🏆 ⚽️ We are thrilled to announce that Gracie Hendley has been named to the All-State Team for Girls Soccer in Class A! This is a monumental achievement, as Gracie becomes the first girl in UCA history to receive this honor and only the second player ever from UCA to be recognized at this level.
Visit our website for the full story: https://ucathunderathletics.com/2024/10/21/big-news-gracie-hendley-earns-all-state-honors/
Please join us in celebrating Gracie’s historic accomplishment and incredible contributions to UCA soccer. We couldn’t be more proud! 🥹 💜
#ucathunder #ucaathletics
🐝 Students on their best bee-havior! 🍯
👸 Mrs. Nerdahl’s 4th graders had a sweet and fascinating visit from Mr. Nerdahl, who happens to be a beekeeper! He explained all about bee behavior, the important roles of the queen, workers, and drones, and even showed the students his special beekeeping equipment.
To top it off, the students tasted fresh honey straight from the hive! It was a buzz-worthy lesson in nature and teamwork! 🐝🍯
#ucathunder #ucaelementary
🏰✨Miss Anderson’s 1st graders celebrated the end of the quarter with an unforgettable Disney Day! 🐭🌟
Their day was filled with Disney-themed math and writing activities. Students enjoyed crafts, a scavenger hunt, and even “rode a rollercoaster” 🎢 (in the classroom, of course)! It was a magical way to wrap up the quarter!
#ucathunder #ucaelementary
🚒 Fire Department Visit! 🔥
Our preschoolers had an exciting day as they invited the local fire department for a special show-and-tell! The firefighters gave the students an up-close look at their gear, equipment, and fire truck, teaching them about fire safety and what it’s like to be a firefighter.
🚒 It was an unforgettable experience, and we are so grateful to our community's brave first responders for taking the time to visit! 👨🚒
🌍 Our 6th grade geography class has been giving presentations about different countries. Maleigha’s family has deep connections to Sierra Leone so she decided to take advantage of the opportunity to share her knowledge and experiences.
She brought in wonderful examples of jewelry, clothing, and food from Sierra Leone, including wedding attire she wore during her visit, shoes handcrafted by her great-grandmother, and she even treated the class to some traditional Peanut Butter Soup!
It was an amazing cultural experience for all. 🌿🍲💍
#ucathunder #ucamiddleschool
🌟 🤲 Our National Honor Society students recently took part in a service project at Feed My Starving Children, dedicating their time to help pack meals for those in need around the world.
We’re so proud of their commitment to serving others and living out the pillars of scholarship, service, leadership, and character. Keep up the great work, NHS! 💜 🍽️
#ucathunder #ucahighschool #nationalhonorsociety
🏃♂️Our Cross Country team had an incredible performance at this year’s conference meet last Saturday! 🏅
🏆16 out of 19 runners shattered their own personal records.
🏆Nathan D (17:25) and Brennan B (17:29) came in under the previous school record of 17:48.
🏆The Boys Varsity team finished in 2nd place in the team scoring.
🏆Nathan D (7th place), Brennan B (8th place), and Samuel S (12th place) each earned All-Conference Honors.
🏆Allegra D (15th place) earned All-Conference Honorable Mention.
👏We are beyond proud of these athletes' hard work, dedication, and determination. Keep up the amazing effort, team—your hard work is paying off! 💪🎉
#ucathunder #ucaathletics
🍎🍏 Our Pre-K students had an exciting and tasty lesson last week, all about apples! They learned how to make homemade applesauce, helping to cut the apples and discovering all of the ingredients that go into their yummy creation. After their hard work, they got to enjoy a taste of the applesauce they made themselves!
It was a fun and hands-on way to explore food, ingredients, and cooking. Great job, kids! 👩🍳👨🍳
#ucathunder #ucaprek
Last Friday marked the year's first meeting for our Kindergarten and 5th grade buddies! The older students teamed up with their younger buddies to introduce themselves and to start building friendships for the year. Together, they played a fun dice game to decorate pumpkins, adding a little fall festivity to their first gathering. 🎃 🎲
It’s always wonderful to see these connections form across grade levels, fostering a sense of community and mentorship. 🍂🧡
#ucathunder #ucaelementary #ucabuddies
🏅Congratulations to Tommy and Gracie, our UCA Athletes of the Week!
⚽ ️Tommy showed a high level of maturity for a Freshman after a tough loss and the end of the boys varsity season. When his teammates were frustrated and feeling down, he went out of his way to comfort them and be an encouragement.
⚽️Gracie recently finished out her Senior season. She has had an unmatched, impressive career including 92 goals! She has been a joy to watch over the years.
Way to go, athletes! Keep up the fantastic work! 👏💪
#ucathunder #ucaathletics
🖐️ 🔍 Mrs Ray’s 3rd graders recently learned about the largest organ in the human body—our skin! Students participated in a fingerprinting activity where they analyzed their own unique fingerprints. They had the chance to classify their prints into one of the three basic pattern categories: loops, whorls, or arches.
It was an exciting way to connect science with their personal identity, celebrating how God made each of us one-of-a-kind! 🌟
#ucathunder #ucaelementary #ucastem
🎨🐜Mrs. Chant and our 7th graders have been hard at work on a fun sculpture project—creating paper mâché insects to celebrate the conclusion of their insect unit in science class! Their critters and bugs will soon be hung up in Mrs. Hanson's science room to combine art and science in a creative and hands-on way.🐞
We can’t wait to see the finished insects on display! 🦋🎉
#ucathunder #ucamiddleschool #ucastem
🏐Honoring Our Teachers and Staff 🍎
At UCA, we place great value on our athletes being students first. This week, our girls volleyball team took a moment to celebrate the teachers and staff members who have made a lasting impact on their academic journeys. Each team member selected someone who has inspired and encouraged them as students, honoring those who’ve helped shape their success both in and out of the classroom.
We are so proud of our athletes for recognizing the importance of education and for showing gratitude to the teachers who make a difference. 💜📚
#ucathunder #ucaathletics
✈️ Our aviation students journeyed back in time to study the earliest attempts at flight. To bring their learning to life, they built their own hot air balloons! 🎈
By experimenting with air density, they discovered how changing the temperature inside the balloon can make it rise and fly—just like in real-world aviation. It was an exciting way to connect history, science, and hands-on creativity! 🌬️🚀
#ucathunder #ucastem
🩹 Our juniors and seniors got hands-on in First Aid class by creating realistic fake wounds and treating each other using the skills they’ve been learning. From identifying wounds to applying proper wound care and practicing patient/victim care, these budding first aiders put their knowledge to the test in a fun and practical way! 🚑
⚽️ Congratulations to our Girls Varsity Soccer team, earning their chance to host a section playoff game!! 🥅
⚽️ Tuesday, October 8th, 4:15 pm @ Marsh Lake Field
❗️ Everyone needs to purchase a ticket (no cash accepted). Purchase online ahead of time by using the QR code or this website: https://gofan.co/event/1965829?schoolId=MN9750
See you there! Go Thunder!
#ucathunder #ucaathletics
⚽️ Our Varsity Boys Soccer team has a section playoff game tonight! 🥅
4:30 pm @ International School of Minnesota
⚽️ It's win or go home for our boys, so show up and cheer them to victory! Go Thunder!
#ucathunder #ucaathletics
🤝 Big and Little Buddy pairings have been established for this year, and introductions were made yesterday afternoon. They spent time getting to know one another and building a foundation for this year's activities and mentorship opportunities.
We hear so much buzz around the building about buddies, especially from the younger kids. They truly look forward to spending time together! 💜
🕵️♂️ 🍽️ Our Biology students turned into detectives during a macromolecule lab investigation! Their challenge? To solve the mysterious murder of a notorious food critic by testing the stomach contents of the victim. Through careful analysis, they identified proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates to uncover clues about the final meal—and hopefully, the culprit! 🧪 🔎
#ucathunder #ucastem #ucahighschool
🌍Mrs. O’s 2nd-grade students recently took on an exciting science project, creating models of one of the six different environments found on Earth!
From oceans, ponds, and rainforests, to deserts, tundras and woodland forests, they worked hard to show where these environments are found on the planet and what plant and animal life calls each one home.🐾🌱
They also had students from the other 2nd grade classroom come to visit and ask questions. It was amazing to see their creativity and knowledge come together in this hands-on project! 🌿🐢
#ucathunder #ucaelementary #ucastem
