Study Groups
Study Groups
EXPLORE TOGETHER! Make new genealogy friends and learn in-depth through a Willowtree Study Group! ALL sessions are 2-hrs weekly on Fridays from 3-5 pm. Most topics have 8 weeks of instruction, although occasionally a group may last just 4 or 6 weeks (at a pro-rated price). These sessions are relaxed and participatory - ask questions anytime. Past participants have given rave reviews! See below for further descriptions and dates.
After, registering, you’ll receive the Zoom link & handout for your Study Group prior to each class. If participants have an occasional conflict the group may work out an alternate meeting time. Hope to see you soon - these are so much fun!
PAYMENTS can be made ONLINE conveniently in several ways:
Checkout below through my website (PayPal or credit card)
Paypal direct to paypal.me/laurachaplin1
Venmo to @laura-chaplin1
or Zelle to 6303918873
2026 STUDY GROUPS:
$40 - Attack Your Stacks - 8 wks - Fridays 3:00 - 5:00 pm CT - Jan 9, 16, 23, 30 / Feb 6, 13, 20, 27.
Many of us are concerned about leaving our legacy of research to someone in the future. And, if we’re honest, many of us still have stacks to attack! Laura walks through a step-by-step adaptable strategy to organize, sort, integrate, and safeguard information while getting your piles into files. A blindingly accurate, valuable, traceable life’s work is our ultimate goal! NEW for 2026!
$40 - Pilgrimage Prepping - 8 wks - Fridays 3:00 - 5:00 pm CT - Mar 6, 13, 20 / Apr 10, 17, 24 / May 1, 8. No sessions on Mar 27 and Apr 3. PLUS Optional Pilgrimage trips at your own expense: National Genealogical Society Conference in Fort Wayne, IN on Mon-Sat May 25-30, 2026 &/OR Springfield, Illinois research attractions (State Archives, State Library & ALPLM) on a long weekend in August 2026 tba.
Some in-person genealogy ‘pilgrimages’ to wonderful spots for research – whether a library, a courthouse in the county where your ancestors lived, a promising cemetery, or whatever comes across your sleuthing radar - is essential to all of us! This study group will practice with a ‘specific-to-each-person’ project designed by you. We will plan for field trips, keep track of our finds, and prep for some specific sites. BONUS: join the group (at your own expense) as we make a pilgrimage to the tentative libraries listed above. Travel details will be finalized once the group meets. Sharing with genealogy friends makes any trip so much more rewarding! UPDATED for 2026!
$40 - Savvy Sources - 8 wks - Fridays 3:00 - 5:00 pm CT - Jun 5, 12, 19 / Jul 10, 17, 24, 31 / Aug 7. No sessions on Jun 26 and Jul 3.
Learn the ins and outs of Sources and Citations in an inviting way. The subject may be a tad dry but Instead of feeling overwhelming, this learning will be intriguing … possibly hilarious! We will use Elizabeth Shown Mills’ 2025 book Your Stripped Bare Guide to Citing & Using History Sources as our mini-manual guide for these study group sessions. This is a new basics approach to a sometimes challenging topic. In addition to the essentials we will explore how to best craft your citations on the ‘big box’ research sites such as Ancestry, FamilySearch, and MyHeritage along with some tips on using the citations functions in the lineage software of your choice. Don’t miss this unique group! NEW for 2026!
$30 - Fold3 Flair - 6 wks - Fridays 3:00 - 5:00 pm CT - Aug 14, 21, 28 / Sep 4, 11, 18.
Many family historians find Fold3 to be a bit intimidating. Since it’s indispensable in doing Military Records research and has so many other hidden gems to offer, why not develop some Fold3 flair and increase your research skills? PLUS … don’t miss the companion study group to follow on researching from home on the NARA website, another integral part of Military Records research! Learning Fold3 will benefit you in countless ways! REVISED for 2026!
$30 - Navigating NARA - 6 wks - Fridays 3:00 - 5:00 pm - Sep 25 / Oct 2, 9, 16, 23, 30.
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has an astounding amount of valuable documents that are under viewed and underused! Let’s break this trend and gain some expertise in navigating the NARA website from home or preparing for a satellite NARA visit. In addition to the military records they are known for, NARA also has tons of historical photos, newspapers, and other wonderful finds! We have nothing to lose and a lot to gain by learning about NARA! (Psst … there may be a Willowtree Pilgrimage trip in the offing to Washington, DC for 2027 so don’t miss this opportunity …) NEW for 2026!
$20 - Ancestry Advances Catch-up - 4 wks - Fridays 3:00 - 5:00 pm - Nov 6, 13, 20 / Dec 4. No session on Nov 27.
Ancestry.com has changed a great deal recently. AND … AncestryDNA is growing exponentially! Come catch up on all the latest tools and tweaks so you can reach more rewarding results on your own. NEW for 2026!