quiet place to reset? This small but mighty room is for you.

Please respect the needs of others. If you are ready for more activity and noise, step out, so that others may regroup.

Sunday August 11, 2019 9:00am - 5:00pm PDT
Capitola

Suggested Age Range Adults, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults, Children

9:30am PDT

Be an effective LGBTQA+ Ally

Is someone in your orbit a member of the LGBTQA+ community? Not sure what your role is? Would you like some support skills to be the best ally you can? Come join this interactive workshop to learn the three most important ally skills so you can support those you love.

Speakers

Melina Winterton

Sunday August 11, 2019 9:30am - 10:45am PDT
Monterey

Diversity Inclusion & Social Justice

Suggested Age Range Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

9:30am PDT

Unschooling Your Teens -- Is it what you expected?

This talk is for all families who either have teens, will have teens soon and/or have the pleasure of looking back on their children's teenage years.It will be a chance to ask questions, share insights, and find support among other families with unschooling teens. Both parents and teens are welcomed and encouraged to attend.

Speakers

Erika Davis-Pitre

Board President, HSC

Sunday August 11, 2019 9:30am - 10:45am PDT
Fir

Education Theory & Homeschool Methods

Suggested Age Range Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

9:30am PDT

Camping with HSC 101

One of the most fun ways to get involved with HSC is our week-long campouts. This session is led by Zach and Liz (of Ranch Dog) who have been going to HSC campouts for the past 9 years. They know the ropes from camping with two small kids, up to camping with teens. Come and find out why HSC campouts are the thing that’s missing from your life. And get all the information you’ll need to join in the fun.

Speakers

Zachary Foley & Liz Voosen NTP CGP

Zach Foley and Liz Voosen are homeschool parents of two kids. The entire family has been camping with HSC for the last nine years. They’ve camped in deserts, forests, beaches, mountains, lakes. They’ve camped with dogs, with friends, with toddlers, with grandparents. In tents... Read More →

Sunday August 11, 2019 9:30am - 10:45am PDT
Carmel

Environment Nature & Outdoors

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Grandparents

9:30am PDT

But what about math?

"But what about math..!?!?!"It's one of the most common questions when parents are exploring self-direction.Don't they need math?What if they want to go back to "regular" school and they are behind?Will they be able to catch up? I'm not good at math. How can I support them?Parent anxiety over math is incredibly common, and we are passing it on to our children. It's time for a re-set. This workshop is part math therapy — to re-frame our relationship with math, and part skill building — to help us help others develop a healthy relationship with math. Beyond finding practical solutions to learning math, how can we start to see math as an art and a language, which can help us better understand and see the beauty in our world? And how can we share that lens with others?

Speakers

Aaron Eden

Sunday August 11, 2019 9:30am - 10:45am PDT
Oak

Math

Suggested Age Range Adults, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

10:00am PDT

Building Bridges with a Smart Phone Camera Meetup

A casual and inspiring conversation on de-escalating stress and building connection using a smart phone camera. Be heard and seen in your awkwardness. Learn tips and tricks for dissolving your worries & overwhelm, and confidently communicate what’s up for you! Tweens, Teens, Adults and Grandparents are encouraged and welcome!

Speakers

Janet Caliri

Sunday August 11, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Riesling

Meetup

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

10:00am PDT

Farewell Follies: Drop by to say Goodbye!

Drop by to say goodbye!

Speakers

Rebecca Gonzales Lawler

Sunday August 11, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Silicon Valley

Meetup

Suggested Age Range Teens

10:00am PDT

Let's Get Organized!

Do you find yourself frequently overwhelmed? Do you constantly waste time looking for things around your house? Staying organized can be extra challenging as a homeschooling family.You are sure to walk away from this workshop with new tips and tricks that will motivate you to get organized, and stay organized as well as ideas that will motivate your children to join in.

Speakers

Rebecca Gonzales Lawler

Sunday August 11, 2019 10:00am - 11:15am PDT
San Martin

Life Transitions & Adulting

Suggested Age Range Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

11:00am PDT

HSC Board Meeting

Have questions for the HSC board? Here is a chance to ask. Join us as we meet to continue the work on behalf of this amazing homeschool community.

Speakers

Tiffany Sandoval

Jamie Heston

Linda Maepa

Erika Davis-Pitre

Board President, HSC

Alexx Souter

Board Member, HSC

Martin Whitehead

Board Member, HSC

Martin has three children and has been a homeschooling father for 28 years. He earned an MBA, studied film in New York, and worked on some of the best known brands in North America. In his spare time, Martin has kept bees and studied the visual display of quantitative information... Read More →

Sunday August 11, 2019 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Oak

Special Event

Suggested Age Range Tweens, Teens, Children, Grandparents, Adults, Kids, Young Adults

11:00am PDT

Teen Improv Games!

Learn some basic and fast paced games using improvisation and acting! Put your imagination to the test with you friends, and have a lot of fun doing it! Everyone will have a chance to participate!

Speakers

C Oldham

Sunday August 11, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm PDT
Pine

Active/Movement

Suggested Age Range Teens

11:00am PDT

Writing Transcripts

Wes will show and explain how to write home-grown transcripts showing even the most unconventional “high-school” experiences that will be acceptable to employers, colleges, and universities.

Speakers

Wes Beach

Sunday August 11, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm PDT
Fir

Careers & College

Suggested Age Range Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

11:00am PDT

Uno Tournament

Come prove your prowess in this classic card game tournament.

Speakers

TCC

Sunday August 11, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm PDT
Silicon Valley

Games & Gameschooling

Suggested Age Range Kids, Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

11:00am PDT

Wild Poetry

Do you know what found poetry is? A found poem takes existing words in the wild and mashes them up into a new work. It's the literary equivalent of collage. We'll get a quick overview of poetic devices and get inspired by great examples of found poems before digging in and mashing up some poems of our own. This hands-on workshop is for both poetry lovers and creative folks who just want to have fun exploring a new medium. You'll leave with a frameable poem to share.

Speakers

Jacki Rigoni

Sunday August 11, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm PDT
Chardonnay

Writing & Language Arts

Suggested Age Range Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

12:00pm PDT

Exhibit Hall - FINAL 2 Hours - Closes at 2

Speakers

Heidi Locicero

Sunday August 11, 2019 12:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Siskiyou & Donner

Special Event

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

12:30pm PDT

Ultimate Dodgeball

In this fast paced workshop we have 3 new editions of Dodgeball to share.

1. Barrier Ball: In this variation barriers are set out for players to be able to hide behind. We will use tables for barriers. If players are hanging out behind a barrier for too long then the leaders of the game will blow a whistle signaling that all players must move.

2. Poisenball!: There are no teams. The last person standing is the winner. All players, except for one, start inside the playing area. One player is outside of the area and begins by trying to hit the players inside the playing area. Once a player is hit they join the player(s) on the outside. The players on the inside do not get to throw balls, they only get to dodge. The last person inside the area is the winner and starts the next game on the outside.

3. Island Ball: Teams must stand on a large mat or tarp as they play. Only one player at a time may step off to collect balls but they cannot throw them unless they are on the “island”.

Come play some Dodgeball!

Speakers

Katherine Lawler

Lindsey LoBue

Sunday August 11, 2019 12:30pm - 1:45pm PDT
Pine

Active/Movement

Suggested Age Range Tweens, Teens

12:30pm PDT

Theatrical Lighting Basics

This workshop will teach you how most theaters spend only the last two weeks before opening to prep for lights, and what the likes of tech week are.

Speakers

Carl Eliot Nelson

Carl Nelson is an aspiring lighting designer and lover of the theatrical arts who wants to spread the knowledge of what goes on behind the scenes of the shows we all know and love

Sunday August 11, 2019 12:30pm - 1:45pm PDT
Fir

Creative Arts

Suggested Age Range Teens, Adults, Young Adults, Grandparents

12:30pm PDT

Smash Tournament

Come fight for and against your friends! See who is truly best at this classic party game. We will be playing Smash Ultimate, Melee is not the best fight me.

Speakers

TCC

Sunday August 11, 2019 12:30pm - 1:45pm PDT
Monterey

Games & Gameschooling

Suggested Age Range Children, Tweens, Teens, Young Adults

12:30pm PDT

Authenticity, Shame and Parenting: Parenting With Your Whole Self

Your authentic presence is the single most important thing you have to offer as a parent for your child’s ongoing health and success. This can be tricky to trust because we all know how unfinished, flawed and cattywampus we are inside. How can this be the key to a healthy, happy, resilient kid? I will explore this question, share stories, offer opportunities for self-reflection and provide lots of tools to sink deeper into letting it be okay to be who you are. You will come away with a stronger sense of how to create well-being in yourself and deepen your capacity to trust yourself and your child.

Speakers

Kirstin Eventyr MA

Sunday August 11, 2019 12:30pm - 1:45pm PDT
Oak

Parenting

Suggested Age Range Adults, Young Adults, Teens, Grandparents

12:30pm PDT

The Power of Stories: How Worldschooling Inspired Me to Become One of the World's Youngest Published Authors

You are never too young nor too old to live your story… and your dreams.
For as long as she can remember, Réka Kaponay’s greatest passion has always been the written word. With her earliest memories sparked beside the glow of a family fireplace, book in hand, it was no surprise to her parents when two years into their adventures across the globe, she started writing a story inspired by their visit to a village on the medieval Moorish crossroads of Andalusia, Spain, and an encounter with a certain Patterdale Terrier dog.

What broke the mould of anything a 12 year old was considered capable of doing, was when she transformed that story into a debut novel, catapulting her to one of the world’s youngest published authors.

This is a story that will take you on a journey from the dusty, ancient heart of Australia, to the majestic peaks of the High Andes Mountains of Peru and the equally breathless world of publishing, on a challenging journey of persistence and perseverance in the face of great adversity. It is a road that has wound its way through 45 countries on 6 continents, to the understanding of what power stories can truly wield, and just how much is possible with a little courage, a lot of determination, and the undeniable strength of family.

When Réka Kaponay was just 14 years old, she defied societal conventions, stereotypical norms and countless odds to become one of the world’s youngest published authors.
This is a story that will take you on a journey from the dusty, ancient heart of Australia, to the majestic peaks of the High Andes Mountains of Peru and the equally breathless world of publishing, on a challenging journey of persistence and perseverance in the face of great adversity. It is a road that has wound its way through 45 countries on 6 continents, to the understanding of what power stories can truly wield, and just how much is possible with a little courage, a lot of determination, and the undeniable strength of family.

Speakers

Réka Kaponay

Sunday August 11, 2019 12:30pm - 1:45pm PDT
Carmel

Writing & Language Arts

Suggested Age Range Children, Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents

1:15pm PDT

How to Talk to Your Child about Depression

Speakers

Dany Ricci

Sunday August 11, 2019 1:15pm - 2:15pm PDT
San Martin

Suggested Age Range Adults, Grandparents, Young Adults, Teens

1:30pm PDT

Upcycle Photo Frames

This is a challenge! How well can you think outside the frame? Take an old photo frame (preferably 5 x 7 or larger) and use the materials in the makerspace to create a new item with a no-longer wanted one. We will have a few discarded frames on hand, but bringing your own cast-offs to upcycle and share makes it all the more fun!

Speakers

Susan Miller

Phoenix Snedeker

Sunday August 11, 2019 1:30pm - 2:45pm PDT
San Jose

Crafts & Making

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

2:00pm PDT

Book Signing -- Réka Kaponay

Join Réka as she personalizes your copy of Dawn of the Guardian. If you don't have a copy with you, they will be for sale at our conference book store for your convenience.

Speakers

Réka Kaponay

Sunday August 11, 2019 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT
City Foyer

Book Signing

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

2:00pm PDT

Pokémon Go!

Pokémon Go meetup for fans, friends and noobs. Let’s meet up and exchange your friend IDs so we can level up together. Find out who the Pokémon go players are and get ready for battle or trade Pokémon. Pokémon Go is an augmented reality game you play on your smart phone. It uses your mobile device to locate, capture, train and battle pokemon which seem to appear in the real world around us.

Speakers

Marieke van Der Graaf

Sunday August 11, 2019 2:00pm - 3:15pm PDT
Lobby

Active/Movement

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Teens, Kids, Tweens, Young Adults

2:00pm PDT

Financial Planning

With a proper strategy and management, you can make your money start working for you now to help you secure a financially secure future! Many people wait too long to start saving for retirement and don’t know the best way to do that. Most of us plan to budget our money but never do. Insurance and taxes and 401k plans and IRAs and knowing how and where to invest our hard-earned money can be confusing. And then there's life insurance - do you need it? "Life insurance is like a parachute. If you don't have it the first time you need it, there is no second chance. You can learn about these topics and get your money questions answered! Rob works with many unschooling families and understands their unique circumstances. He spent 10 years as a Certified Insurance Counselor and Partner at Ferguson Financial Group, and now he’s an Investment Advisor for Stonebrook Capital Management, Inc.

Speakers

Rob Endres

Sunday August 11, 2019 2:00pm - 3:15pm PDT
Carmel

Life Transitions & Adulting

Suggested Age Range Adults, Grandparents, Young Adults, Teens, Tweens

2:30pm PDT

The HSC Privilege Walk

Description:
priv·i·lege /ˈpriv(ə)lij/ Noun a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group. Throughout a privilege walk, the following statements are read by the facilitator and the participants are asked to take a step forward or backward based on their responses. This activity forces participants to confront the ways in which society privileges some individuals over others. It is designed to get participants to reflect on the different areas in their lives where they have privilege as well as the areas where they don't (sourced from edge.psu.edu). As a society, we have been taught to ignore the privileges we are born with, and grow into. We believe that privilege is not something to be ashamed of, and not something to ignore. We believe that privilege is something to be aware of as we walk through the world. Come join us in a space that will motivate learning, growth, and community!

Speakers

TCC

Sunday August 11, 2019 2:30pm - 3:00pm PDT
Cedar

Active/Movement

Suggested Age Range Adults, Children, Grandparents, Kids, Teens, Tweens, Young Adults

3:30pm PDT

Teen Closing

*Intense sobbing noises*

Nooo, conference is over! Come join us while we sign each other's yearbooks, play a closing round of the chair game, announce the assassin winners, and conga to the closing slideshow. Be square or be there?

Speakers

TCC

Sunday August 11, 2019 3:30pm - 4:45pm PDT
Cedar

Special Event

Suggested Age Range Teens

5:00pm PDT

Closing Slideshow

Come join us for our closing tradition - a slideshow of our wonderful weekend with photos by our Conference Photographer, Pia Williams! Thank you!

Speakers

Jocelyn Cooper

Conference Coordinator, HSC

Sunday August 11, 2019 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
Oak

Special Event

Suggested Age Range Children, Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Grandparents, Kids