2008 Speakers
Alice and Jim Bascom are both graduates of the University of Kansas. They participated in the Integrated Humanities Program taught by Professors Quinn, Senior, and Nelick. Jim has B.A. degrees in English and Classical Antiquities, and an M.A. in English, along with teaching certificates in secondary English and Latin. Alice took her degree in English. Jim has taught English and Latin for 25 years in the Kansas City area, and is in his 19th year at Rockhurst High School. Alice homeschooled their four children, two boys through 8th grade and two girls through high school.
Tony and Jane Bernardel have been married for 22 years. They have 6 children, Cole 18 yrs, Tate deceased, Claire 14 yrs, Anthony Michael 10 yrs, Isabella 7 yrs, and Anthony John 3yrs. They have homeschooled for ten years and Jane has taught all the grades K through 12 at least once and has one high school graduate.
Tony and Jane began homeschooling to better meet the needs of their, then, six year old son who was severely handicapped. They began using a neuro-developmental program for their children until a curriculum was needed. After hearing a lecture at a home school conference by Laura Berquist, the Mother of Divine Grace classical curriculum was chosen. Along with a neuro-developmental program for their special needs child, MODG is still being used today with some customization. Some of the unconventional therapies used for their 9 year old adopted son are also used with the other children in remedial and accelerated circumstances.
Tony was adopted, as was Anthony Michael. Tony, Jane and their family have been 20 year members of St. Joseph Church in Shawnee. Tony is a Medical Technologist working as a Laboratory Information Systems Analyst for St. Luke's Health System. He enjoys helping others using a natural holistic process that stimulates people's healing processes using safe electro dermal screening techniques.
Father Denis Bucholz is the ProRector of "Old Saint Patrick Oratory" at Kansas City, Missouri, and he is a member of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, an international Roman Catholic congregation founded in 1990. Born in Germany and ordained in 2004 to the priesthood after studying at Institute of Christ the King’s Seminary in Italy, he is now stationed at Our Lady of Sorrows until the restoration of Old Saint Patrick Oratory is complete.
Rosey Lebold has been married to her wonderful husband, Greg, for 25 years. Their two children, Zachary, 18, and Kelsey, 15, have always been homeschooled. In the fall, Zachary will be attending Thomas Aquinas College while Kelsey has her eye on a Culinary Arts degree.
Gail Mies lives in Shawnee, Kansas with her husband Mark and their two daughters Jess and Jordyn and two sons, Drew and Jarrett.
Gail became involved with the Neurodevelopmental Approach in late 1999 when seeking an evaluation for her youngest son. Implementing a neurodevelopmental program with him eventually led her to administrative and parent training responsibilities and she has been serving as branch director of the Kansas Chapter of Hope And A Future, Inc. since 2001.
In January 2004, she felt called to begin apprenticing under Linda Kane. She went on to become certified to work with clients after completing Level I certification in October of that year. Currently, she is continuing her apprenticeship toward completing Level II certification.
Michele Quigley is the mother of 10 children and co-author of the Mater Amabilis Catholic Charlotte Mason free online curriculum (http:www.materamabilis.org) and creator of the Catholic Woman's Daily Planner (http://www.family-centered.com/life).
Maria Rioux began her undergraduate studies at Thomas Aquinas College, and is currently pursuing a B.A. degree, majoring in theology, at Benedictine College. She is married to Jean for the past 23 years, and they have eight children. Together they have been home educating their children for the past 18 years and developed an educational program that reflects their love for classical education as well as their affection for Charlotte Mason. Maria has been a speaker at homeschooling conferences and a guest lecturer at Benedictine College, speaking on a variety of topcis. Maria is a member of the planning committee which helped to develop the Charlotte Mason based curriculum Mater Amabilis and is a reviewer for Alicia Van Hecke's love2learn website. She has co-developed a sacramental lapbook kit which will be available through Illuminated Ink. Of the various projects she has contributed to or worked on on her own, none is as satisfying as the one most suited to her vocation: that of caring for and educating the children she has been blessed with.
Kelly and Bob Roper have been married for almost 27 years and are parents to eight children, ages 25 to almost 5. They have homeschooled for 12 years and have taught each grade, K-12, at least twice. Kelly carries out the daily teaching duties and Bob serves as principal - when needed. They can boast that two of their students have graduated from college, while the other six are still in the trenches. In addition to her role as homeschool wife and mother, Kelly serves as a consultant for Mother of Divine Grace School. Bob likes to describe himself as a blue-collar Catholic who rolls up his sleeves each day to live the Catholic faith in Corporate America, during routine trips to the grocery store, and around the dinner table each evening.
Vicki Servi is a devoted Catholic homeschool mother of three, including a son on the Autism spectrum with many learning challenges, including auditory processing, delayed speech, vision processing, sensory integration, Asperger's communication patterns, food and environmental allergies. She has homeschooled her children for 12 years.
Vicky is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia with BS and MS degrees in Electrical Engineering. After a ten-year career as an Electrical Design Engineer, Vicky became a stay-at-home mom when her second child was born. In her spare time, she tutors math and science for children of all abilities, and she teaches math and science classes for other homeschool families.
Vicky was an Educational Consultant with Bright Minds, the consultant division of The Critical Thinking Company, for three years. In December of 2007, Bright Minds closed. As a result, Vicky became a direct reseller with Critical Thinking and other companies, and she opened an online Educational Resource Store (www.BrainBuildingFun.com) for children of all abilities. She offers fun, educational books, software, toys, puzzles, and games with a focus on cognitive development and higher-level thinking.
For the past two years, Vicky has presented educational workshops to parents, teachers, tutors, schools, preschools, and learning centers. The workshops are beneficial for parents and teachers of homeschool students, gifted students, special needs students, and children of all ages and abilities. She is also an advocate for parents and their children with learning challenges.
Vicky continues her education quest through classes in sensory integration, neurological development, brain integration therapy, nutrition therapy, dyslexia, and right-brain learning techniques. Vicky loves children. Her goal is to help children learn effectively at a higher level while having fun and glorifying God. Brain Building Fun - Learning made fun for all ages and abilities!
Dr. Edward Sri is professor of theology and Scripture at the Augustine Institute’s Masters in Catechetics and Evangelization program in Denver, Colorado. He is the author of two Catholic best-selling books, including The New Rosary in Scripture: Biblical Insights for Praying the 20 Mysteries (Servant) and The Da Vinci Deception: 100 Questions About the Facts and Fiction of The Da Vinci Code (Ascension Press) (coauthored with Mark Shea).
His most recent book, on men-women relationships, is called Men, Women and the Mystery of Love: Practical Insights on John Paul II’s Love and Responsibility (Servant).
He also is the author of Mystery of the Kingdom: On the Gospel of Matthew (Emmaus Road), Queen Mother: A Biblical Theology of Mary’s Queenship (Emmaus Road) and Dawn of the Messiah: The Coming of Christ in Scripture (Servant) and a co-author of the popular apologetics series, Catholic for a Reason.
Edward is a founding leader with Curtis Martin of FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students). He appears on EWTN and regularly writes and speaks on Scripture, apologetics and the Catholic faith. He also serves as a visiting professor at Benedictine College, where he taught full-time for nine years. Edward holds a doctorate from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. He now resides with his wife Elizabeth and their four children in Littleton, Colorado
Leon Suprenant is the former president of Catholics United for the Faith (CUF) and Emmaus Road Publishing, and former publisher of Lay Witness—an award-winning magazine for lay Catholics. Leon’s book credits include the best-selling Catholic for a Reason series (co-edited with Scott Hahn), FAITH FACTS: Answers to Catholic Questions (volumes one and two, with Philip Gray), Servants of the Gospel (general editor), Shaken by Scandals (contributing author), and the Amazing Grace series (contributing author). Leon’s articles have appeared in many national and diocesan publications, including the National Catholic Register, The Wanderer, This Rock, Religious Life, Catalyst, and New Covenant, and he is a daily contributor to CUF’s blog (http://blog.cuf.org). He currently serves on the board of directors of Catholic Athletes for Christ, and as an advisor to the Institute on Religious Life, the Mater Ecclesiae Fund for Vocations, and Catholic Scripture Study. He has appeared on numerous television and radio programs including MSNBC News, CBS’ “The Early Show,” Relevant Radio, “Catholic Answers Live,” EWTN’s “Mother Angelica Live,” and EWTN’s “The Journey Home.” Leon received his master’s in theology from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, a law degree with distinction from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, and also has degrees in philosophy and English.
Fr. Mitchel Zimmerman currently serves as Vocation Director of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and as Associate Director of the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas. He has held both positions since July of 2007. Prior to this, he served three years as Parochial Vicar at St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood, Kansas, and as chaplain at St. Thomas Aquinas High School. Fr. Mitchel holds M.A. and M.Div degrees from St. Meinrad School of Theology in Indiana, and a B.A. in Human Biology from the University of Kansas. He is originally from Hoxie, Kansas, the second of six children. A highlight of Fr. Mitchel life and vocation story was his opportunity to serve as the delegate of USCCB to the World Youth Days in Paris in 1997. While there, he had the opportunity to personally greet His Holiness John Paul II on behalf of the youth of the United States.