IRHSA Mentorship Program

The IRHSA Mentorship Program was reestablished in 2022 to help new and veteran homeschooling families throughout their educational journey. Mentors within the program are volunteer IRHSA members who have extensive homeschooling experience and are capable to give advice and direction on any homeschooling questions you may have. While searching the internet for answers can be a great help, there really is nothing like being able to talk with someone who has the wisdom from many years of hands-on experience. The wisdom our mentors share is available to all IRHSA members. 

If you would like to connect with one of our mentors, please send an email to: IRHSA.families@gmail.com

Biographies of current IRHSA Mentors:

Teresa Pastor

Teresa Pastor and her husband, George, have been residents of Indian River County for over 30 years.  Together they homeschooled their four children from early childhood to graduation.  For several years, Teresa was an IRHSA Board member and coordinator of the Coastal Curriculum Fair held annually in Vero Beach.  She has taught high school English and Apologetics for over a decade, and she has also tutored online for many years.  Having completed her homeschooling years, she now enjoys her five delightful grandchildren.

Elena Marine

I have been homeschooling since 1998! Homeschooling our children has been one of the greatest blessings that God has given us. Largely through it, He blended two broken families into one strong unit. (The process continues!) We discovered early on that choosing to educate our kids at home was not merely the way we did school, but the way we did family! It has also been the most natural way we have been able to offer our children their own love story with Jesus day in and day out.

Being a blended family has meant that we have had a lot of flexibility in our schooling with kids sometimes being in conventional private school, sometimes in public, but we have always had our core at home. We have graduated four of our seven children from home, and we just graduated our last child. That is why I am so excited to make myself available to any mom who wants advice, prayer, or just a cup of tea. I love homeschooling, and I will do anything I can do to make it a brighter journey for the moms living out this beautiful calling right now.

Janice Milesic

I am a mother of 4 grown children. Our family has lived in Vero Beach for over 20 years. My husband and I are entrepreneurs. We currently own and operate Mattress Market. Our family worships and is active at Oceans Unite Christian Centre.   

I have homeschooled 2 of our children.  I have also had our children in the local public school system and a private school.  Our children were active in sports and music through high school. Now that I’m finished with my own homeschool journey, I would love to share what I’ve learned with other mothers and be an encouragement on their journey.

Leslie Bowen

Leslie, originally from Michigan, has lived in Florida since 1997. She is a graduate of Central Michigan University with a bachelors degree in communications which she utilized in various sales and marketing positions. The Lord led her to Christian ministry, teaching grammar school art history at Master’s Academy. Helping in various ministries within her church, and involvement on the Indian River Homeschool Association as a board member has increased her love of serving others. As a mother of three, she is drawn to the mission of The Buggy Bunch which is to serve, assist, and equip moms while sharing the love of Jesus.

Stephanie Downey

Stephanie is a stay-at-home homeschooling mom to two kids.

She has been homeschooling for 8 years. She loves Jesus, baseball, and gardening.

Debby Foster

I am eternally grateful for the gift of homeschooling the five children God has entrusted us with. Graham and I chose to homeschool in order to have more time together as a family and to choose what we focused on in our learning together. Our oldest was just blessed with our first grandbaby! Our youngest will graduate high school next Spring.

I hope to encourage others that they are truly equipped and able to love and teach those entrusted to their care

Denyse Armstead

Denyse Armstead is married to her college sweetheart, Adam, and together are raising four boys: Miller (15), Hayes (14), Deacon (12) and Wright (10). Eleven years ago, with three young boys at home and the oldest due to begin kindergarten, the decision to homeschool was initially something that she did not embrace, However, with her husband’s encouragement Denyse followed what she now knows was God calling her to educate her children, and she has never looked back. She has said “The most difficult thing about homeschooling is making the decision to do it!” Denyse has been been a part of Classical Conversations for eleven years and has treasured her time learning alongside her boys as a lead-learner, or tutor. “The biggest blessing in homeschooling has been seeing the fruits of my labor firsthand in the form of their insightful questions, their love of learning, and the close relationship that our boys have with each other.”

Sheri Taylor, M. Ed., PCET, CDT

I am a homeschooler, a certified teacher in the state of Florida, a homeschool evaluator, a Professionally Certified Educational Therapist (National Institute for Learning Development), a Certified Dyslexia Therapist (International Dyslexia Association), a Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment Mediator, a Masgutova Method Core-In-Training, and a homeschool consultant with over 25 years of experience. I also taught public school for 3 years. I have daily experience with my children and others who have Giftedness, ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia, Asperger's, Sensory Processing Disorder, Reactive Attachment Disorder, Adoption Issues, and ODD. I thrive on helping parents who are at wit's end, because I have been there!

I have been married to my husband, Chris, for 32 years. We have lived in Vero Beach, FL for the last 29 years. We have four children, three of whom are adopted. We are so thankful for the providential ways that God has brought our family together, and for all we have learned while homeschooling. All of our children have been homeschooled from the beginning up to college. Our oldest son, Isaac, resides in Vero Beach with his wife, Rachel. They just gave us our first grandchild, Charlotte, this past year! Isaac is employed in the field of Information Technology and is also a professional banjo player. Our daughter, Sofie, just started her second year of law school AND marriage at age 21 to our wonderful new son-in-law, Mike! Our next son, Jonas, is a Civil Engineering student and avid fisherman in his Junior year of college at age 19. Our youngest son, Harrison, is a high school senior. He has a wide range of interests and talents from baseball to dog training. He has many entrepreneurial pursuits as well. It is exciting to think about what he may do next!

Because of homeschooling, my children were able to have the time and freedom to discover and develop their unique gifts and talents. I believe it is important to allow all children, especially those with learning differences, to spend two to three times as much energy pursuing their strengths rather than their weaknesses. I believe homeschooling provides an opportunity for the child to grow in a nurturing and non-stressful environment, which in turn builds a stronger bond between parent and child. This bond is crucial with children who are at risk due to behavior issues or learning differences. Since this parental bond is the foundation for all future relationships, it gives children the confidence to become productive citizens who can relate to people from all walks of life and the courage to bring their special gifts and talents to the world.

I do not give advice. I give options that are lesser known and out of the mainstream of the one size fits all education. I believe parents are the experts on their children, and parents should decide what is best for their child. I am just here to help. Let me know if you are interested in any of my services: educational therapy, consulting, and/or homeschool evaluations. I believe your family will benefit from what I have learned.

Misty Milliman

Misty Milliman met her husband of 27 years in high school. They have two beautiful daughters Calista and Trista. Calista married her best friend Paul in January and is now enjoying her new life with her best friend and new pup. Trista graduated high school in May and is currently working on finishing her AA degree. In 2006 Misty and Joel made the decision to enroll Calista in school. Calista did exceptionally well, exceeding all expectations. At the end of that school year the school informed the Milliman’s that the school is permanently shutting down. So, the homeschooling adventure began. An adventure Misty is forever grateful to have had and would do it all over again if she could.

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Olivia McManus

Olivia McManus and her husband of 23 years, Matt, have lived in Vero Beach, Florida for nearly 12 years. Together they are raising their three children, Analise, Ezra and James, with the hope of growing closer to the Lord every day both individually and together as a family. Their family is entering into their 9th year of homeschooling. They have been blessed to be a part of Classical Conversations for the past 8 years. Olivia and her family appreciate the community, accountability, encouragement, curriculum, and framework that Classical Conversations provides.

Olivia has had the privilege to serve in her Classical Conversations community as a mother, tutor and director. As a lead learner, her goal is to not know all the answers, but to equip her students and families with the desire to ask good questions and learn new things. After all learning is for life.

Prior to life as a homeschool mother, Olivia was an elementary school teacher. Additionally, she directed a local Christian based dance program. Their family enjoys spending time at the beach and discovering new adventures and locations around the country in their RV. Homeschooling has blessed their family in numerous ways, however the relationship growth within their family has been such a precious gift. "The influence we earn in other's lives is not for the purpose of wielding power, it's for the purpose of loving others enough to help them in their journey." (author unknown)