Regional Advisory Board

Homeschooling both their daughters through high school, Ed and Dena Bless hope that their experiences can be used to encourage and support others. When their first daughter was born, people began asking if they were going to homeschool. Dena jokes that her reply was, “Well, it depends on who you ask – him or the one who will have to actually do it!” She attended her first CHEA convention when their eldest was three to start investigating the possibility. Before long, they were both convinced this was the plan God had for their family, and what started as a year-to-year commitment soon became a lifelong journey.

In addition, they both have a strong interest in missions and are very involved in their home church. Having a heart for families and being sold out to the benefits of private, Christian homeschooling, they are excited to join with CHEA in this capacity.

Jarrad and Theresa Chavez strongly considered home education before ever even having children! They formally began private at home education in 2011 and are now on the tail end of their journey, having graduated their first born in 2023, who went on to college. Their younger two children will be graduating in 2025 and 2027.

Over the years the Chavezes have been active in their homeschool communities as tutors, leading and coordinating special events, volunteering with CHEA, and helping their church to establish a co-op where they also hosted gatherings to answer questions and guide others as they begin their own homeschooling journeys. Jarrad and Theresa regularly meet with other moms and dads as homeschool mentors. They really love sharing about their experiences and helping to put others at ease about home education.

John and Fern have served as RABs for the South Central Coast since 2005 and lead their local support group, Santa Barbara Christian Homesteaders Inc. They enjoy networking with their area groups as well as helping at the Annual CHEA Convention. John has been a controller for a custom home builder in Santa Barbara, and Fern has a busy schedule of teaching and tutoring in the subjects of writing, spelling, and reading. They both are very active in their church, serving in the Awana Clubs and music/worship ministries. John is a church elder. Both are credentialed teachers, having taught for many years in the local Christian school before homeschooling all three of their grown children from K-12. They are excited to see two of their three young grandchildren on the homeschooling journey.

Married in 1979, Scott and Mary became Christians in 1983. In 1987 they had their first of seven children. Mary left the corporate world to be a full-time Mom, and began what would become their twenty-six-year journey in home education.

They enrolled their first-born in a private Christian school, but quickly discovered how the age-stratification and preselected curriculum of traditional schools often hindered academic accomplishments. They decided to “test” homeschooling in a one-year trial, and never looked back. Private Christian homeschooling enabled Scott and Mary to tailor their children’s spiritual and educational course of study to meet the needs of each child. Modeling leadership for their children, Mary served as the principal of the PSP they were involved with. Scott co-founded Stoa, a national, private, Christian, homeschool speech and debate league for homeschooling families.

They are excited to share their experiences with the next generation of home educators.