Presenting with My Family (Video)

The best moments in my speaking career have come when I've had the opportunity to speak with my family members.  I've spoken at BYU with all three of my children, I've spoken with both of my twin sisters Amy and Emily, and I've spoken at RootsTech with my Dad.  My son Matthew spoke at RootsTech on his own (he filled the room better than I did, but don't tell him that.)  Matthew's RootsTech talk was exceptional and he was asked to give it several more times at other conferences throughout Utah and California.

We have the opportunity to speak together this weekend again at the Welby West Jordan Family History Fair organized in part by my good friend Luana Darby.  Matthew hasn't given his talk for a couple of years now so we've been going through it and updating things to make sure it is all current.  As such, I've been really impressed with the videos we put together at the time.  Matthew is now 20 years old, but he was only 16 when he spoke at RootsTech.  This talk is really great for a 16 year old!  

One of the things we noticed at the RootsTech youth event the year before we gave this talk, was that many of the youth were looking at their phones throughout the presentation, but when the speaker played a video, all of the heads in the room popped up to watch the video.  So, in order to capture the younger generation's attention (and to take a little pressure off a 16 year old) we added short videos to his presentation.  Check them out:

His title, "Get to Know Your Geezers" was fabulous and eye catching as well.  At the very first RootsTech conference, someone actually criticized me for having my children there.  Now, with so many actively involving their children in their Family History Research, things have changed much for the better.  Families like the Family History Fanatics, and The Genealogy Kids are carrying on the torch as my kids head into college and beyond.  I'm sure those kids, and all of the kids they reach will be benefited the way my kids have been.  Truly that has been the biggest payoff of my career.  

Teenagers teaching

I'm sure you've heard by now that my 15 year old son Matthew is teaching at RootsTech next week.  We are all so excited and proud of him.  He attended the youth activities last year.  He came away with a thirst for learning more about how to do it.  Over the next months I tried to get him involved in learning more at the conferences we attended but he didn't want to learn from the adults.  So when the call for papers for RootsTech came around, I said "Put your money where your mouth is."  If you want to learn from a kid, you have to be that kid.

We put together a proposal and his sense of humor came shining through.  He titled it "Get to Know Your Geezers."  He proposed that he teach about how to look for sources in three of the largest websites--FamilySearch, My Heritage, and Ancestry.  They accepted it and we were on our way.  He is teaching twice on Saturday and the youth portion of the conference is full with a waiting list.  It sounds like he could have upwards of 500 people in his courses.  He's not nervous at all-- but I am maybe a little. 

One thing that I really noticed last year was that the teens were all focused on their phones and their friends until a video was played in the lecture.  So we decided to make his presentation have lots of short videos.  That helps with the fact that he doesn't have alot of speaking experience too.  I think the videos we put together are really good.  Take a look:



We also went through and collected the best MyHeritage, FamilySearch, and Ancestry videos onto a website so that people could access them easily later. You can see them at Matthew's website.

I think teaching is a really great way to get a teenager involved.  I remember how much I thought I knew everything and how eager I was to tell everyone how to do things.  It is just an aspect of growing up.  And they always say that the teacher learns the most when they are preparing to teach.  I think that has been the case here.  Matthew has certainly been eager to learn much more than he will actually teach so that he can answer questions and etc.  I've been really impressed with the complexities that he has understood and his abililty to retain it all.

Oh, and by the way, I'm speaking too.  :)  And we are passing out free paper dolls in the vendor's hall.  We hope to see you there.  

Taking my daughter on a family history trip

There is nothing like travel to engage your family with their family history.  It can be near or far.  A couple of weeks ago I got to take my daughter to the Southern California Genealogy Society Conference. We had a great time on the trip, but we also got to do a little family history.  My mother grew up in Southern California and my Grandparents and Great Grandmother spent most of their lives there.  So we decided to stop by some of the old places.  

We stopped by the beach.

Mom and her sister on the left in the late 40s, Dad and I in the center in the 70s, My daughter on the right

We rode the carousel at the Santa Monica Pier.

Mom and her sister on the left in the 50s, My daughter and I on the right

We stopped by the temple where Mom and Dad were married.

Mom and Dad June 2, 1967, My daughter on the right

And we stopped by the house where my Mom grew up.

Mom and her sister on the left in the 50s, Grandpa and I in the center in the 70s, My daughter on the rightI was glad to see my Grandparent's house was being well taken care of now.   It didn't look so good when it was for sale last year when we stopped by with my son.

Next time we go to California, I'm going to see if I can recreate some of the old photos.  We did this for my parents for Mother's Day and Father's Day.  I've never laughed so hard in my life.  My sister put them together into a video for each of them.  It was a fun project that might work in your family too.  Watch out though.. I've never felt so old in my life either.  Time flies when  you are having fun. 

Another even easier summer project--Family History Tablecloth

I've been keeping the kids quite busy this summer with family history projects.  They have been trying out activities that might work in your family and some of them have turned out really great.  This one was particularly easy and really useful--our family history tablecloth. 

It has given us lots to talk about when we have dinner together.  You could do all sorts of twists on this.  I have a collection of letters from my grandfather-in-law to my grandmother-in-law that I'm going to swap out in this tablecloth later.  The family dinner table is such a center to the home.  I find myself looking at it all day long.  What would work for a project like this in your home?  Let me know or send me a picture.  I can't wait to see how yours turns out. 

Subscribe to our YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/janethovorka and you'll know when we have the next video done.  We're cooking up all sorts of good ideas.  Can't wait to show you.

Magnetic Family Tree Puzzle--An Easy Project To Do Together

My daughter and I have been working on some fun family history projects together.  Hopefully you already saw the 4th of July decorating we did together.  We've been working on some other YouTube videos to give you some activities that you can do with your children too. 

Take a look at how easy it is.  Send me a picture if you try it ok?

Independence Day decorating with Family History.

So I've found some new activities to do with my daughter.  She enjoys crafts and she was willing to put some 4th of July decorations together for the house with me.  We decided to give them a family history twist, and we both learned more about our past through the process.  I got to find out a little more about my father-in-law's navy service, and my daughter learned more about her ancestors who immigrated to the United States.

She was a good enough sport to help me with making a YouTube video about it. 

I'm obviously not a professional video producer but I have some other YouTube videos planned for this summer.  1) I think sometimes it is easier to show you things through a video, and I think it is easier to digest the information that way.  And 2) my daughter and I had a great time making it. 
You can follow them on my YouTube channel.

Let me know if any of these ideas work in your family.  I love hearing from you about what you have been doing.