FeaturingAndy AndrewsConnie AlbersDr. Roger SmithJonathan Brush
Your speakers
Learn from parents and mentors who have spent decades raising and working with young adults.
Andy Andrews
New York Times bestselling author
Hailed by a New York Times reporter as “someone who has quietly become one of the most influential people in America.”
Andy Andrews is the author of the New York Times bestsellers How Do You Kill 11 Million People?, The Noticer and The Traveler’s Gift, and is also an in-demand speaker for the world’s largest organizations. Zig Ziglar said, “Andy Andrews is the best speaker I have ever seen.” Andy has spoken at the request of four different United States presidents and toured military bases around the world, being called upon by the Department of Defense to speak about the principles contained in his books. Arguably, there is no single person on the planet better at weaving subtle yet life-changing lessons into riveting tales of adventure and intrigue, both on paper and on stage. He lives in Orange Beach, Alabama, with his wife, Polly.
Connie Albers
Author, speaker and homeschool mom of five
Connie Albers is a speaker, author, and parenting expert with over 30 years of experience equipping families to thrive.
As a homeschool mom of five and trusted mentor to parents nationwide, she is known for her practical strategies, relatable teaching style, and passion for helping families build strong, lasting relationships. Like many parents, Connie learned through real life: raising five children, homeschooling them, making mistakes, figuring things out, and discovering what actually works in the middle of everyday chaos. Over time, she became a trusted voice for parents who wanted practical guidance, honest encouragement, and tools that actually fit real family life. Not perfection, but progress. Since 1986, Connie has worked with families who are trying to do life well while juggling all the demands that come with it.
Dr. Roger Smith
Physician and parenting author
Dr. Roger Smith is a medical doctor in rural Louisiana who was awarded The Louisiana Rural Physician of the Year in 2021.
He and his wife, Jan, homeschooled all four of their adult children until the college years, and home education has been an exciting journey for them where they became experts in home and family management, leadership, and community service. They continue to serve in their church as mentors and teachers, as well as serving on the board of the National Alliance of Christian Home Education Leaders. Dr. Smith has an audio podcast on parenting (Parenting Matters Now) and is author of Parenting with Influence.
He states one of his favorite topics to talk with parents about is how they can inspire their children, and that is the subject of his presentation for The Raising Great Adults Summit.
Jonathan Brush
President and CEO of Unbound
Jonathan is the President and CEO of Unbound, a homeschool graduate, and a homeschool dad of eight.
He worked for nine years as a Director of Admissions for a private, liberal arts college, and has since spent over twenty years working in non-traditional higher education. Appearing on stages and podcasts, and leading events around the country, Jonathan teaches young adults and their parents how to ask the right questions, take action, and understand key truths that will enable them to live well. Jonathan’s energetic speaking and teaching style engages and inspires, while his honesty, practical advice, and relentless focus on hope encourages, equips, and enables audiences. Jonathan brings almost 25 years of experience working with young adults and families in a variety of settings from education to business and from church work to outdoor adventures. He lives in the middle of the Shenandoah Valley, VA with his wife Kara and their eight children.
The schedule
Two days of teaching and a final day of encouragement and conversation.
Day 1
Wed, Nov 11 · 5 to 7 pm ET
Who your teen is becoming
Dr. Roger Smith: Inspiring your children to be great
Children are dreamers from birth, but according to research, education seems to take it out of them. Dr. Smith will share ways that you can bring to life their ability to dream big, and to pursue their dreams.
We all need to be inspired to be great, but it is your job to inspire your children to become something bigger than they are today. Gather ideas from this session that will help you be more inspirational. But be careful, your children may take you places that will stretch you.
Connie Albers: The extraordinary power of doing ordinary things well
How do we raise teenagers who strive for excellence without making them feel they have to be exceptional at everything?
In a culture that often measures success by grades, accomplishments, recognition, and comparison, Christian parents have an opportunity to teach their teens a different way of approaching life. Excellence isn’t about being the smartest, the most talented, or the highest achiever. It’s about developing the character to give your best and approach even ordinary tasks with diligence and purpose.
Drawing on more than 35 years of homeschooling and raising five children, Connie Albers shares how parents can cultivate a spirit of excellence without pressuring children to be perfect. Through practical examples and biblical wisdom, she’ll explore how everyday responsibilities, academic challenges, relationships, and even disappointments can become opportunities to develop initiative, perseverance, and integrity.
Parents will leave with a clearer understanding of how to encourage their teens to take ownership of their efforts, develop strong personal standards, and recognize that doing ordinary things well is part of living faithfully.
Excellence isn’t about being better than someone else. It’s about faithfully giving the best of what God has given you.
Day 2
Thu, Nov 12 · 5 to 7 pm ET
Raising great adults
Andy Andrews: Why not to focus on raising great kids
As a parent, you should have a different target! In this address, New York Times bestselling author Andy Andrews unpacks the details of the higher purpose to which you are called and exactly how to accomplish that purpose.
This one will be incredibly interesting, occasionally funny, and explained in a simple way that will change your ideas about parenting for the BEST result.
Jonathan Brush: Principles-based parenting: You don’t need a formula, you need a foundation
Ever notice that everyone has a very specific opinion about how you should or shouldn’t raise your children? Have you noticed that the stronger the certainty of that opinion, the more likely it is to contradict everyone else’s opinions?
There’s no magic formula to parenting, and you should be very cautious listening to anyone who tells you there is one. There’s no magic formula, but there are principles, things that are true no matter what. If you understand those principles then, since we are made in the image of an infinitely creative God, there are an infinite number of ways you can teach your children those principles, reflecting your unique skills and your unique family. This session will give you the foundation to build your own parenting plan, one that will allow you to adjust the formula as much as necessary.
Day 3
Fri, Nov 13 · 5 to 7 pm ET
Joy in the journey
Jonathan Brush: Discovering the joy of parenting teens
A lot of parenting sessions deal with problems. Information and teaching on how to fix a problem, understand the times, and help you help your children.
That’s understandable, and a good thing! We all need help and there are always challenges and struggles involved in raising children to be great adults, but that’s just part of the story. There’s a bigger part of the story that is too often missed. Parenting, if taken seriously, should produce, more than anything else, a deep, rich, soul-satisfying joy. The kind of joy that results from effort, sacrifice, investment, and work. This session is about that joy. We hope and pray it will be both an encouragement and an inspiration for you, no matter where you are in your parenting journey.
Live Q&A with Jonathan Brush
Who it's for
Made for Christian parents who want to raise great adults.
Every session comes from a Christian perspective, and every speaker brings practical steps you can test out for yourself.
This summit is for you if:
- ✓You're parenting a teen or young adult and want to enjoy these years together
- ✓You're tired of parenting advice that runs on fear and leaves you feeling worn down or intimidated
- ✓You're learning how your role changes as your child grows into an adult
- ✓You want principles rooted in faith that you can put into practice at home
Questions
Before you sign up
Is it really free?
Yes. Every live session is free when you register.
What if I can't make it live?
We'll email you each session's replay the next morning.
How much time does it take?
Two hours each evening, from 5 to 7 pm ET, for three days in a row.
Should my teen watch with me?
The sessions are designed for parents. Many of the daily resources make great conversation starters to use with your teen afterward.
Who is hosting?
Unbound, a Christian, project-based education organization that trains young adults 14-22 to thrive by teaching them to take full responsibility for their life, serve others by being extraordinary at ordinary, prioritize relationships, create value, and live resiliently, in light of eternity, for the glory of God.
Come discover the joy of raising great adults.
Join us live on Zoom, Wednesday, November 11 through Friday, November 13.
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