2010-03-11T07:19:00.001-08:00

Lisa Galvez with Jenilyn & Jason Gardner

Music and Leadership Education

Jason Gardner is from Taylorsville, Utah. He is the oldest of 8 TJEd homeschooled children and is married to the former Jenilyn Galvez. They have one son and have started teaching the next generation the TJEd way. Jason is a graduate of George Wythe University. He enjoys mentoring, playing the violin, studying Kung Fu and is presently preparing to enter law school.

Jenilyn is delighted to be a wife and mother. Leadership Education has been a way of living for her family from the time it was introduced to her as a child and she loves to share it with others. She met her husband at George Wythe University where they both graduated with their bachelor’s degree. Jeni currently resides in the Ogden area and enjoys implementing TJED while teaching music lessons. Jenilyn has also been very involved in her community including being a Governor’s Intern, a Delegate, and on the State Central Committee, She believes that the principles of a Leadership Education are essential for creating musicians, and citizens who will be statesmen too.

Donna Goff & Julia Groves
Lead Me Guide Me Walk Beside Me Through the Core Phase and Love of Learning

Donna Goff was born in Indiana, reared in Hawaii, and now lives in Orem, Utah with her husband Roger and three of their seven children. Together they have four sons and three daughters 10-30; they are the grandparents of one granddaughter and six grandsons, all under five!

Donna graduated from high school and finishing school in Honolulu, Hawaii (1973). She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art and Design from BYU 4/80 and recently earned her Master of Arts-Education, cum laude from George Wythe 10/08. Donna founded Moor House Academy, a private cyber-school and cottage school/ home education hybrid. She is a published author and mentor and has presented at various homeschooling conferences. With her daughters, Donna co-founded The Princess Academies, LLC., an international organization for young ladies, mothers and women.

Aside from being a daughter of God, a wife, mother, and grandmother Donna has many interests. She is an artist (drawing, watercolor/ acrylic/oil painting, printmaking, stained glass, sandblasting, sandcarving), frugalite, public speaker, free-lance writer, mentor, teacher, and more. She loves to garden, cook, sew, hike and take nature walks, spend time with family and friends. Obviously, she cannot do it all, all the time. God, husband, family, and other areas as the focus needs to be.

Julia Groves

Julia Ann Groves was the third of seven children born to Donna and Roger Goff. Born in Denver, Colorado. Julia moved with her family to Utah when she was 11 years old. Shortly after moving to Utah, Julia asked to be home educated.

Julia has been working with children and youth since she was one herself. She has served as a part time governess for various families throughout the years. Julia has been a mentor at Moor House Academy (MHA) for the past three years, working with children, youth, and adults in classes and forums. She has enjoyed the opportunity of being a Pilot Mentor/Teacher for the Love of Learning class (working with students 6-12 in all subjects) at Thomas Jefferson Education (TJED) Academy and Prep School in Lehi, Utah.

On 14 March 2009, Julia was married to the love of her life, Rory Robert Groves. Together they divide their time, talents, and interests to God, family, and their businesses.

Julia's interests include: extensive reading (and research whenever a subject strikes her interest), writing (articles, books, poems, and much more), cooking/baking, hiking/walking with her sweetheart, singing (music is vital to her soul), watching good movies, playing games with friends, learning how to do new things, creating, imagining, watching her husband draw, turning her place of residence into a home and haven, and so much more.

Nicholeen Peck

Self-Government at YOUR House

Being a Parent and Home Educator is difficult work. However, the proper environment makes

learning and loving at home much easier. We really can’t inspire our children to learn if we are stressed about disobedience and all the details of running a home. We can’t completely stop all the details but we can remove the stress to make a great teaching environment. The biggest lesson I teach in my home is effective communication and establishing the environment to learn. If you have read my book, “Parenting A House United” then this is the class where you will have an opportunity to ask any self-government questions you have. I will be available to answer your TJed questions and basic discipline questions. Come with any questions you might have. If you are new to teaching self-government then in this class you will become acquainted with some of the basics to building a family government which supports your parenting style. Don’t miss this opportunity for Nicholeen to mentor you in your most important leadership role ever, being a parent.

Nicholeen Peck is a mother of four and previous foster parent of many. She has been trained and certified in using the “Teaching Family Model”, which was developed at Boys Town and is used by the Utah Youth Village. Nicholeen did foster care for very difficult teens. She taught children with ADHD, OCD, kleptomania, compulsive lying, anger control issues, etc. She said, “I taught behaviors, not medication. They would come to us on many medications and usually leave not on any medications. Many children are misdiagnosed. They just need to learn cause and effect better.” She has been teaching self government skills to people all over the country for 10 years and has written a book on this subject called “Parenting A House United.” Nicholeen answers parenting questions on her blog http://teachingselfgovernment.com Nicholeen is 5 Pillar certified from George Wythe University.

Jodie Palmer

Reading, Writing, or . . . Relationships

Are you spending a significant amount of time correcting your children, just to see the same behavior over and over again? Are your best efforts to teach them falling on deaf or disinterested ears? Is there something keeping you from having a successful leadership education environment, but you just can't put your finger on it? "Reading, Writing or . . . Relationships" gets down to the fundamental elements of successful teaching, and will help you find greater satisfaction and success in your leadership education efforts.

Jodie Palmer is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Midwives College of Utah and is a former President of that institution. She received a bachelors degree in alternative health sciences and masters in education from George Wythe University. She is a former Director of Distance Studies, Instructor and Mentor for GWU. She has extensive experience as a presenter, including for UHEA, Youth for America, Thomas Jefferson Education Forum, and numerous other conferences, seminars and retreats. She is co-founder of both TJEd Marketplace and Homefires, businesses designed to support leadership education and move the cause of liberty. She and her husband Doug live with their three children in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Heather Poll

The Benevolent Power of Women

It's much easier to inspire the quality education our children deserve when both mom and dad see the same vision. Unfortunately, our culture is so heavily steeped with feminism that many women have lost the art of being a wife. Unknowingly, our actions may be keeping our husbands from participating more fully in the education of our family. Come explore the art of being a wife and enhance your marriage, family and home school.

Heather Poll is the mother of 5 girls ages 15 - newborn. She and her husband Val have homeschooled their children from the beginning. Heather has her BA from Utah State University in Elementary Education and is on the 15 year plan at GWU for her masters degree. When she is not caring for babies she enjoys all forms of fine arts - especially live theater. Life is good when she is playing the harp, eating on paper plates, leading 4-h groups, or enjoying her daughter's cooking.

Kyla Thomas

Choice and Accountability Through the Phases of Learning

Kyla Thomas is the oldest of 6 kids. She recently graduated from George Wythe University with a Bachelor's degree, and is looking forward to graduate studies. She is the project head of the Mother House Governess Society, which is designed to strengthen families and prepare single women for competent motherhood. Kyla currently teaches at Clear Horizons Academy, a school for children with Autism, and has also had many opportunities to speak to youth (one of her favorite things to do!). Kyla loves learning, singing with her family, and playing her violin. She's also addicted to the outdoors, and loves writing about them. Kyla believes that the best part of life is the opportunity to make positive change, and she hopes to capitalize on it as much as one person can. She hopes you will join her in the adventure!

TJEd Spring Retreat Speakers