Register Onsite the day of the event

Our pre-registration is closed, but we still want you there. On-site registration is in the North Foyer (by the school).

Don't forget to print your handouts. See you there!

This free event has something for everyone:

Two hours of children's activities.

Children's activities require separate registration.

Use the "Children's Activity" button below for more information.

Two youth(ages 11-18) classes: Escape the Past: The Family History Mystery

and TFH+MW=BF4EVA<3

Youth classes are included in the main registration.

Youth are welcome to register for any of the classes.

Keynote speakers, Mike and Ronda Forsburg

Four breakout sessions with a total of twenty class choices.

Scroll down to view class descriptions & instructor biographies.

Local genealogical societies & historical organizations.

Doors will open at 8:30 am.

Class Descriptions

Meet the Instructors

Keynote Speakers

Children's Activities

Discovery Day Registration

Class Handouts

Keynote Speakers - Mike & Ronda fosburg

9:00 am

Mike and Ronda Fosburg live in Spokane, Washington. They met at WWU in Bellingham and will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary next year. For the first 17 years of their marriage, they lived many places while Mike was in the Air Force and then a government contractor. In 1993, they moved to Spokane and both taught at Central Valley School District. After retiring, they served a 2 year mission in the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Since then, they keep learning and teaching about family history, as well as spending time with their 16 grandchildren. Mike is the drummer in a band that has been playing weekly for about 25 years Ronda enjoys sewing and quilting. They currently serve as the Spokane Area Temple and Family History Advisers.

CLasses

Beginner (B), Intermediate (I)

Keynote Session 9:00 am - 9:50 am - Mike and Ronda Fosburg

Session 1 - 10 am - 10:50 am

FamilySearch 101/102: Basics of FamilySearch (B) Randall Pixton will teach us the basics of FamilySearch.org. If you are new to FamilySearch or just need to refresh your skills, this class will take you from creating an account to adding your family to the tree.

AI and Family History: What Actually Works (B,I) Everyone is telling you AI is going to transform family history. Some of that is true right now, and some of it is marketing. Come find out which is which. We'll work through tools you can actually use today—including AI-powered full-text search on FamilySearch, handwriting transcription, record translation, photo restoration and colorization, and story drafting. We'll also cover how to spot when AI is confidently wrong, and how to use it without letting it take over the telling. Caleb Hill is the instructor.

Leadership Training (B) Robert Mylroie will lead this class to help those with callings in Family History in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints learn responsibilities, develop goals and share experiences.

1890 US Federal Census (B,I) The majority of the 1890 US Federal Census burned in a fire, leaving a 20-year void. Learn what information we are missing and ideas for filling in the gap. PamWilliams Duce will teach this class.

Escape the Past: The Family History Mystery (ages 11 - 18) - Think genealogy is just dusty books, faded microfilm, and scrolling endless spreadsheets? Think again. Grab your squad, beat the clock, and test your wits in an interactive Family History Escape Room designed specifically for young men and young women ages 11 - 18. You will decode hidden clues, crack real family records, solve cryptic puzzles, and discover that piecing together your roots is basically high-stakes detective work. Presented by Stake Young Men and Young Women Leaders

Session 2 - 11:00 am - 11:50 am

FamilySearch 103: Beginner Research (B) Tisha Brizzee will teach how to research your ancestors and learn more about them.

Google and Genealogy Research - How Does That Work? (B,I) Pam Heath will be the instructor for this class. In this class we will be looking at Google Search Tools, including AI. You’ll learn how to find books using Google Books. You’ll learn how to find articles using Google News. We will search Google Scholar and Google Patents. We’ll learn how to use Google Translate. And more! Hope you’ll sign up and attend.

Focus on Three Things Working in Temple & Family History callings in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Now what? Where do you start? Let’s focus on three easy things to help your wards stay on track! We can teach you and you can teach others! Mike & Ronda Fosburg will be the instructors.

Researching Tax Records (I) This class will cover types of tax records, what they can tell us about our ancestors, and where to find those records. Pam Williams Duce will be the teacher.

TFH+MW=BF4EVA<3 (ages 11 - 18) Youth 12-18 learn how temple and family history work pairs beautifully to share the gospel with the world! FH can make missionary work a breeze. Christy Child with be the instructor.

Session 3 - 1:00 pm - 1:50

FamilySearch Apps (B) Access to FamilySearch is as close as your phone. Easily look up an ancestor, add a memory, or do a family history activity. Rhonda Budvarson will be the instructor.

DNA & Genealogy: The Science Behind Your Family Tree (B,I) Blake Atwood, PhD, will be the instructor for this class. Ever wondered how a DNA test can tell you that someone might be your cousin, where your ancestors may have come from, or how much DNA you share with a particular relative? This class will look behind the scenes at the science and technical side of DNA testing. We will explore what DNA tests are used to determine relatedness and ancestry, how laboratories generate and analyze the genetic data, and how that information is used to identify potential relatives and estimate ancestral origins. We will also discuss how much DNA we actually share with different relatives, why DNA results are not always as straightforward as they may appear, and some of the potential sources of error and limitations of ancestry testing. Finally, we will connect ancestry genetics to the traits and diseases we inherit from our ancestors and explore how the same DNA that can help us understand where we came from can also provide information about our health.

Scanning Memories This class will cover the basics of handling old photographs, operating the center's scanning equipment, and archiving photos to FamilySearch. Elder Bean will be the instructor.

Bite-size Family History Activities (B) If you are overwhelmed by the thought of doing your family history, maybe start with some bite-size activities. Spend 5-10 minutes or less per activity getting a taste of family history. Pam Williams Duce will teach this class.

Roots, Recipes, & Remembering (Separate registration below, ages 3-11.) Come discover the people and stories that make our families special! At this hands-on family history class. Children will rotate through three stations.

Session 4 - 2:00 pm - 2:50 pm

Snap, Save, Share: A FamilySearch Memories Class (B) This class is for beginners of all ages — no experience needed and no computer required to attend. We'll walk through what FamilySearch Memories is, how to keep your photos private or public, and exactly how to get pictures from your phone, Google Photos, or computer onto FamilySearch. Sandi Isaacson will be the instructor.

Ancestry and Me (B) Come learn about the basics of Ancestry.com and how to start your own tree. Discover how to find new Info on your ancestor through hints and add a memory photo. Anne Sorenson will teach this class.

Your History Now (B) We will explore ways to and what to record for you and your posterity. Questions to ask loved ones and how to get the conversation ball rolling so you don't miss out on stories and histories. Lorien Cord will be the instructor.

Scanning Memories This class will cover the basics of handling old photographs, operating the center's scanning equipment, and archiving photos to FamilySearch. Elder Bean will be the instructor.

Digging Deep on FamilySearch.org (I) Going beyond the database on the FamilySearch website, we will explore the other records and tools to help discover more records and research avenues. Pam Williams Duce will be the instructor.

Build, Create, & Connect (Separate registration below, ages 3 - 11.) Come have fun learning about the temple through creativity, building, service, and games!

Meet the Instructors

Randall Pixton

FamilySearch 101/102: Basics of FamilySearch (B) 10:00 am - 10:50 am

Randall lives in Hayden, Idaho, and has lived his dream.

Family history is his passion, and he has helped hundreds of people around the world with their personal journey searching for their own families. He served as a fulltime missionary at Church Headquarters, training senior missionaries on FamilySearch, from the basics to advanced techniques. He also served in the Discovery Center in Salt Lake, Utah, RootsTech, and the Discovery Center in St. George, Utah.

His hobbies are fishing, adventures, and traveling around the world. His greatest joys are his grandkids.

Caleb Hill

AI and Family History: What Actually Works (B,I) 10:00 am - 10:50 am

AI and Family History: What Actually Works (B,I) 1:00 pm - 1:50 pm

Caleb Hill is a Data Scientist at Kochava, where he works with large-scale data, statistics, and machine learning to solve real-world problems. He is also pursuing a master's degree in Computer Science at Georgia Tech, with a focus on machine learning.

He also serves as his ward's Temple and Family History Leader, where his professional interest in technology and his personal interest in family history have naturally collided. After discovering what today's AI tools can do with historical records, handwriting, photographs, and family stories, he became interested in figuring out what actually works and where the technology still falls short.

Caleb lives in Post Falls, ID with his wife and their three young children. He enjoys finding practical ways to use technology to help people discover, preserve, and share the stories of their families.

Meet Your Game Masters: The YM & YW Presidencies

Escape the Past: The Family History Mystery (ages 11-18) 10:00 am - 10:50 am

Guiding your escape (or trapping you inside we haven't decided yet) is your Stake Young Men and Young Women presidencies. Between them, they possess an oddly specific set of survival skills:

The High-Tech & High-Adventure Crew: Equipped with expert computer troubleshooting chops to hack the digital archives and the navigation skills of a river rafting guide to keep you from going off the deep end.
The Law & The Wild: Featuring an actual school principal to keep order, alongside a big game hunter ready to track down elusive ancestors.
The Chaos Wranglers: Decades of combined experience corralling unruly kids, cheering for dance routines, music recitals, and calling plays on the sports field.
The Heart of the Room: Gospel teachers ready to point you toward the bigger picture, backed by world-class listeners who can pick up even your quietest clues.

What You Need to Know

Who: All young men and young women.
The Mission: Work as a team, break the codes, and escape before time runs out.
The Takeaway: A whole new way to experience family history; zero boring lectures guaranteed.

Can your crew crack the family vault in time, or will you become ancient history? Come find out!

Pam heath

Google and Genealogy Research - How Does That Work? (B,I) 11:00 am - 11:50 am

Pam is the Secretary and Chairperson of the Education Committee for the Kootenai County Genealogical Society.

She has been researching her Danish and Luxembourg family trees for 15 years.

Tisha Brizzee

FamilySearch 103: Beginner Research 11:00 am - 11:50 am

Tisha volunteers at the Hayden Lake FamilySearch center.

Mike & Ronda Fosburg

Focus on Three Things (B) 11:00 am - 11:50 am

Christy Child

TFH+MW=BF4EVA<3 (age 11-18) 11:00 pm - 11:50 pm

Christy Child is the Assistant Director at the Hayden Lake FamilySearch Center. She is currently serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, helping the FamilySearch Handwriting AI model learn to read Portuguese, while her son is serving his mission in Brasil.

Additionally, she excells in so many aspects of Family History, we at the FamilySearch Center are in awe.

She is an amazing Mom to three equaly amazing children and loving wife to her wonderful husband.

Blake AtWood

DNA & Genealogy: The Science Behind Your Family Tree (B) 1:00 pm - 1:50 pm

Blake Atwood, PhD, is a board-certified Laboratory Geneticist and Genomics professional with experience in clinical genetics, molecular diagnostics, and laboratory medicine. He earned his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and completed a Laboratory Genetics and Genomics fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine.

He currently serves as a lab director at Allele Diagnostics, where he is involved in clinical genetic testing and development of molecular diagnostic methods. He has taught genetic laboratory technology and methods to a variety of audiences, including genetic counseling students and pathology residents, through formal coursework as well as invited lectures and presentations.

Blake lives in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, with his wife and five children. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family and being outdoors, particularly fishing, hunting, and camping.

Rhonda Budvarson

FamilySearch Apps (B, I) 1:00 pm - 1:50 pm

Rhonda Budvarson enjoys Family History research, and helping others find their roots. She learned at an early age, by watching her parents carefully research and fill out Pedigree charts and Family Group Sheets. Now she serves as a FamilySearch Service Missionary and volunteers her time assisting in the FamilySearch Community and Product Development mission. You can also find her at the FamilySearch center on Thursdays from 2-5pm.

Elder Jarom Bean

Scanning Memories (B) 1:00 pm - 1:50 pm

Scanning Memories (B) 2:00 pm - 2:50 pm

Elder Jarom Bean is a young Service missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He's the oldest of 5 and has served diligently at the FamilySearch Center for 18 months.

Sandi Issacson

Snap, Save, Share: A FamilySearch Memories Class (B) 2:00 pm - 2:50 pm

Sandi Isaacson is a retired Coeur d’Alene elementary educator with a masters degree from University of Idaho. She has lived in Coeur d’Alene Idaho with her husband Dale for the last 53 years. They are the proud parents of four children and 18 grandchildren.

Annie Sorenson

Ancestry and Me (B) 2:00 pm - 2:50 pm

Hello, my name is Annie Sorensen and I live in the Post Falls. We have lived here for 20 years. I have 5 children, two of which were married this summer. I love the outdoors and love researching my family tree.

Lorien Cord

Your History Now (B) 2:00 pm - 2:50 pm

Hello, I am Lorien Cord. I have been a Family Search Center volunteer for almost 3 years and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints my whole life. I have been married to my wonderful husband and best friend for 21 years. We have two cats and a multitude of neices and nephews.

Pam is grateful for the love and support of her husband, Leon, children Daniel, his wife, Kylee, Sam, his wife Abby, Marcus, his wife, Lily, Emmalee, her husband, Gabe, and Elizabeth. Also her cute little grandchildren, Natalie, Oliver, Jack, Beau, and Daisy.

Pam Williams Duce

1890 US Federal Census (I) 10:00 am - 10:50 am

Researching Tax Records (B, I) 11:00 am - 11:50 am

Bite-size Family History (B) 1:00 pm - 1:50 pm

Digging Deep on FamilySearch.org (I) 2:00 pm - 2:50 pm

Pam Williams Duce has been a student of family history for over 30 years and will continue to learn and grow as long as she is able. She has been teaching classes and giving presentations for the last 25 years.

Pam’s love for learning about her ancestors started in her early years through the stories shared by her parents. Though not formally trained, as a preteen she did learn to read upside down and backward, believing it would come in handy when she became an FBI agent. Instead, it was useful while reading to her five children while simultaneously showing them the book.

Family History is full of great mysteries, stranger-than-fiction stories, and emphasizes the importance of all families. The perfect combination to create a deep desire to not only research her own family but also help others discover theirs.

Swedish research and DNA research are her current favorites.

Hayden Lake Stake Primary Presidency

Childern's Activities

Presented by the Hayden Lake Stake Primary Presidency. Children ages 3 to 11 are welcome to attend one or both classes. In order to have adiquate supplies. Please click the button below to let us know a contact name and email for the parent and the number and ages of children attending.

Children's Activities Registration

Concurrent with Session 3: 1 pm - 1:50 pm

Concurrent with Session 4: 2:00 pm - 2:50 pm