👋 Help us give a warm welcome to the newest members of the UCA community! 💜
Let us introduce the Elder family, bringing a student into 7th grade:
“We were looking for a Christian school in the Bloomington area for our daughter Annie, and our former neighbors (Chris & Hope Palmer) spoke very highly of UCA. After touring and meeting with staff members, we were very impressed and excited for Annie to start 7th grade at UCA this fall. We look forward to being part of a community with strong Christian values and the opportunity for Annie to learn and grow in a Christ centered learning environment. We have two English Cocker Spaniels named Honey and Biscuit and a bearded dragon named Alfredo.”
🏫 Welcome to UCA! We’re thrilled to have you join us and look forward to seeing the friendships, memories, and growth ahead. ⚡️
#ucathunder
Let us introduce the Elder family, bringing a student into 7th grade:
“We were looking for a Christian school in the Bloomington area for our daughter Annie, and our former neighbors (Chris & Hope Palmer) spoke very highly of UCA. After touring and meeting with staff members, we were very impressed and excited for Annie to start 7th grade at UCA this fall. We look forward to being part of a community with strong Christian values and the opportunity for Annie to learn and grow in a Christ centered learning environment. We have two English Cocker Spaniels named Honey and Biscuit and a bearded dragon named Alfredo.”
🏫 Welcome to UCA! We’re thrilled to have you join us and look forward to seeing the friendships, memories, and growth ahead. ⚡️
#ucathunder
📣 Meet Our New Teachers! 🍎✏️
We’re excited to welcome some incredible new educators to the UCA team this year! Each of them brings unique gifts, a heart for students, and a passion for Christ-centered education.
Introducing – Mitch Hagen, who will be teaching High School Aviation 👨🏫 ✈️
“All three of our children (Nate ‘10, Zach ‘12, Sam ‘14) attended and graduated from Bethany Academy. After retiring from United Airlines in 2024, my desire was to remain in the aviation field in some capacity, and upon hearing that UCA was looking for an aviation teacher, I reached out to express my interest in helping to further the program.
I grew up in Fosston, a small town in northwestern Minnesota, where my Dad owned a Dairy Queen. Since it was family-owned, I used to work there often and, of course, enjoyed ice cream and “sampled” various items. When my Dad found out how much I ate while working, he quietly discontinued my employment!
I have taught other pilots in various capacities over the years, both prior to the airlines and while at the airlines. I enjoy helping others succeed in achieving their goals and have had a lot of fun over the years instructing. My son Nate was hired as a pilot at United Airlines, and I had the joy of doing his flight training on the Airbus 320 and Boeing 787. Having been greatly blessed to do something I thoroughly enjoy, I hope to be able to pass on this same enthusiasm for aviation to those I will be teaching. It is an awesome industry with so many options to do something that is unique and provides an opportunity to see so much of this world that God has blessed us with.”
Welcome, Mr. Hagen! We are so excited to have you join the community! 💜
#ucathunder #ucateachers
We’re excited to welcome some incredible new educators to the UCA team this year! Each of them brings unique gifts, a heart for students, and a passion for Christ-centered education.
Introducing – Mitch Hagen, who will be teaching High School Aviation 👨🏫 ✈️
“All three of our children (Nate ‘10, Zach ‘12, Sam ‘14) attended and graduated from Bethany Academy. After retiring from United Airlines in 2024, my desire was to remain in the aviation field in some capacity, and upon hearing that UCA was looking for an aviation teacher, I reached out to express my interest in helping to further the program.
I grew up in Fosston, a small town in northwestern Minnesota, where my Dad owned a Dairy Queen. Since it was family-owned, I used to work there often and, of course, enjoyed ice cream and “sampled” various items. When my Dad found out how much I ate while working, he quietly discontinued my employment!
I have taught other pilots in various capacities over the years, both prior to the airlines and while at the airlines. I enjoy helping others succeed in achieving their goals and have had a lot of fun over the years instructing. My son Nate was hired as a pilot at United Airlines, and I had the joy of doing his flight training on the Airbus 320 and Boeing 787. Having been greatly blessed to do something I thoroughly enjoy, I hope to be able to pass on this same enthusiasm for aviation to those I will be teaching. It is an awesome industry with so many options to do something that is unique and provides an opportunity to see so much of this world that God has blessed us with.”
Welcome, Mr. Hagen! We are so excited to have you join the community! 💜
#ucathunder #ucateachers
🌟 Last week, a group of incoming juniors and seniors came together for our 2025 Leadership Retreat—and it was an incredible day of growth, connection, and preparation for the year ahead!
Held at Mount Olivet Retreat Center and led by Mr. Peters, Ms. Hawthorne, and Mrs. Larson, the afternoon was filled with team-building, leadership workshops, and student-led vision casting for the upcoming school year. From student clubs and worship teams to sports leadership and beyond, these students are stepping up to lead with purpose. 🙌
We’re so proud of their hearts to serve and their excitement to shape our school community. 💜
#ucathunder #ucahighschool #ucaleadership
Held at Mount Olivet Retreat Center and led by Mr. Peters, Ms. Hawthorne, and Mrs. Larson, the afternoon was filled with team-building, leadership workshops, and student-led vision casting for the upcoming school year. From student clubs and worship teams to sports leadership and beyond, these students are stepping up to lead with purpose. 🙌
We’re so proud of their hearts to serve and their excitement to shape our school community. 💜
#ucathunder #ucahighschool #ucaleadership
👋 Help us give a warm welcome to the newest members of the UCA community! 💜
Let us introduce the Miller family, bringing a student into Kindergarten:
“We have a friend who previously worked at the school who recommended UCA. She said it is a great school that is biblically sound. Upon listening to the orientation, taking the tour, and meeting the teachers we agreed with our friend's assessment. We toured other schools and none seemed to meet all our needs like UCA. The professional and intentional approach to Christian education is evident. We are most looking forward to growing strong relationships with the instructors, and other families, as we partner together to bring a Christ centered education to our children. We value that this growth will be in a safe gospel environment. In addition, we are looking forward to our child growing in friendship with other children who come from families with similar values and beliefs. Our family loves outdoor activities, especially being in the water!”
🏫 Welcome to UCA! We’re thrilled to have you join us and look forward to seeing the friendships, memories, and growth ahead. ⚡️
#ucathunder
Let us introduce the Miller family, bringing a student into Kindergarten:
“We have a friend who previously worked at the school who recommended UCA. She said it is a great school that is biblically sound. Upon listening to the orientation, taking the tour, and meeting the teachers we agreed with our friend's assessment. We toured other schools and none seemed to meet all our needs like UCA. The professional and intentional approach to Christian education is evident. We are most looking forward to growing strong relationships with the instructors, and other families, as we partner together to bring a Christ centered education to our children. We value that this growth will be in a safe gospel environment. In addition, we are looking forward to our child growing in friendship with other children who come from families with similar values and beliefs. Our family loves outdoor activities, especially being in the water!”
🏫 Welcome to UCA! We’re thrilled to have you join us and look forward to seeing the friendships, memories, and growth ahead. ⚡️
#ucathunder
#UnitedAllSummerLong
Even in the summer, our teachers are going above and beyond!
Mrs. Diamond, our high school science teacher and certified EMT, has been spending her break working at lacrosse tournaments—putting her emergency medical skills to use and keeping them sharp. 🩺⚕️
She brings that real-world experience right into the classroom when she teaches Basic First Aid and Emergency Medical Response to our students.
We’re so grateful for her dedication—to both her profession and her students! 💜 👏
#ucathunder
Even in the summer, our teachers are going above and beyond!
Mrs. Diamond, our high school science teacher and certified EMT, has been spending her break working at lacrosse tournaments—putting her emergency medical skills to use and keeping them sharp. 🩺⚕️
She brings that real-world experience right into the classroom when she teaches Basic First Aid and Emergency Medical Response to our students.
We’re so grateful for her dedication—to both her profession and her students! 💜 👏
#ucathunder
📣 Meet Our New Teachers! 🍎✏️
We’re excited to welcome some incredible new educators to the UCA team this year! Each of them brings unique gifts, a heart for students, and a passion for Christ-centered education.
Introducing – Becca Mathews, who will be teaching High School Math 👩🏫
“I was drawn to UCA because I can tell that it's a team of people who love the Lord and love learning. It feels similar to another school that I taught at, so I felt right at home! I can't wait to walk alongside the students as they pursue excellence in their walk with the Lord and in their schoolwork. A fun fact about me is that I love to travel and have visited both coasts this summer at California and South Carolina. I also love to read and have already finished 33 books this year. One thing I'm most excited about is finding out what house I'm in and becoming a part of that community. I also just genuinely love math and am very much looking forward to getting to talk about math all day!”
Welcome, Ms. Mathews! We are so excited to have you join the community! 💜
#ucathunder #ucateachers
We’re excited to welcome some incredible new educators to the UCA team this year! Each of them brings unique gifts, a heart for students, and a passion for Christ-centered education.
Introducing – Becca Mathews, who will be teaching High School Math 👩🏫
“I was drawn to UCA because I can tell that it's a team of people who love the Lord and love learning. It feels similar to another school that I taught at, so I felt right at home! I can't wait to walk alongside the students as they pursue excellence in their walk with the Lord and in their schoolwork. A fun fact about me is that I love to travel and have visited both coasts this summer at California and South Carolina. I also love to read and have already finished 33 books this year. One thing I'm most excited about is finding out what house I'm in and becoming a part of that community. I also just genuinely love math and am very much looking forward to getting to talk about math all day!”
Welcome, Ms. Mathews! We are so excited to have you join the community! 💜
#ucathunder #ucateachers
#UnitedAllSummerLong 🌞
We love keeping up with our UCA community and seeing where summer adventures take you!
The York family sends sunny greetings from Conchas Lake State Park in eastern New Mexico—Tom’s home state! 🏜️
They enjoyed beautiful weather, fishing, and camping with extended family. 🎣 ⛺️
Thank you to the Yorks for sharing a glimpse of your summer fun! 💜
#ucathunder
We love keeping up with our UCA community and seeing where summer adventures take you!
The York family sends sunny greetings from Conchas Lake State Park in eastern New Mexico—Tom’s home state! 🏜️
They enjoyed beautiful weather, fishing, and camping with extended family. 🎣 ⛺️
Thank you to the Yorks for sharing a glimpse of your summer fun! 💜
#ucathunder
⚽🏀🏃♂️ Some of our 3rd–6th graders spent last week with Mr. Peters at Multi-Sport Camp, and they had a blast! From kickball and basketball to soccer, 4 square, and more—it was a week full of energy, laughter, and teamwork.
Beyond the fun and games, students were building skills, encouraging one another, and learning what it means to be great teammates. Thanks to Mr. Peters for leading such an awesome week of movement and mentorship! 💪👏
#ucathunder
Beyond the fun and games, students were building skills, encouraging one another, and learning what it means to be great teammates. Thanks to Mr. Peters for leading such an awesome week of movement and mentorship! 💪👏
#ucathunder
👋 Help us give a warm welcome to the newest members of the UCA community! 💜
Let us introduce the Aos family, bringing a student into 9th grade:
“We chose UCA because of the intentional focus on growing in the Lord. We are excited for Novia to meet other like-minded believers who also enjoy the same activities as she does. A fun fact about Novia, we think it is pretty cool that her birthday is on the 4th of July.”
🏫 Welcome to UCA! We’re thrilled to have you join us and look forward to seeing the friendships, memories, and growth ahead. ⚡️
#ucathunder
Let us introduce the Aos family, bringing a student into 9th grade:
“We chose UCA because of the intentional focus on growing in the Lord. We are excited for Novia to meet other like-minded believers who also enjoy the same activities as she does. A fun fact about Novia, we think it is pretty cool that her birthday is on the 4th of July.”
🏫 Welcome to UCA! We’re thrilled to have you join us and look forward to seeing the friendships, memories, and growth ahead. ⚡️
#ucathunder
#unitedallsummerlong
🇺🇸☀️ Recently, Mrs. Joroensen was in sunny San Diego for her son Ben’s graduation from Marine Corps boot camp! Ben is a proud member of UCA’s Class of ’23.
It was a very special moment for this proud mama to celebrate a huge milestone in Ben’s journey. ❤️ 🙌
It’s always so special to hear what our graduates are up to—what a gift to watch them grow and step into their calling.
#ucathunder #ucaalumni #semperfi
🇺🇸☀️ Recently, Mrs. Joroensen was in sunny San Diego for her son Ben’s graduation from Marine Corps boot camp! Ben is a proud member of UCA’s Class of ’23.
It was a very special moment for this proud mama to celebrate a huge milestone in Ben’s journey. ❤️ 🙌
It’s always so special to hear what our graduates are up to—what a gift to watch them grow and step into their calling.
#ucathunder #ucaalumni #semperfi
#unitedallsummerlong
🌊 ⛵️ One of our 3rd grade teachers recently visited Grand Marais—one of her favorite places on earth! While enjoying the beauty of the North Shore, she was already dreaming up ways to make learning fun and memorable for her students.
📚 Her dedication to teaching shines through even on vacation—she’s always thinking of creative ways to engage her class. This time? A phonics lesson using the homophone pair Grand Marais and Grandma Ray. We love how she brings real-world inspiration into the classroom—because learning is always more fun when it’s personal (and a little punny)!
#ucathunder
🌊 ⛵️ One of our 3rd grade teachers recently visited Grand Marais—one of her favorite places on earth! While enjoying the beauty of the North Shore, she was already dreaming up ways to make learning fun and memorable for her students.
📚 Her dedication to teaching shines through even on vacation—she’s always thinking of creative ways to engage her class. This time? A phonics lesson using the homophone pair Grand Marais and Grandma Ray. We love how she brings real-world inspiration into the classroom—because learning is always more fun when it’s personal (and a little punny)!
#ucathunder
👋 Help us give a warm welcome to the newest members of the UCA community! 💜
Let us introduce the Rodriguez family, bringing a student into Pre-K:
“We want our daughter to know better who Christ is, what the bible says, and a community that has strong values on scripture. We know that it starts at home, but we know we can't do it alone. The world is crazy, and we want our daughter to be better equipped for it as well. We are looking forward to belonging to a community with people that believe in what we believe. We are a bilingual family and our daughter has better Spanish than English for the moment. There will be times where we start to speak spanglish and don't even realize it. Mom and daughter are big into Disney. Our daughter loves all the princesses, and she loves all the movies in Spanish.”
🏫 Welcome to UCA! We’re thrilled to have you join us and look forward to seeing the friendships, memories, and growth ahead. ⚡️
#ucathunder
Let us introduce the Rodriguez family, bringing a student into Pre-K:
“We want our daughter to know better who Christ is, what the bible says, and a community that has strong values on scripture. We know that it starts at home, but we know we can't do it alone. The world is crazy, and we want our daughter to be better equipped for it as well. We are looking forward to belonging to a community with people that believe in what we believe. We are a bilingual family and our daughter has better Spanish than English for the moment. There will be times where we start to speak spanglish and don't even realize it. Mom and daughter are big into Disney. Our daughter loves all the princesses, and she loves all the movies in Spanish.”
🏫 Welcome to UCA! We’re thrilled to have you join us and look forward to seeing the friendships, memories, and growth ahead. ⚡️
#ucathunder
🧩 🪑 It takes a lot of puzzle pieces to move several classrooms’ worth of furniture! Over 100 new desks arrived earlier this summer, and with a bit of creative rearranging—and a lot of lifting—everything found its new home today.
We recruited a few amazing students to help us with the heavy lifting, and they were total troopers! From shifting desks to reshuffling entire rooms, they made a big job feel manageable! 💪📦🙌
#ucathunder
We recruited a few amazing students to help us with the heavy lifting, and they were total troopers! From shifting desks to reshuffling entire rooms, they made a big job feel manageable! 💪📦🙌
#ucathunder
#unitedallsummerlong
🏀 🎉 One of our students, Autumn, had an unforgettable time at a recent Minnesota Lynx game! Thanks to a generous gift, they had the chance to enjoy amazing VIP seats—an up-close view of all the action! 🙌
To top it off, they unexpectedly ran into a classmate at the game—proof that UCA connections show up everywhere. 💜
We love seeing our students enjoying special moments this summer and making memories that last!
#ucathunder
🏀 🎉 One of our students, Autumn, had an unforgettable time at a recent Minnesota Lynx game! Thanks to a generous gift, they had the chance to enjoy amazing VIP seats—an up-close view of all the action! 🙌
To top it off, they unexpectedly ran into a classmate at the game—proof that UCA connections show up everywhere. 💜
We love seeing our students enjoying special moments this summer and making memories that last!
#ucathunder
👋 Help us give a warm welcome to the newest members of the UCA community! 💜
Let us introduce the Hendricks family, bringing a student into 9th grade:
“After more than a year of prayer and seeking God’s heart on where we should send Reisa for High School, the Lord made it clear that our choice was UCA. We love that UCA is a faith-based school grounded in a Biblical world-view. Reisa is excited that students attend worship and chapel during the school day, and her faith in Christ will be celebrated at UCA. Our daughter is looking forward to joining one of the houses, joining sports teams, and making new friends, and we look forward to meeting new families who share the same faith-based values as us! We love the outdoors and traveling as a family. In the winter, we go skiing at Buck Hill and at the Snowbowl in Flagstaff, Arizona. In the summer, we like to go mountain biking and kayaking at the family cabin. We also planted a church in Burnsville four years ago, and we love doing ministry together as a family.”
🏫 Welcome to UCA! We’re thrilled to have you join us and look forward to seeing the friendships, memories, and growth ahead. ⚡️
#ucathunder
Let us introduce the Hendricks family, bringing a student into 9th grade:
“After more than a year of prayer and seeking God’s heart on where we should send Reisa for High School, the Lord made it clear that our choice was UCA. We love that UCA is a faith-based school grounded in a Biblical world-view. Reisa is excited that students attend worship and chapel during the school day, and her faith in Christ will be celebrated at UCA. Our daughter is looking forward to joining one of the houses, joining sports teams, and making new friends, and we look forward to meeting new families who share the same faith-based values as us! We love the outdoors and traveling as a family. In the winter, we go skiing at Buck Hill and at the Snowbowl in Flagstaff, Arizona. In the summer, we like to go mountain biking and kayaking at the family cabin. We also planted a church in Burnsville four years ago, and we love doing ministry together as a family.”
🏫 Welcome to UCA! We’re thrilled to have you join us and look forward to seeing the friendships, memories, and growth ahead. ⚡️
#ucathunder
💜Your Dollars in Action! 💰
During our “Rice & Beans” fundraiser earlier this year, students made generous donations to support Marian, a student we sponsor in Guatemala. Those gifts were recently put to good use! While visiting Guatemala this summer, our Spanish teacher, Ms. Lutio, had the special opportunity to deliver helpful items directly to Marian—thanks to your giving.
The money also goes toward scholarships that cover educational expenses, books, supplies, uniforms, and extracurricular activities. Our 5+ year commitment provides an opportunity for students to overcome generational poverty with higher education and provides an opportunity to live out their potential. 🏫📚
It has been a special connection through the years, as even a group of our students had the opportunity to meet her when they traveled to Guatemala for a mission trip in 2024. 🇬🇹
What a beautiful reminder that even small sacrifices can have a significant impact worldwide. 🌎 ✨
#ucathunder
During our “Rice & Beans” fundraiser earlier this year, students made generous donations to support Marian, a student we sponsor in Guatemala. Those gifts were recently put to good use! While visiting Guatemala this summer, our Spanish teacher, Ms. Lutio, had the special opportunity to deliver helpful items directly to Marian—thanks to your giving.
The money also goes toward scholarships that cover educational expenses, books, supplies, uniforms, and extracurricular activities. Our 5+ year commitment provides an opportunity for students to overcome generational poverty with higher education and provides an opportunity to live out their potential. 🏫📚
It has been a special connection through the years, as even a group of our students had the opportunity to meet her when they traveled to Guatemala for a mission trip in 2024. 🇬🇹
What a beautiful reminder that even small sacrifices can have a significant impact worldwide. 🌎 ✨
#ucathunder
👋 Help us give a warm welcome to the newest members of the UCA community! 💜📚
Let us introduce the Angeles family, bringing a student into Kindergarten:
“We are very excited that William will be attending UCA. The first thing that instantly grabbed our attention about UCA was the outstanding parent reviews. We picked UCA because of the safety we felt as we walked through the school and spoke to every knowledgeable and welcoming teacher. Knowing our child is in a place where he is cared for while openly exercising his faith brings us joy. We believe this is truly where God has been leading our family and we are blessed to have found UCA.”
🏫 Welcome to UCA! We’re thrilled to have you join us and look forward to seeing the friendships, memories, and growth ahead. ⚡️
#ucathunder
Let us introduce the Angeles family, bringing a student into Kindergarten:
“We are very excited that William will be attending UCA. The first thing that instantly grabbed our attention about UCA was the outstanding parent reviews. We picked UCA because of the safety we felt as we walked through the school and spoke to every knowledgeable and welcoming teacher. Knowing our child is in a place where he is cared for while openly exercising his faith brings us joy. We believe this is truly where God has been leading our family and we are blessed to have found UCA.”
🏫 Welcome to UCA! We’re thrilled to have you join us and look forward to seeing the friendships, memories, and growth ahead. ⚡️
#ucathunder
Last week was Bible Camp with Pastor Ashley! 🙌
She brought along some amazing team members from Child Evangelism Fellowship to lead a fun-filled week packed with Bible lessons, games, crafts, Scripture memorization, and more.
It was a joy to see our students learning about God’s love in such a meaningful (and fun!) way. 💜 📖 🎨
#ucathunder #ucasummercamp
She brought along some amazing team members from Child Evangelism Fellowship to lead a fun-filled week packed with Bible lessons, games, crafts, Scripture memorization, and more.
It was a joy to see our students learning about God’s love in such a meaningful (and fun!) way. 💜 📖 🎨
#ucathunder #ucasummercamp
#unitedallsummerlong – It’s been fun to get a glimpse into what our staff and students are up to this summer! 🌞
⛪ 🏕️ Here, you’ll see two of our amazing teachers who spent part of their break volunteering at church camps—and ended up crossing paths with several UCA students who were also attending! One student even found himself face-to-face with his teacher in the final round of the camp’s cribbage tournament. ♦️♣️
We love seeing the connections between school, church, and community—and we’re grateful for staff who invest in students both inside and outside the classroom! 💜
#ucathunder
⛪ 🏕️ Here, you’ll see two of our amazing teachers who spent part of their break volunteering at church camps—and ended up crossing paths with several UCA students who were also attending! One student even found himself face-to-face with his teacher in the final round of the camp’s cribbage tournament. ♦️♣️
We love seeing the connections between school, church, and community—and we’re grateful for staff who invest in students both inside and outside the classroom! 💜
#ucathunder
👋 Help us give a warm welcome to the newest members of the UCA community! 💜📚
Let us introduce the Berglund family, bringing students into 6th and 7th grades:
“We are so excited for our boys James (7th grade) and Micah (6th grade) to be joining UCA after 3 years of homeschooling. We were led to UCA because of the strong faith based teaching and from the moment we toured we felt an instant connection to the teachers and community. We are looking forward most to seeing our boys make friends and continue to grow in their faith as they become a part of the UCA family. Fun fact about our family is we love 'glamping' in our camper during the summer and fall. We try to camp 6 or 7 times a year visiting different fun places.”
🏫 Welcome to UCA! We’re thrilled to have you join us and look forward to seeing the friendships, memories, and growth ahead. ⚡️
#ucathunder
Let us introduce the Berglund family, bringing students into 6th and 7th grades:
“We are so excited for our boys James (7th grade) and Micah (6th grade) to be joining UCA after 3 years of homeschooling. We were led to UCA because of the strong faith based teaching and from the moment we toured we felt an instant connection to the teachers and community. We are looking forward most to seeing our boys make friends and continue to grow in their faith as they become a part of the UCA family. Fun fact about our family is we love 'glamping' in our camper during the summer and fall. We try to camp 6 or 7 times a year visiting different fun places.”
🏫 Welcome to UCA! We’re thrilled to have you join us and look forward to seeing the friendships, memories, and growth ahead. ⚡️
#ucathunder
