🧬🍪 Our Biology students wrapped up their cell biology unit with a creative (and tasty!) hands-on project — decorating cookies to model different types of cells.
Using frosting and toppings, students illustrated organelles, cell structures, and the unique differences between different types of cells.
It was a fun way to bring science to life… and enjoy a sweet treat at the end! 🌟💜
#ucathunder #ucahighschool #ucastem
Using frosting and toppings, students illustrated organelles, cell structures, and the unique differences between different types of cells.
It was a fun way to bring science to life… and enjoy a sweet treat at the end! 🌟💜
#ucathunder #ucahighschool #ucastem
🇺🇸💜 Honoring a Hero This Veterans Day💜🇺🇸
Recently, our kindergarteners created special Veterans Day cards for Sterling, the father of one of Mrs. Troost’s friends, and a truly decorated hero.
Sterling served in the U.S. Air Force from 1967–2008, reaching the rank of Chief Master Sgt. Throughout his remarkable 41 years of service, he served in Vietnam, Grand Forks, Korea, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia, Panama, and Desert Storm. He now resides at the Minneapolis Veterans Home.
When he received the cards, he was deeply touched by the kindness and gratitude expressed by our students. ❤️🇺🇸
We’re so thankful for Sterling’s extraordinary service and sacrifice — and grateful for the opportunity to honor him in a small but meaningful way.
#ucathunder #ucaelementary
Recently, our kindergarteners created special Veterans Day cards for Sterling, the father of one of Mrs. Troost’s friends, and a truly decorated hero.
Sterling served in the U.S. Air Force from 1967–2008, reaching the rank of Chief Master Sgt. Throughout his remarkable 41 years of service, he served in Vietnam, Grand Forks, Korea, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia, Panama, and Desert Storm. He now resides at the Minneapolis Veterans Home.
When he received the cards, he was deeply touched by the kindness and gratitude expressed by our students. ❤️🇺🇸
We’re so thankful for Sterling’s extraordinary service and sacrifice — and grateful for the opportunity to honor him in a small but meaningful way.
#ucathunder #ucaelementary
☕💜 Thunder Brew is officially for business! 💜☕
Our Thunder Brew coffee cart was such a hit with our staff last week that we’ve decided to expand the fun! Thunder Brew will now be serving students, staff, and parents on Thursday mornings.
You’re invited to start your Thursdays with a custom beverage, a friendly smile, and a little extra Thunder spirit. We can’t wait to serve you next week! 🎉
#ucathunder
Our Thunder Brew coffee cart was such a hit with our staff last week that we’ve decided to expand the fun! Thunder Brew will now be serving students, staff, and parents on Thursday mornings.
You’re invited to start your Thursdays with a custom beverage, a friendly smile, and a little extra Thunder spirit. We can’t wait to serve you next week! 🎉
#ucathunder
🏀 We’re looking for passionate and dedicated Middle School Basketball Coaches to join our UCA athletics program!
⛹️♀️ ⛹️♂️ We need a 7th/8th grade boys and a 4th/5th/6th grade girls coach who loves the game, values teamwork, and is excited to invest in our student-athletes—both on and off the court.
If you or someone you know is interested, please contact our Middle School Athletic Director, Jill Moss, for more information (jill.moss@ucathunder.org).
Let’s build a great season together! 💜 ⚡️
⛹️♀️ ⛹️♂️ We need a 7th/8th grade boys and a 4th/5th/6th grade girls coach who loves the game, values teamwork, and is excited to invest in our student-athletes—both on and off the court.
If you or someone you know is interested, please contact our Middle School Athletic Director, Jill Moss, for more information (jill.moss@ucathunder.org).
Let’s build a great season together! 💜 ⚡️
Our secondary students closed out United Week with a powerful all-worship chapel — a beautiful time of singing, reflection, prayer, and surrender. 🎶🙏
Throughout the week, students explored the theme “Returning to the Garden,” focusing on the big picture of Scripture and what it means to fully surrender and reconnect with God. It was an incredible reminder that from Genesis to Revelation, God’s desire has always been a relationship with us.
What a meaningful way to end the week — hearts united in worship and rooted in Christ! 💜
#ucathunder
Throughout the week, students explored the theme “Returning to the Garden,” focusing on the big picture of Scripture and what it means to fully surrender and reconnect with God. It was an incredible reminder that from Genesis to Revelation, God’s desire has always been a relationship with us.
What a meaningful way to end the week — hearts united in worship and rooted in Christ! 💜
#ucathunder
🌟 Every student at UCA has an incredible story — unique, inspiring, and full of potential! 💜
We’d like to celebrate those students who shine. From personal achievements to acts of kindness, creative talents, and leadership in or out of the classroom, each student makes a difference and brings something special to our community! 🙌🎓
“Big shoutout to three of our UCA juniors who have started a Bible study for their classmates!
These guys have a bold heart for Jesus, a love for their peers, and a desire to make an impact at UCA. We’re so proud of their leadership and example of what it means to live out your faith on campus.
We love seeing students lead with purpose and passion, creating spaces for others to grow in truth and encouragement.”
#ucathunder #ucastudentswhoshine
We’d like to celebrate those students who shine. From personal achievements to acts of kindness, creative talents, and leadership in or out of the classroom, each student makes a difference and brings something special to our community! 🙌🎓
“Big shoutout to three of our UCA juniors who have started a Bible study for their classmates!
These guys have a bold heart for Jesus, a love for their peers, and a desire to make an impact at UCA. We’re so proud of their leadership and example of what it means to live out your faith on campus.
We love seeing students lead with purpose and passion, creating spaces for others to grow in truth and encouragement.”
#ucathunder #ucastudentswhoshine
What an incredible morning for our very first Thunder Run last Saturday! Despite the chilly temps, about 45 runners — along with a crowd of awesome spectators — showed up with energy, smiles, and school spirit. ⚡️🏃♂️ 🏃♀️❄️
It was a fun-filled morning spent connecting with our amazing UCA community. Thank you to everyone who came out to make this event such a success — we can’t wait to do it again next year! 🎉
#ucathunder
It was a fun-filled morning spent connecting with our amazing UCA community. Thank you to everyone who came out to make this event such a success — we can’t wait to do it again next year! 🎉
#ucathunder
Today, we pause to honor the brave men and women who have served our country with courage and sacrifice. We are grateful for your selfless service and the freedoms we enjoy as a result. 🇺🇸
Thank you to our veterans and their families, and may we never take for granted the liberty He has entrusted to us. 🙏
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” — John 15:13
#ucathunder
Thank you to our veterans and their families, and may we never take for granted the liberty He has entrusted to us. 🙏
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” — John 15:13
#ucathunder
🍎✨ It’s time to put the spotlight on one of our incredible UCA staff — sharing a glimpse into their heart for students, their passion for UCA, and the impact they make every day. We’re so grateful for the dedication and love they pour into our school and community! ✨ 📚
We’re giving a huge shoutout to Miss Jase Anderson, our incredible 1st grade teacher here at UCA!
“Miss Anderson brings a fun, energetic, and creative spirit to everything she does. Her classroom is full of joy, curiosity, and connection — a place where students feel loved, supported, and excited to learn.
She consistently finds clever and engaging ways to make learning come alive, utilizing best practices that help her students grow both academically and spiritually. And beyond the classroom, she shows up — cheering at games, supporting school events, and investing in the UCA community she loves.
Her students absolutely adore her, and so do we! Thank you, Miss Anderson, for the energy, excellence, and heart you bring to our school every single day.
We’re blessed to have you at UCA! 💜
#ucathunder #ucateacherfeature #ucaelementary
We’re giving a huge shoutout to Miss Jase Anderson, our incredible 1st grade teacher here at UCA!
“Miss Anderson brings a fun, energetic, and creative spirit to everything she does. Her classroom is full of joy, curiosity, and connection — a place where students feel loved, supported, and excited to learn.
She consistently finds clever and engaging ways to make learning come alive, utilizing best practices that help her students grow both academically and spiritually. And beyond the classroom, she shows up — cheering at games, supporting school events, and investing in the UCA community she loves.
Her students absolutely adore her, and so do we! Thank you, Miss Anderson, for the energy, excellence, and heart you bring to our school every single day.
We’re blessed to have you at UCA! 💜
#ucathunder #ucateacherfeature #ucaelementary
🧲 Mrs. Ray’s 3rd grade students are diving into the study of forces, motion and magnets – discovering how magnets attract, repel, and interact with different materials.
Through hands-on experiments and observation, they’re learning to ask questions, form hypotheses, and draw conclusions based on evidence. 🧠✨
You can see our young scientists develop curiosity and critical thinking as they experiment and explore! 💜
#ucathunder #ucaelementary #ucastem
Through hands-on experiments and observation, they’re learning to ask questions, form hypotheses, and draw conclusions based on evidence. 🧠✨
You can see our young scientists develop curiosity and critical thinking as they experiment and explore! 💜
#ucathunder #ucaelementary #ucastem
🎉🍦 Super Class Celebration!
Congratulations to Mrs. Nerdahl's 4th graders, our Jog-A-Thon “Super Class” — the classroom that raised the most money per student on average! 💜👏
These hardworking students celebrated their big win with a pajama day and ice cream party — the perfect reward after all their laps and fundraising efforts. 🏃♂️🍨🎉
#ucathunder #ucaelementary #ucajogathon
Congratulations to Mrs. Nerdahl's 4th graders, our Jog-A-Thon “Super Class” — the classroom that raised the most money per student on average! 💜👏
These hardworking students celebrated their big win with a pajama day and ice cream party — the perfect reward after all their laps and fundraising efforts. 🏃♂️🍨🎉
#ucathunder #ucaelementary #ucajogathon
Our 6th graders turned everyday materials into festive fall art by creating paper mâché pumpkins using plastic bags! The bags were bundled together, then they used twine and tape to fine-tune the pumpkin-like texture, shape, and details. 🛍️➡️🎃
This fun project showed them that great art can come from simple, reused materials.🌎💡
#ucathunder #ucamiddleschool #ucafinearts
This fun project showed them that great art can come from simple, reused materials.🌎💡
#ucathunder #ucamiddleschool #ucafinearts
🌿🔬Mrs. Nerdahl’s 4th graders have been digging into an exciting science lesson all about roots and branches!
Using evidence gathered from a hands-on classroom experiment, students tested and observed to determine which root and branch types are the strongest. 💪🌳
It’s awesome to see curiosity and critical thinking take root as they explore God’s amazing design in nature! 💜✨
#ucathunder #ucaelementary #ucastem
Using evidence gathered from a hands-on classroom experiment, students tested and observed to determine which root and branch types are the strongest. 💪🌳
It’s awesome to see curiosity and critical thinking take root as they explore God’s amazing design in nature! 💜✨
#ucathunder #ucaelementary #ucastem
🌟 Every student at UCA has an incredible story — unique, inspiring, and full of potential! 💜
We’d like to celebrate those students who shine. From personal achievements to acts of kindness, creative talents, and leadership in or out of the classroom, each student makes a difference and brings something special to our community! 🙌🎓
“Shoutout to Eliana, one of our incredible seniors who’s making an impact everywhere she goes!
Eliana leads with excellence as a House Leader and NHS President, plays hard on the soccer field, and gives her time generously through volunteering and her upcoming UCA missions trip. She’s also a gifted communicator — recently speaking at her church as one of the student leaders!
Eliana stands for what’s right, leads with compassion, and challenges others to live with faith and purpose. Her intelligence, integrity, and heart for others make her an example of what it means to be Rooted in Christ and equipped to lead.
We’re so proud of you, Eliana — keep shining your light and using your gifts for His glory!”
#ucathunder #ucastudentswhoshine
We’d like to celebrate those students who shine. From personal achievements to acts of kindness, creative talents, and leadership in or out of the classroom, each student makes a difference and brings something special to our community! 🙌🎓
“Shoutout to Eliana, one of our incredible seniors who’s making an impact everywhere she goes!
Eliana leads with excellence as a House Leader and NHS President, plays hard on the soccer field, and gives her time generously through volunteering and her upcoming UCA missions trip. She’s also a gifted communicator — recently speaking at her church as one of the student leaders!
Eliana stands for what’s right, leads with compassion, and challenges others to live with faith and purpose. Her intelligence, integrity, and heart for others make her an example of what it means to be Rooted in Christ and equipped to lead.
We’re so proud of you, Eliana — keep shining your light and using your gifts for His glory!”
#ucathunder #ucastudentswhoshine
✈️ Students in the UCA Aviation program had the incredible opportunity to visit Delta Airlines’ maintenance hangars last week — the very ones you see from I-494! They got up close with several aircraft, including sitting in the cockpit of an Airbus A330 (notice the picture featuring our first all-female UCA flight crew 🙌 👩✈️👩✈️).
Students toured the hangars, saw inside an engine compartment, and even learned that one A330 tire costs $48,000 and lasts only 40–50 landings!
From there, they explored the baggage sorting area, ramp control tower, and even toured a plane bound for Paris — complete with a quick sit in first class! 😲
A huge thank-you to Delta Airlines and to our amazing chaperones — Mr. Hagen, Mrs. Metcalf, Mrs. Hohnstad, and Mr. Dahlen — for making this day such a high-flying success! 💜
#ucathunder #ucahighschool #ucaaviation
Students toured the hangars, saw inside an engine compartment, and even learned that one A330 tire costs $48,000 and lasts only 40–50 landings!
From there, they explored the baggage sorting area, ramp control tower, and even toured a plane bound for Paris — complete with a quick sit in first class! 😲
A huge thank-you to Delta Airlines and to our amazing chaperones — Mr. Hagen, Mrs. Metcalf, Mrs. Hohnstad, and Mr. Dahlen — for making this day such a high-flying success! 💜
#ucathunder #ucahighschool #ucaaviation
🍎✨ It’s time to put the spotlight on one of our incredible UCA staff — sharing a glimpse into their heart for students, their passion for UCA, and the impact they make every day. We’re so grateful for the dedication and love they pour into our school and community! ✨ 📚
This week is all about Mrs. Hohnstadt, who has worn many hats in and out of the classroom, both at one of our legacy schools, Bethany Academy, and here at UCA. One of her colleagues put it best:
“With all the hats Jennie wears each day, she still found time to strap on a vacuum backpack and clean the front foyer. She consistently goes above and beyond to ensure our staff and students have what they need to succeed—and takes pride in keeping our building looking its best.”
Thank you, Mrs. Hohnstadt! We’re blessed to have you at UCA! 💜
#ucathunder #ucateacherfeature
This week is all about Mrs. Hohnstadt, who has worn many hats in and out of the classroom, both at one of our legacy schools, Bethany Academy, and here at UCA. One of her colleagues put it best:
“With all the hats Jennie wears each day, she still found time to strap on a vacuum backpack and clean the front foyer. She consistently goes above and beyond to ensure our staff and students have what they need to succeed—and takes pride in keeping our building looking its best.”
Thank you, Mrs. Hohnstadt! We’re blessed to have you at UCA! 💜
#ucathunder #ucateacherfeature
Our kindergarteners rocked around the clock to mark their 50th day of school with a fun ’50s theme! From poodle skirts and leather jackets to root beer floats and rock ’n’ roll tunes, the day was full of smiles, laughter, and learning. 🍦🕺🎶
Students also explored what life was like back then, getting hands-on with rotary phones, typewriters, and other vintage items that showed how much things have changed. A fun mix of learning and celebration to honor 50 days of growing, discovering, and having fun together! 👓 📞
#ucathunder #ucaelementary
Students also explored what life was like back then, getting hands-on with rotary phones, typewriters, and other vintage items that showed how much things have changed. A fun mix of learning and celebration to honor 50 days of growing, discovering, and having fun together! 👓 📞
#ucathunder #ucaelementary
This week, our Head of School, Mr. Peters, and Director of Operations, Ms. Andi, teamed up to bless our entire staff with a special tea or coffee treat!
Teachers got to choose their favorite drink from a custom menu, then Miss Andi worked her magic as a barista, while Mr. Peters made the deliveries. 🚗☕
When asked about the idea, Mr. Peters shared, “The staff blessed me recently for Boss’s Day, so I had to get them back!” 💜
It was a fun way to show appreciation for our amazing team — and a great reminder that at UCA, gratitude and encouragement go both ways! 🙌✨
#ucathunder
Teachers got to choose their favorite drink from a custom menu, then Miss Andi worked her magic as a barista, while Mr. Peters made the deliveries. 🚗☕
When asked about the idea, Mr. Peters shared, “The staff blessed me recently for Boss’s Day, so I had to get them back!” 💜
It was a fun way to show appreciation for our amazing team — and a great reminder that at UCA, gratitude and encouragement go both ways! 🙌✨
#ucathunder
🔢 Our first graders are building a strong foundation in math! This week, they’ve been learning all about ones and tens — practicing how to group, count, and add them together. It’s so fun watching their confidence grow as they discover how numbers work! 💜📚
#ucathunder #ucaelementary
#ucathunder #ucaelementary
🌟 Every student at UCA has an incredible story — unique, inspiring, and full of potential! 💜
We’d like to celebrate those students who shine. From personal achievements to acts of kindness, creative talents, and leadership in or out of the classroom, each student makes a difference and brings something special to our community! 🙌
Nominated by his Cross Country coach, first up is Stetson, a 10th-grader. "He recently completed the Mankato Half Marathon with his dad. He trained diligently all cross country season, and his hard work paid off!” Way to go, Stetson! 👟 🏃➡️
Join us in congratulating Stetson — leave a comment below!
#ucathunder #ucastudentswhoshine
We’d like to celebrate those students who shine. From personal achievements to acts of kindness, creative talents, and leadership in or out of the classroom, each student makes a difference and brings something special to our community! 🙌
Nominated by his Cross Country coach, first up is Stetson, a 10th-grader. "He recently completed the Mankato Half Marathon with his dad. He trained diligently all cross country season, and his hard work paid off!” Way to go, Stetson! 👟 🏃➡️
Join us in congratulating Stetson — leave a comment below!
#ucathunder #ucastudentswhoshine
