RootsTech is just around the corner! If you aren’t attending in person, have you registered for the virtual event? It’s completely free, and so many good things are in store for you! I know it can be overwhelming to look at the schedule and decide what to watch, so I’ve pulled together some lists of recommendations for virtual attendees. These are just some of the classes that caught my eye – be sure to browse the full list of virtual offerings to find what you are looking for.
Remember that every online class is being recorded and will be available for on-demand viewing within minutes after it is presented live. If you can’t get to all the classes you want to watch during RootsTech 2024, make a plan to watch them in the weeks and months ahead!
*Times are listed in Mountain Standard Time.
Keynote Addresses
My first recommendation is to watch the keynote addresses held at 11 a.m. each day! I love hearing the keynote speakers talk about the importance of family, traditions, stories, etc. They inspire me and help me remember why I love genealogy and family history! RootsTech has some great keynotes lined up this year:
Thursday we will hear from FamilySearch Internationa CEO, Steve Rockwood, and comedian Henry Cho.
Friday we will hear from Lynne M. Jackson – a descendant of Dred and Harriet Scott; and Sony Photographer Nancy Borowick.
Saturday we will hear from Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth.
Beginner Classes
The BYU Family History Department is sponsoring a beginner track at RootsTech this year. See each of the classes on this track online.
In addition to the BYU-sponsored classes, here are a few additional recommendations for beginners:
February 29
8:00 am – Where did you find that? Effective searches on FamilySearch.org with Debbie Gurtler
9:30 a.m. – From Research to Draft: Rapidly Writing Your Ancestor’s Story with Devon Noel Lee
1:30 – Stop Struggling and Start Having Fun Writing Your Life Story Using a 5-Step Framework with Joanna Klein
4:30 pm – Climbing Your Branch of the FamilySearch Family Tree with Alice Childs
March 1
1:30 p.m. – Where in the World? Tackling a New Research Location with Cheri Hudson Passey
Intermediate Classes
February 29
8:00 a.m. – Fixing Sticky Problems in FamilySearch Family Tree with Kathryn Grant
9:30 a.m. – Who is My Ancestor? Tracing Individuals with Similar Names with D. Joshua Taylor
4:30 p.m. – Brick Wall Ancestors Need a Search Party with Janet Hovorka, Diahan Southard, and Crista Cowan
4:30 pm – Climbing Your Branch of the FamilySearch Family Tree with Alice Childs
March 1
8:00 a.m. – Did My Family Get Skipped? Mining Census Records for Missing Ancestors with Nicol Gilkison LaRue
3:00 p.m. – Brick Walls! Real? or Created Through Faulty Research? with Barbara Vines Little
4:30 p.m. – Getting the Most Out of United States Census Records with Julie Merrill
March 2
8:00 a.m. – Finding Your Common Name Ancestor with Shaunese Luthy
Classes of Special Interest for Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
RootsTech has also curated a list of classes of interest for Latter-day Saints:
I’ve included some of these and a few additional recommendations in my list below:
March 1, 8:00 a.m. – Story Seeds: Nurturing Youth’s Connection to Family History & Storytelling with Heather Haunert
March 2, 8:00 a.m. – What’s New at FamilySearch for Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 2024 with Todd Powell
March 2, 9:30 a.m. – 10 Ways to Find Your Groove – When Family History is Not Your Passion with Mckell Keeney
March 2, 9:30 a.m. – A Pro’s Take on Preserving Your Story with FamilySearch with Jimmer and Whitney Fredette
March 2, 1:30 p.m. – RootsTech 2024 Family Discovery Day Live Session with President M. Russell Ballard and more.
March 2, 3:00 p.m. – Getting to Know Your Latter-day Saint Pioneer Ancestor: Seven Steps to Success with Diana Elder
March 2, 3:00 p.m. – Discoveries Await with Ordinances Ready with Lynzi Kidman Coffey
March 2, 3:00 p.m. – Cool Kids: Connecting Young Kids to Their Ancestors with Jana Rasmussen and Amanda Terry
March 2, 3:00 p.m. – Empowering and Fortifying Youth through “Family History Discovery Experiences” with Christine Francis
This year’s Temple and Family History Leadership Session will be available on demand in the Gospel Library App beginning February 29. Read more here.
Beginner Classes for Research in Specific Countries
February 29, 8:00 a.m. – 7 Essential Tips for Starting German Genealogy with Katherine Schober.
February 29, 8:00 a.m. – Polish genealogy in practice: Let’s start from the beginning with Alexandra Kacprzak
March 1, 8:00 a.m. – Looking for Dutch Ancestors: The Basics with John Boeren
March 1, 8:00 a.m. – Help! There’s No Class on Researching My Ancestral Homeland with Sunny Morton
March 2, 8:00 a.m. – An Introduction to Scandinavian Church Records 2024 with Jenny Hansen.
March 2, 9:30 a.m. – Beginning Irish Research with Jenny Joyce.
March 2, 9:30 a.m. – Filipino Genealogy 101 with Amy Carpenter
Special Interest – Getting Organized
March 1, 8:00 a.m. – Google Docs and Google Sheets for Genealogists with Amy Carpenter
March 1, 3:00 p.m. – How to Find Any Photo Quickly, No Matter Where You Store Them with Laurie Rubin
Special Interest – Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence is the latest buzzword in the genealogy world. You can learn more with these classes:
March 1 at 9:30 a.m. – How to use AI for Family History Experiences with Matt Armstrong
March 1 at 4:30 p.m. – AI and Genealogy: Trouble Ahead? with Thomas MacEntee
Special Interest – DNA for Beginners
Diahan Southard is presenting a four-part series titled You Can DO the DNA. Here are the links to the sessions:
February 29, 9:30 a.m. – You Can DO the DNA #1–Get Started (or Restarted)
March 1, 9:30 a.m. – You Can DO the DNA #2–Get Your Best Ethnicity Estimate
March 1, 1:30 p.m. – You Can DO the DNA #3–Light Your DNA Match List on Fire!
March 2, 8:00 a.m.m – You Can DO the DNA #4–See What DNA Success Looks Like: Real Case Studies
So Much More…
These are just a few of the 200+ online sessions being offered at RootsTech 2024. I hope you will enjoy whatever classes you decide to take. There’s always more to learn about genealogy and family history, and RootsTech is a wonderful way to gain knowledge and expertise!
Thanks Alice for including me in your RT top picks “Empowering and Fortifying Youth through Family History Discovery Experiences” It was a joy to present. – Christine Francis