MCA Fall 2025 MANE Edition

Fall 2025

TABLE OF

CONTENTS 1 ������� Kicking off the 2025-2026 School Year

2 ����� Summer at MCA 3 ������ 2025 Senior Capstone Speeches

4 ������ The Profile of the Class of 2025

6 ������ You Don’t Retire, You

Refire: The Legacy of Bob and Peg Johnson

8 ������ Winter/Spring

Athletics Recaps

11 ����� Faith in Action 12 ���� Crafting the

Impossible: Craig Toquam’s Backstage Brilliance

15 ���� First Annual Family Fall Fest

16 ���� Clarence Daniels: OKC Thunder Summer League

18 ���� 2025 Mustangs Golf Invitational

19 ���� Upcoming Events at MCA

20 ��� Community Partners 24 ��� School Highlights

Fall 25

Maranatha’s Mission Statement We are an influential school of collaborators, innovators, and explorers grounded in Christian faith, empowering co-creators of tomorrow.

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Dear Maranatha Community, Having kicked off the 2025–2026 school year, I am filled with hope and anticipation for all that God will continue to do in and through Maranatha Christian Academy despite what’s been going on in the world around us. His calling on our school remains strong, and I firmly believe that our impact, as a community committed to Christ-centered education, will grow even deeper in the year ahead.

Amidst troubling times, our theme verse for this year is what we, as a community, must lean on for strength. “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31 - NIV) When we reflect on Isaiah 40:28–31, we are reminded of the limitless strength and wisdom of our everlasting God. He never tires or grows weary, and He delights in renewing those who depend on Him. What a powerful promise: as we wait on the Lord, He lifts us up and sustains us through every season.

As a Maranatha family, let’s unite together and encourage one another to wait on Him— trusting in His strength, His timing, and His vision for our school and world.

I am so grateful to partner with you in this journey and look forward to all the ways we will walk, run, and soar together in the year to come.

Blessings,

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Summer at MCA Did you know that MCA won “Best Summer Program— Best of West Metro” in the “Best of” issue of Maple Grove Magazine this year?

That is right! Our awardwinning summer program is about ensuring it is the highlight of kids’ summers— all while giving mom and dad peace of mind.

This year’s theme was all about LEGO. Every day was a blast from themed activities, arts, crafts, Water Wednesdays, and Friday Field Trips to places like Urban Air and Ninjas United! This year also featured immersive experiences through Crunch Labs, KiwiCo Sprout Kits,

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and Abrakadoodle, as well as opportunities in unique enrichment programs like Fencing, Creative Writing, and “Science Fun with Food,” just to name a few!

And as if our over-the-top summer themes, along with academic prep in the areas of math, ACT prep, and general tutoring, weren’t enough, we also hosted a lot of athletic summer camps for students to perfect their game heading into the fall.

If you joined us for all the fun this summer, thank you! And if you missed us this year, we’ll see you in Summer 2026 for more summer fun!

Fall 25

2025 Senior Capstone Speech Our annual senior capstone speech competition gives students a chance to share their faith, influence others, and communicate truth with grace and courage. All seniors write, rehearse, and present speeches in front of their peers, while five are chosen to showcase their speeches in front of the entire high school.

More than a public speaking exercise, the capstone speech asks students to reflect on their testimony, faith, and walk with God. Students are encouraged to share ups and downs, successes and failures, as they point toward God as the solution. The annual capstone speeches inspire us to pursue God with passion and live every day with purpose.

This year’s capstone winner, Emily Yang, lives out her faith with grace. Emily is a light to those around her as she reflects Christ in all she does with both strength and kindness.

Ashley Yost, capstone runner-up, is also this year’s Valedictorian and Athena Award recipient. Ashley leads by example and influences those around her with poise and confidence.

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The Profile of the Class of 2025 Welcome to the newest members of our Alumni Association

82% completed multiple college-level courses

18 with 4.0+ GPA

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30% were members of the National Honor Society

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22,000+ hours of service across high school career $5,202,200 scholarship dollars offered to 64 grads

8 graduated with AA degrees

14 attended MCA for 13+ years

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You Don’t Retire, You Refire: The Legacy of Bob and Peg Johnson Bob and Peg Johnson, longtime champions of Maranatha Christian Academy, have left a lasting impact on Maranatha that’s still felt to this day. From their hand-making the original basketball uniforms in the ‘90s to launching the school’s first parent partnership committee, Bob and Peg helped lay the foundation that Maranatha’s still building off of today.

“We’re from the beginning,” Peg began when we had the chance to sit down and catch up with the Johnsons this summer. “When MCA came into existence [...] we were there.”

Bob and Peg were pivotal in setting up MCA, not just in terms of getting certain committees up and running, but also in helping make the school feel warm and inviting.

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“I did the stage curtains,” Peg smiled, “I did the banners in all the hallways, I did the homecoming robes (which are still used today!), I did all of the table coverings.” Back then, if no one stepped up to volunteer, those extra touches simply didn’t happen. “It was a lot of parent hands-on,” they both laughed.

One thing that pushed Bob and Peg into being so allin at Maranatha was when they brought up the need for more parent involvement.

“Well,” they were told, “if you suggest it, you have to do it.

If you’re gonna talk about a problem, then you have to be a part of the solution.” That mindset energized the Johnsons and paved the way for other school groups to emerge.

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In life, we often have to make big decisions around things like what career path to take, where to live, and more, that then ends up impacting the thing after that—and the decision of choosing where to send our kids to school is perhaps the biggest decision of all!

daughter, Tori, then graduated in 2017, and his son, Logan, in 2021. Although not at MCA, Jamie’s two daughters currently attend a private school in Florida, where he wants them to receive the same values he did from growing up at MCA.

The truth is that much of a child’s thought process, intellect, and social skills are formed during their school years. Bob and Peg recognized this and chose to put their kids through MCA, where they’d be daily surrounded by what was dearest to their hearts: Jesus.

Reflecting on all that MCA has meant to their family throughout the years, Bob and Peg are so grateful for the support system that MCA was in lifting them up and being there for them through some tough times. “Maranatha was truly a godsend for us.”

“We wanted our kids,” Peg paused, “because we were first-generation believers—wanted our kids to have a base foundation of the Word of God.” Even though this meant long commutes to and from Maranatha, the Johnsons wouldn’t have had it any other way.

To the Johnsons, MCA was a place of genuine connection, purpose, and sanctuary.

Since beginning their MCA involvement many years ago, two more generations of Johnsons have walked these halls. Bob and Peg’s eldest son, Robbie, graduated in 1998, and their second son, Jamie, graduated in 2002. Robbie’s

Today, Bob and Peg live in sunny Florida, where they continue to advocate for Christian education and educational reform. Although Bob and Peg may have “retired,” they haven’t stopped investing in the next generation—in fact, they’re just getting started! As Peg says, “You don’t retire, you refire!”

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Winter/Spring Athletics Recaps MCA Athletics develops the whole person as we train student athletes to be physically, academically, and spiritually disciplined.

Through devotionals, prayer, and community involvement, we seek to glorify God in everything we do.

As Mustangs guided by I Timothy 4:12, we lead with integrity, compete with purpose, and serve as premier examples of excellence in Christian athletics.

Girls Basketball

The girls captured their first Skyline Conference Championship since 2019 with an overall record of 22-4.

The Mustangs earned a firstround bye before hosting a quarterfinal showdown against Southwest Christian.

The Mustangs won 69-61. In the semifinals, the Mustangs faced the #1 seed Providence Academy. The Mustangs fell 67-94.

Boys Basketball

The boys finished their season with a conference record of 13-3 and an overall record of 14-14.

The Mustangs kicked off the Section 5AA Tournament with a 93-79 victory. Maranatha’s season came to an end against the #7 seeded Rockford Rockets with a score of 77-82.

Jonathan Bartolomeos and Daijior McCrimmon were named to the Skyline All-Conference team. Eli Ahrends and Teni Longe-Phillips received Skyline All-Conference Honorable Mentions.

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Zaniah Hunter, Olivia Lanari, and Heather Sheehy were named to the Skyline AllConference Team.

Greta Eaves and Avery Lanari received Skyline AllConference Honorable Mentions. Junior captain Olivia Lanari earned the prestigious title of Skyline Conference Player of the Year.

Golf

Senior Carson Moscoso and 8th-grader Cody Oppitz represented Maranatha at the Section 5AA tournament.

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Carson Moscoso earned a spot on the Skyline All-Conference team. Cody Oppitz, along with Holly Steinhorst and Katelyn Matheson, received Skyline All-Conference Honorable Mentions.

Softball

The Mustangs capped off their season with a conference record of 6-2 and an overall record of 11-8.

Maranatha won their first game of the Section 5AA tournament. The Mustangs then fell against the Annandale Cardinals, dropping them into the consolation bracket. The Mustangs season ended after a 5-10 loss to Howard LakeWaverly-Winsted.

Beyond athletics, Ashley is an exemplary student and community member. She has been named Academic All-State in volleyball, is a National Honor Society member, and has served as yearbook editor. Her commitment to service is demonstrated through her involvement in the Letters of Love Club and outreach programs, contributing over 200 hours of community service. Academically, Ashley also distinguished herself as valedictorian, a capstone speech finalist, and a member of the Principal’s Club.

Looking ahead, Ashley will continue her volleyball career at Northern State University, where she plans to pursue a degree in business and finance.

Ashley Yost, Kendall Capp, Gracelyn KerseySchutta, and Alaina Dunham were all named to the Skyline All-Conference Team. Victoria Taschner and Lily Mozdin received Skyline AllConference Honorable Mention honors.

Athena Award Recipient

Senior Ashley Yost was honored at the 2025 Athena Awards, recognizing her as one of the most outstanding female athletes of the year.

Ashley’s remarkable athletic career includes four varsity letters in volleyball and softball. She served as team captain for two years in each sport and earned First Team All-Conference honors three times in volleyball and twice in softball.

Our Fall season is wrapping up! Scan the QR code to see game recaps!

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Fall 25

Faith in Action Being the hands and feet of Jesus means stepping out and serving those in need. One way we live this out is through our annual Serve Day, a time when our students and staff go into the community to make a difference through projects like facility cleaning, trash pickup, and more.

Who we served this year: 6 churches 3 food shelves 1 cancer clinic We can’t wait for Serve Day 2026 and are already looking forward to making it even more impactful!

Beyond Serve Day, our students have opportunities to grow in their faith through weekly chapels, bonfire worship nights, and other special gatherings. One of the most meaningful traditions is our yearly baptisms, where students publicly declare their faith in Jesus. It is always a blessing to see them take this powerful step and boldly proclaim Him as King in front of their classmates.

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Crafting the Impossible: Craig Toquam’s Backstage Brilliance Craig Toquam, alumni parent, is the talent behind a key part of what’s made our recent theater productions shine: set design. All that is seen on stage—the look and feel of a production—has stemmed from the mind of Craig Toquam.

Having initially not been very interested in art growing up, Mr. Toquam learned that he had a real passion for building and creating things. Craig’s first real project came from an idea his son, Michael, had years back: a full-on Master Chief costume for a church costume contest. Unfamiliar with who Master Chief was, Craig asked Michael for a picture—he knew that if he could see a picture of it, he could “build anything” if he had the time to do it. “I’ll just figure it out,” Craig smiled.

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After a few trips to the store for random materials and some feel-it-out-as-you-go craftsmanship, Master Chief was brought to life. Michael’s costume ended up being the talk of the costume contest, and its success prompted him to ask his dad once more for another awesome costume the following year. This time around, Michael requested a fully functioning Dr. Who Dalek costume that someone could sit in, control, and move around the room.

Mr. Toquam worked hard, accomplished Michael’s vision, and the Dalek won first place.

Working on fun costumes for Michael was just the beginning; however, making Master Chief and the Dalek really sparked something within Craig. He soon found himself wanting

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to do more—and bigger. This quickly evolved into Craig jumping in to assist with large-scale set design for MCA theater, where he’s been pouring his time, energy, and passion ever since 2022’s “Oklahoma!”

Helping out in theater, however, was not entirely foreign to Craig. “Out of college, my first job was touring the United States and Canada doing musical comedy, so I always loved theater. It just gets me in my heart—theater.” Much of Craig’s inspiration behind his designs stems from what truly is the heart and soul of our theater productions: the students.

Being on stage in front of an audience is difficult for anyone, no matter the age, yet many of our highly talented students grace the stage with such confidence. “I want it to be cool for the kids,” Craig said of why he works so hard on his sets. “I want the kids to be inspired so that they can raise their level of acting, because I think if the kids feel like they have some cool stuff around them, that they will raise their level—they will concentrate more, they will try harder, and be more confident. I think it just helps everybody.”

Reflecting on the set for The Wizard of Oz specifically, a piece that was especially fun to work on was the Wizard’s control room, what with all its gizmos, gadgets, and bright lights.

“I really wanted that to be cool,” Craig smiled.

“That took ten days to figure out… maybe two weeks.” Through trial and error, and with the help of Owen Marvel, the Wizard’s control room came to life, and boy, did it look fantastic! That’s the brilliance of Craig’s approach in that he works like he’s on an adventure, always finding new paths to take and tools to use along the way.

Looking to the future, Craig has some ambitious, albeit super fun, projects in mind for stretching his skills. “I want to build,” Craig paused to laugh, “King Kong coming over the roof of my house.” And as if that wasn’t enough, Craig is currently studying animatronics with the hope of creating a wearable Sven from “Frozen” to be controlled by an actor/actress on stage. Things like this set Craig apart.

Mr. Toquam is one in a million. He’s talented yet humble, gifted yet selfless. Craig doesn’t just have the creativity to bring what’s in his mind to life, but he puts in the time and the effort

Join us for the Fall Play: The Hobbit!

Keep an eye out for more details!

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Fall 25

First Annual Family Fall Fest!

Our first ever Family Fall Fest was a huge success and such a blast!

Thank you to everyone who came out and made this first ever Family Fall Fest a day to be remembered, and a special thank you to Legacy Toys and M2 Financial for sponsoring the event.

Between the many carnival games, delicious food trucks, fun prizes, and so much more, it was a day that left us blessed and thankful to have such wonderful people like you be a part of our community. The laughter of kids running from game to game, families sharing a meal together, and friends connecting made it such a wonderful event.

Events like these remind us how special it is to gather together as a community, and how much joy comes from simply being with one another.

Events like the Family Fall Fest are made possible by the Maranatha Fund and will continue into the future, so make sure mark your calendars for Fall 2026 where we’ll be back at it with our second annual Family Fall Fest. We can’t wait to build on this tradition and create even more memories

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Clarence Daniels: OKC Thunder Summer League MCA Alumni Class of 2019 For Clarence Daniels (class of 2019), stepping onto the court at the 2024 NBA Summer League in Oklahoma City was more than a basketball milestone—it fulfilled a lifelong dream.

“It was a great experience,” Clarence recalled.

“Just being at the highest level and playing against the ‘best of the best’—it was everything I could have dreamed of. It’s always been my dream to play at that level, [...] just being there and actually living your dreams out,” Clarence paused, “I don’t even have the words to explain it.”

Clarence’s month with the OKC Thunder was packed full of high-intensity practices, worldclass training, and unforgettable moments like flying on a private jet with the team to compete against the Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz, and Philadelphia 76ers. Yet beyond the on-court excitement, Clarence came away with a perspective shift.

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“You really get to see that they are [the other professional basketball players] regular people. [...] you only see them through a screen and they seem kinda invincible—like a superhero or something like that—but they’re just regular people.”

Clarence went on to talk about how once that veil was lifted, he was not actually all that impressed with the competition. Although he still respected his competition and their abilities, they no longer seemed untouchable.

He realized that if he put in the work and stayed dedicated, he too could play and maintain at that high level.

Throughout this process, Clarence recognized that talent alone wasn’t enough to make it in the NBA—you needed something more to be successful. OKC was special in that they valued something more: character. “They pride themselves on class, charisma, and just being very respectful,” Clarence said, reflecting on a

Fall 25 conversation GM Sam Presti had with the team.

“Everybody in there kind of had high character.

It kind of did remind me of Maranatha,” Clarence smiled.

When asked how Maranatha helped shape him into who he is today, Clarence didn’t hesitate. “[...] having the faith aspect, really, all the little things that we did [...] it was planting a seed.

And when you get older, and when you go through adversity—because it hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows—you go back to your roots [...].” Clarence sees the faith he built in Christ while at Maranatha as a necessary time of planting for the harvest that was to come.

One special reflection Clarence had, thinking back to his time at MCA, is that he credits his high school speech class with having helped prepare him for the pressures of professional basketball. “For pre-draft I worked out for the Thunder,” Clarence began, “for the Bucks, and for the Utah Jazz. [...] I remember Utah— so we’re in one of these glass rooms, and it’s their whole front office and you. And they’re just hitting you with questions. ‘Tell me who you are.’ ‘Tell me about yourself.’ ‘This.’ ‘That.’

And, you know [...] that class helped me get out of my comfort zone—being comfortable with being uncomfortable. [...] I truly do believe that class did help me with that.”

Clarence’s love for Maranatha and basketball is inspirational, and he lives every day to be a role model to those following in his footsteps.

“Dream big,” he challenges, “and actually believe it. When we’re younger as kids—you know, kids

want to be dancers, singers, firefighters—they truly want to do things that they actually love.

But somewhere between when they get into their adolescence and when they get to they’re young adults, that thing kind of just goes away. [...] Relax, and just breathe, and know that everything is gonna be ok.”

The pressures of life come fast these days about who we should be and what we should become, especially for kids, yet Clarence encourages us to go after whatever we desire and know that everything is going to work out in the end. “I want whoever reads this to believe that whatever they want to achieve is possible—and then actually do it.”

That’s Clarence’s take on life: no matter what you may be up against, trust in and rely on God to do the work. Rest in knowing that whatever needs to be there next will be there—yet remain faithful and put in the work in the meantime.

While Clarence’s ultimate professional goal is to secure a full-time spot in the NBA, his focus right now is on daily improvement, such as playing professional basketball in Zagreb, Croatia. “Right now, I’m just in the process of watching myself develop and get better and work on things that I’m not so good at and perfect things that I’m good at.”

Clarence Daniels, even at the young age of 24, has already accomplished so much, yet the game is just getting started.

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2025 Mustangs Golf Invitational Thank you to everyone who made our 2025 Mustangs Golf Invitational such a success this last summer!

This year we had over 100 golfers (nearly 40 more than the year before!) and raised over $13,000 for our athletic programs!

This couldn’t have happened without your support—thank you!

A big congratulations to our top 3 teams: 1st place (-27): Austin Schmitt, Josh Olson, Nate Geving, Eric Robinson 2nd place (-22): Troy Eckdahl, Todd Blanchard, Ben Davidson, Steve Maas 3rd place (-21): Scott Martin, Nick McDermott, Pat McClure, Nick Pederson We look forward to seeing you again next summer at Fox Hollow Golf Club for another Mustangs Golf Invitational!

Save the Date: Monday, July 13, 2026 at 8 a.m.

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Upcoming Events at MCA October 20

Lower School Grandparents’ Day Chapel (8:15-9:45 a.m.)

November 11

Veteran’s Day Chapel (HS: 11 a.m., MS: 2:30 p.m.)

December 18

HS Christmas Concerts (6 p.m.)

December 19

LS Christmas Concert (8:30 a.m.)

MS Christmas Concerts (2 p.m.)

April 18

Gala Fundraiser(5-8:30 p.m.)

May 15

Experience Maranatha! (8 a.m.-3 p.m.)

May 28

Pre-K Celebration (6 p.m.)

Kindergarten Graduation (7 p.m.)

May 29

HS Commencement (6 p.m.)

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Community Partners Maranatha Christian Academy is a school that not only prepares students for college, but also to live out a life of Christian service. This vision God has challenged us to pursue can only be achieved with the partnership of businesses, familes, and friends.

We are grateful for the partnership with the following businesses.

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