The Princeton Review ACT Boot Camp is coming to Maranatha High School on Saturday, May 18 from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The cost is $199 for the day and lunch is provided. Sign up at http://maranathaact.eventbrite.com or contact Jenny at jyi@review.com. If you have further questions, please contact Gary Ho in the College Counseling and Guidance Office.

It was a grand day and spring was in the air on April 24, 2013 as Maranatha High School celebrated Grandparents’ Day!  Smiles, hugs and handshakes from Student Ambassadors greeted grandparents and special friends as they arrived at the Maranatha campus.

Shirley French, a Maranatha grandparent, opened the event by welcoming approximately 275 grandparents and special guests to a full breakfast prepared by Maranatha’s Minuteman Café.  The program included student performances by the school’s Theatre Arts, Orchestra, Mixed Ensemble and Dance Team. 

In attendance on this special day were several three-generation families indicative of the rich, cherished heritage of Maranatha High School. Theology Department Chair (and Maranatha grandparent) Ed Newkirk spoke of the joys of having grandchildren.  Student Jessica Demasi ’13 spoke on behalf of her peers about the love, dedication and wisdom given by grandparents, and how grateful all the students are for such wonderful examples in their lives.

The event concluded as students gave their grandparents, family and friends a personal tour of Maranatha's campus.

On May 21 at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Center, senior parents will come hear important information regarding graduation. Senior families will also be given 10 tickets each for graduation (if you require more or only need a few that you can share with others, please contact Sharon Dandorf at s_dandorf@mhs-hs.org).

On May 23 there is a mandatory graduating student rehearsal at 1:00 p.m. at Lake Avenue Church.

On May 31, at 6:00 p.m. the Baccalaureate is being held in the Ambassador Auditorium (no tickets required).

June 1, at 10:00 a.m. graduation is being held at Lake Avenue Church (doors open at 9:00 a.m., tickets required).

This year, Advanced Placement (AP) exams are being held May 6 – 17 and will be administered at Maranatha High School in the Research Center. AP students have been given an AP student/parent bulletin for your review. Please make sure that your student arrives on time with necessary materials and make sure to provide arrangements for pick up immediately after the AP exam. They will be excused from their regular classes on the AP Exam day ONLY. We do not have supervision for them before or after an AP Exam. Please contact Sharon Dandorf in the College Counseling and Guidance Office at s_dandorf@mhs-hs.org with any questions.

Maranatha High School Performing Arts are pleased to invite all families to the spring concert, this year called “Sanctus” because the vast majority of musical and dramatic performances will be sacred in nature. This concert is put on by our choir, mixed ensemble, orchestra, dance, and theater classes. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students for the May 10 concert (7:00 p.m.) in the Ambassador Auditorium.

International students attending Maranatha High School are seeking loving Christian families for this summer and the 2013-14 school year!

Homestay Families Provide
1. A private bedroom and meals
2. An English speaking home environment
3.Transportation to and from school and to student activities
4. A family environment—and possibly siblings—with plenty of TLC and the protection and guidance that all teens need.

The Students
•Most are from China or Korea
•All are functional in English (but want to improve)
•Are typically quiet, well-mannered, and very hard working
•Nearly all come in 9th or 10th grade and will stay to graduate
•Are preparing to attend the very best universities
•Will return to their countries as professionals and leaders

Homestay Support
1.Families and students provide detailed profiles and are carefully matched for best possible compatibility through My American School
2.Training and orientation provided for both families and students
3.Ongoing support for host families throughout the year
4.A stipend for time and expenses of $1100/month/student

If you have room in your home and have a heart for impacting our international students for Christ, hosting may be for you. For further information and a hosting application, contact Homestay Coordinator, Brandi Murphy at mashostinginfo@gmail.com. Don’t delay; students are now being matched for the 2013-14 School Year.

We look forward to welcoming our dads on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 for dinner! Each year Maranatha hosts a tri-tip dinner, this year catered by our very own Chef Jason, for all our current fathers of MHS students. It’s a great time for dads to connect with each other and hear an inspirational message from our new basketball coach Tim Tucker.
Tim Tucker has recently joined Maranatha as our new Head Boys’ Basketball Coach. In his 19 seasons as head coach of the Pasadena High School Varsity Basketball team, Coach Tim Tucker has solidified an impressive reputation as being a formidable motivator and leader among the basketball community in Southern California. He was selected the CIF-SS Coach of the Year for 2010-2011, 2004-2005 and has been selected the San Gabriel Valley’s Coach of the Year several times. Most recently his 2010-2011 team won the CIF-SS 3AA Championship and were CIF-State quarterfinalists.
Tim Tucker played college basketball at the University of Wyoming and at Westmont College where he still holds school records in assists and steals. Coach Tucker’s enthusiastic, yet passionate approach to coaching and teaching makes him the focus of considerable admiration within the coaching profession. Maranatha is thrilled to offer Tim Tucker’s ability to motivate, inspire, and share his faith to our young men.

On Earth Day, Maranatha High School hosted their first annual Eden Day to celebrate the origins of all food, and the official Grand Opening of the Maranatha Minuteman Café.  Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard, Chief of Police Phillip Sanchez, and Health Director Dr. Eric Walsh joined other dignitaries, guests, students and faculty at the campus for the celebration, which included a ribbon cutting for the Minuteman Café.  Attendees enjoyed free food samplings prepared by Chef Jason along with his personal army of Cooking Club students and Le Cordon Bleu interns, as well as live music and vendor booths handing out samples and gifts. 

On Friday, April 19, ninety parents, students and friends of Maranatha High School competed in the 16th Annual Booster Club Golf Tournament held at Brookside Golf Club.  The golfers enjoyed a putting contest and barbeque lunch followed by a noon tee off.  The day concluded with a reception, awards ceremony, and silent auction.  This successful annual fundraiser unites family, friends, staff and students for a day of friendly competition and camaraderie, while benefitting Maranatha High School’s athletic programs. 

After a national search conducted by the Dingman Company, a retained executive placement firm located in Thousand Oaks, California, the Board of Trustees of Maranatha High School elected Dr. David Gyertson as the new Headmaster for the institution. Dr. Gyertson was the unanimous recommendation to the Board by a search committee made up of representatives from the School’s administration, faculty, staff, parents and alumni. He will begin his duties May 1, 2013.

Dr. Gyertson brings substantial executive leadership experience to his new role having been President of three Christian Universities – Regent University (Virginia), Asbury University (Kentucky) and Taylor University (Indiana).  Most recently Dr. Gyertson has been Distinguished Professor of Leadership Formation and Renewal working with Doctoral students in the School of Education as well as the School of Business and Leadership at Regent University in Virginia. 

Dr. Gyertson was a Senior Fellow with the Engstrom Institute of the Christian Leadership Alliance (Azusa, CA) with a special research and consulting focus in Executive Leadership for Nonprofit organizations. He serves as a Senior Fellow for the Council for Christian Colleges and University (Washington, D.C.).  He has a broad and varied background in education, publishing, consulting, executive coaching, ministry and media.

Dr. Gyertson holds a Ph.D. from Michigan State University with a concentration in education administration and management. He is an ordained minister having served senior pastoral positions in Methodist and Presbyterian churches. Dr. Gyertson is published in the fields of applied theology, colonial and church history, education and leadership studies. Among his published works is “Faithful Stewards: Board Governance Principles and Practices for Faith-Based Nonprofits” (CareNet 2009). His book chapter “Christian Leadership and the Identity and Mission of an Organization” was published in “Christian Leadership Essentials” (B & H Publishers 2011). Dr. Gyertson was the senior editor for “Nonprofit Leadership in a For-profit World” (Standard Publishing 2011), and he was the creator and Executive Editor for the twenty volume curriculum series “Living By the Book” jointly published by CBN Publishing and Zondervan Publishing.

In accepting the appointment, Dr. Gyertson said, “I am humbled and privileged to have this opportunity to work with an institution like Maranatha that is deeply committed to providing a quality college preparatory education in a meaningful, faith-informed context. Maranatha’s history of investing in the development of the whole person academically, socially, physically and spiritually positions it as a major resource for preparing the next generation of young leaders for our rapidly changing world.”

Mr. John H. Davis, President of the Maranatha Board said, “We are pleased to have someone of Dr. Gyertson’s experience, training and character to help lead Maranatha High School into its next season of service to the greater Pasadena educational communities and beyond.”  

At the Board’s request, David will be on campus periodically between now and May 1 to advise on current administrative matters, advance strategic planning discussions and meet with members of the Maranatha and local community.

David is a Flotilla Staff Officer with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. His wife Nancy is a retired elementary school teacher. They have a daughter and son-in-law, as well as two grandchildren, who live in Burbank, CA.

Maranatha is proud to again host the Ninth Annual “Saturday in the Park with the Masters”, where all art enthusiasts are invited to come and learning from and paint with some of this area’s finest painters and instructors. This event will be held on Saturday, April 20, 2013 from 10 am to 4 p.m. at Maranatha. Registration
forms are available from the Art Department; however, the Mid-Valley Arts League has extended a complimentary invitation to Maranatha families.

We have had a number of students get dropped off on Green Street and Del Mar as well as a number of parents turning on Del Mar despite the “no right turn” sign for MHS cars. The most dangerous thing that is occurring is parents making U-turns in the middle of the street, oftentimes causing near accidents and most definitely interrupting the flow of traffic. Please help us follow our CUP (Conditional Use Permit) by dropping off in the underground parking garage only (unless your car meets the height requirement to drop off in the upper parking lot). More importantly, please do your part to help MHS be a good neighbor. To learn more about Drop Off and Pick Up guidelines, please see the “Contact Us” tab of the website or click HERE. Please contact our Director of Security, Tammy Horton at (626) 817-4091 with any questions.

This Easter Break, our very own Dean of Ministries, Joel Murphy ’97, spoke at Azusa Pacific University’s “Mexicali Outreach”.  Mr. Murphy gave 11 sermons over 5 days between March 30 and April 5. The theme for the week was “One Hope” and will focus on Ephesians 4:4-6. In the spirit of training up our youth, Joel brought the chaplains who serve as part of the “Barnabus (Encouragement) Team”, offering prayer, words of affirmation, and service. Students Caraline Dirks and Sheldon Galindo also helped lead worship as part of the worship team.

The “Food Revolution” at the Maranatha Minuteman Café was recently recognized in an article by the Huff Post. The article acknowledges Maranatha’s recent transformation to a fully functioning cafeteria with fresh, locally grown produce and from-scratch recipes used daily. The author uses the Minuteman Café as a model for other Los Angeles and nation-wide schools to follow. Chef Jason Francisco is applauded for his innovative ideas such as our after school “Meals To-Go” program, working with local vendors to help promote healthy eating, and recruiting students from the Le Cordon Blue College of Culinary Arts in Pasadena. To read the article click HERE.

Save the date of Wednesday, April 24. for Grandparents’ Day. Invitations were mailed last week. If your
grandparents have not received an invitation, pleasecontact Lauren Obregon at (626) 817-4071 orl_obregon@mhs-hs.org. Registration can also be made by clicking HERE. If you do not have a grandparent available and would like to invite another special friend/family member, please contact Mrs. Obregon.

On March 16, Maranatha held our annual gala “Celebrating Our Teachers.” Maranatha is blessed to have so many people support our school. We were honored to have both Laura Bush and Michael W. Smith as part of our program. Mrs. Bush addressed our guests about the important role of teachers in the lives of children.

We want to thank the over 750 people who attended the event making this a signature event in our school’s history and the Pasadena community. We also want to thank the numerous volunteers who supported the effort; from parents, to parents of alumni, ambassadors, cheerleaders, the dance team, the MHS Orchestra, and more. The school extends a special “Thank you” to our Gala Chair, Lisa Hausler, and her dedicated committee members. Lisa spent countless volunteer hours ensuring that every detail of this event ran smoothly.

The funds raised at this event exceeded our expectations and will go to support our teachers as they prepare
students for lives of purpose and distinction. Gifts received support the school’s mission and our valued teachers. This includes program and ministry outreach, training for technological innovations, teacher enrichment programs, and increasing the recruitment and retention of teachers of faith and distinction.

If you’d like to see the special tribute video shown at the event for our teachers, please click HERE. It was a lovely evening that helped raise the school’s visibility and made more people become aware of the work we do at Maranatha.

If you would like to view candid photos of the event click HERE.

We are pleased to announce our student winners in the annual Pasadena Women’s Club Art Competition! According to Jayne Thomas, the chair of the Arts Committee, competition was much tougher than usual this year with many more schools participating and nearly twice the number of art pieces submitted this year over last. But, even with the stiffer competition, Maranatha students did very well. Congratulations to the following winners:
• Aimee Niu: First Place (for her portrait of our very own Allen Brown! - shown left)
• Benjamin Tong: Third Place
• Katherine Yao: Honorable Mention

Seniors are encouraged to reserve their spot immediately for the Rafting Trip on May 28-30. The cost for the three-day excursion is $350. Payment options are available, provided parents turn in the reservation form and a $100 deposit by Friday, March 1. View the trip information and payment information forms on our website, under “Quicklinks.”

Some of you may have seen the Boys’ Soccer Team sporting these fine-looking red and blue reversible scarves this winter to stay warm while showing their Maranatha team spirit. These scarves are available for purchase for students, family, friends and faculty. These are great for staying warm or even waving them to show support for our school and sports teams. The cost is $20. There are about 18 scarves left and all proceeds go directly back to the soccer program which helps cover the costs for additional equipment for the teams. If there is enough interest, we can order more. If you are interested in purchasing any, please contact Robin Schober. They can be charged to your Maranatha account if desired.

Ever wish you could try the food your Maranatha student is raving about? Or just curious what is available to eat at the Minuteman Café? Well, here is your exclusive chance to try a sample! Parents are invited to the following two complimentary tastings.

Freshmen & Senior Parents
Friday, March 15th from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Sophomores & Junior Parents
Friday, March 22nd from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Please RSVP to Chef Jason at j_fransisco@mhs-hs.org so he can plan for food. Buffet tasting will begin at 2:00
p.m. followed by an informal meet and greet before student pick up at 3:00 p.m.

On Sunday, February 24, Maranatha’s Moutain Bike Team competed in the first race of the 2013 Southern California High School Mountain Biking season at Vail Lake in Temecula, California. Veteran rider, Hannah Rae Finchamp, took 1st place in the Varsity Girls division. New racers, seniors Dawson Chung and McKenzie Anderson, both competed strong in their fields. They competed with over 300 other high school riders. Shown in picture to the right is (L-R) Coach Joe Zambrano, Dawson Chung, Hannah Rae Finchamp, McKenzie Anderson, and Coach Gil Obregon.

On January 31, the Speech and Debate Team participated in the Rotary Speech Tournament at the Pasadena
Congregational Church.

Congratulations to Joel Wunderly, Jake Metzger, Sussana Xu, and Jasmine Kwong for progressing to the Altadena
Semi-Finals (date, time and location TBD).

And congratulations to Charlie Pan, Liz McAllister, Johnathan Macali, and Stacy Rasmussen for progressing to the
Pasadena Semi-Finals (date, time and location TBD).

A special Congratulations to Andrea Clark for winning “first place” in the first round of the Rotary Speech tournament. Andrea has secured a spot in the Club level finals to be held on March 13, 2013 (location and time TBD). Andrea will compete against the winners of the two semi-final rounds!

Pat Mesisca, Speech & Debate Advisor commented, "Maranatha is well-represented throughout the local community! I am grateful to be a part of the representation through speech and debate! GO MINUTEMEN!"

On Saturday, February 23rd, Maranatha students competed in the Los Angeles County Science Olympiad. The Science Olympiad is a national competition in which more than 16,000 elementary, middle, and high school students participated last year. The Los Angeles County Science Olympiad is the largest regional event in the country. In our first year fielding a team, Maranatha placed 19th out of 48 high school teams (and 2nd among the 11 private high schools entered in the competition).
Maranatha’s team was led by several outstanding performances. David Zhang, Eliza Lo, Nancy Zhu, and Flora Liu
placed 2nd overall in the Elastic Launched Glider event, 3rd overall in the Boomilever test, and 10th in the Robot
Arm competition. Sophie Guo and Jacquie Dong earned a 7th place finish in Technical Problem solving, and Anchit Roy and Oscar Wang finished 12th in the Remote Sensing event. Nate Aasland, Trista Cao, Michael Kwong, Celine Song, Emily Yan, and Egyn Zhu also contributed to the team’s overall placement.
The Maranatha Sci-O team joins other extracurricular science experiences at Maranatha. Our SHArK/SEAL research team attended a conference, hosted by the CCI Solar research group at CalTech, in Huntington Beach on January 26th. The students are continuing their research, which they will present at a conference hosted by CalTech in May. The Maranatha Science Bowl team competed with 23 other L.A. and Orange county high schools at the DOE Regional Science Bowl competition at JPL on February 2nd. At the end of the competition, our team received the Sportsmanship award. To honor their award, JPL and the Wrigley Institute at USC have partnered together to offer the students a day trip to Catalina Island this spring. shown in picture above is (front row L-R) Flora Liu, Eliza Lo, Nancy Zhu, Trista Cao, and Sophie Guo (back row L-R) David Zhang, and faculty Allen Brown.

This week over 150 students who entered the 2nd Annual Maranatha High School Science Fair will display their projects in the Student Center. On Wednesday and Thursday, projects will be judged by an outside panel of scientists. Oral interviews will take place after school on Thursday. All are welcome to attend the Awards Ceremony which will be held after school on Friday at 4:00 p.m. in the Student Center. Science Fair Award winners will advance to the ACSI Science Fair at Biola University on Friday, March 22.

The Pasadena Bad Weather Shelter was founded in 1987 after 9 homeless people died of hypothermia that winter. It is located in the gym of the Pasadena Covenant Church on Lake Ave and is open every night in January and February, and is weather activated (for cold or rain) during the months of December and March. The Bad Weather Shelter is funded by the City of Pasadena, the Emergency Food and Shelter Program, ECPAC (Ecumenical Council Pasadena Area Congregational), and private donations. Last year, the Bad Weather Shelter housed 855 unduplicated individuals, including 107 children over the course of 72 days. Junior Joanna Popoff and a team of her friends have raised $8,000 to date for the 2012-13 Pasadena Bad Weather Shelter with the hopes of raising much more. The shelter costs $110,000 a year to operate, but funding was cut in half this year due to the economic downturn. Joanna’s team of student philanthropists are supporting the shelter by talking to businesses and banks and asking them to donate, raising publicity for the shelter through news articles on their campaign, selling “Friends of the Bad Weather Shelter” t-shirts, and volunteering regularly at the shelter. Joanna says, “The shelter is important because every night people receive a hot meal and a safe, dry place to sleep. Many times families come because they have no other place to go – they have no money and can’t pay their rent.” Joanna has been very inspired by volunteering at the shelter and just recently met a family with 5 kids (2 of which are pictured at right). The father is disabled and out of work and unable to pay rent. The family has benefited greatly from the shelter. If you’d like to purchase one of Joanna’s t-shirts or support the Pasadena Bad Weather Shelter in another way, please click here: http://www.ecpac.net/FriendsOfBWS.html.

The Research Center is open from 7:00 - 8:00 a.m. every morning for students to study or come in for help with any writing assignment. Our English Department Chair, Mrs. Marilee Malott, is conducting a writing lab every morning for interested students. The Research Center is also open after school for students who wish to work in a quiet environment. Spanish faculty member, Mrs. Cleonie Harrison, will be in the Research Center daily from 3:15-5:00 p.m. We hope you will take advantage of these times to further your studies.

Are you hungry after school? Staying late for practice and you don’t know what to do about dinner? The Minuteman Café is now offering AFTER SCHOOL MEALS! Each Monday through Thursday you may order and pay for your choice of the daily specials at lunchtime, then pick up your meal after school. Each meal is prepared fresh, packaged, and ready to pick up after school between 3:15 and 4:30 p.m. Last weeks choices were roasted chicken with a medley of roasted vegetables and garlic potatoes ($4.50) and pasta rotini with marinara sauce ($3.50). There is no quantity limit, so surprise your family and bring home dinner for them, too!

Congratulations to several of our Photo 2 and AP 2-D Design students placing in the Los Angeles County regional chapter of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards! All students submitted work that ranged from photography to digital art and graphic design. All work will be displayed and the students honored at a ceremony in the near future (TBA) and the Gold Key winner, Miles Schlenker, will go on to a national level competition. Individual winners include: Jack Burrows*, Alley Guscott, Eliza Lo* (each with two Honorable Mentions) Kaylan Putman* and Miles Schlenker* (Honorable Mention) Camille Manalilli* (Silver Key) Senior Portfolio winner was: Miles Schlenker (Gold Key) *The above students submitted work for a contest titled “Citizenship and Creativity”, with this year’s theme: Voting. The rest of the work submitted was unthemed.

On Saturday, Feb 2 the Maranatha Speech & Debate Team competed in the SCDL (Southern California Debate League) Spring Varsity Tournament at Arcadia High School. In the end, Maranatha won 4 trophies: Script Interpretation: Talin Bourian 2nd place and Amanda Jiang 4th place; Platform Speech: Jake Metzger 1st place (pictured) and Erin Songwang 4th place. Also, senior Joan Kim advanced to the Varsity semi-finals for Dramatic Interpretation and junior Harrison Porter advanced to the semi-finals for Impromptu Speech. The semi-final round at the varsity level includes the top 20 finishers from a pool of 100+ competitors in each category. On Thursday, January 31, the Speech & Debate Team also competed in the Rotary Club Speech Tournament. Results are pending as the judges are still recovering from the 34 student speech contest that lasted over 4 hours. The theme for this tournament was “Peace Through Service”. Please mark your calendars for April 27, as Maranatha is hosting the Pasadena Bar Association Speech tournament on our beautiful campus. This would be an excellent opportunity for our community to experience our speech program firsthand.

On Saturday, March 2 from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. and Sunday, March 3 from  1:00 - 5:00 p.m., MHS students have the opportunity to attend a SAT Boot Camp and learn a strategy for every question on the SAT! Catalyst’s weekend-long SAT Boot Camp is the only prep class designed by instructors who have earned more than 20 perfect scores on the actual SAT. 

The course costs $165 per student for the entire weekend and course materials. For more information or to enroll, visit www.CatalystPrep.com and click the Boot Camp Sign-Up tab on the website’s menu bar.  The deadline to enroll in this special SAT prep opportunity is Wednesday, February 27th at 6:00 p.m.  A portion of the proceeds benefits Maranatha High School.

Maranatha Football is excited to announce that after receiving scholarship offers from UNLV, Idaho, Eastern Washington, Sacramento State, and APU, Andrew Elffers has verbally committed to Azusa Pacific University! Andrew is thrilled about becoming a Cougar and feels that APU is the right fit for him, not just as a football player, but as a man. As a standout quarterback, Andrew threw for over 6,000 yards and 63 touchdowns in his career at Maranatha and is ready to take the next step at the collegiate level. Congratulations to Andrew and his family!

Excitement is building as calls are already coming in for Maranatha High School’s Annual Gala on March 16, 2013 at the Pasadena Convention Center. This year’s Gala will feature an inspirational evening of conversation with Former First Lady Laura Bush and a musical performance by Grammy Award winner and Christian contemporary artist Michael W. Smith. The theme for the evening is “Celebrating Our Teachers” and Laura Bush, a former teacher herself, will be addressing the topic of education and faith. Proceeds from the evening will be used to support our valued teachers, including program and ministry enhancements, training for technological innovations in the classroom, teacher enrichment programs, boosting the recruitment and retention of quality teachers, a designated performing arts space, improvements to the athletic program and more.

Sponsorship packages are still available, including a special reception, photograph opportunity, or even dining with Laura Bush! See your invitation or contact the Advancement Office for details.

On Thursday, January 31, Maranatha welcomes local middle school students and their families to experience Maranatha spirit as our guests. Middle school families will enjoy free entrance to any of the five home games on campus that evening, all against Valley Christian. They will also receive a free Booster Club BBQ (while it lasts) and some complimentary snacks from our Snack Shack. No RSVP necessary.  Please invite a friend!

Girls’ JV Basketball 3:00 p.m.
Boys’ JV Soccer 4:00 p.m.
Boys’ JV Basketball4:30 p.m.
Boys’ Varsity Soccer 5:30 p.m.
Girls’ Varsity Basketball 6:00 p.m.
Boys’ Varsity Basketball 7:30 p.m.

Invite your friends to come TAKE A CLOSER LOOK at Maranatha. On Tuesday, January 29 and Tuesday, February 19, Maranatha will host two opportunities for prospective families to speak face to face with teachers, students, and parents and get all their questions answered as they choose the best high school fit for their child. 

The two evenings will start at 7:00 p.m. and will be located in the Research Center in the Student Center. No RSVP is needed. Please tell a friend.

The Maranatha High School again participated in the Rose Parade as, what is affectionately called, “Pooper Scoopers.”   The famed “pooper scoopers” began when a Maranatha parent, Brian Flynn, approached our Athletic Director Brian DeHaan with the opportunity. A few years ago, the Tournament of Roses Parade had blind marching bands participating and they thought it would be wise to incorporate “pooper scoopers” into the parade and thus, the partnership began.

In the first year the Maranatha baseball program joined with International Students from Pasadena City College to complete the task.  By the second year the Maranatha community realized the joy that this event can provide and we served the parade with only friends and families of Maranatha.  The softball program and swim program have also partnered in this project and our baseball coach, Matt Shupper has led the project for the past two years.

The students love the experience and the cheers (including “10” signs) they get from the crowds! Brian DeHaan stated, “I greatly appreciate all of the support and encouragement from the MHS community in this project.  I say it every year, but walking the Rose Parade while fulfilling this service is one of the best times a person can have and the fun cannot be described in words.”

If you are like most people, you lovingly adorn your Christmas tree with your favorite ornaments each year. For the first time, you can purchase a Maranatha ornament for your tree, or to give as a gift. These keepsake ornaments are available in red or blue and cost just $10 each. Visit the Student Center front desk to purchase your MHS ornaments while supplies last.

Please help us welcome our college-age Alums on campus on Tuesday, December 18 from 12:00-1:30 p.m. in the Commons for our annual Young Alum/Faculty Lunch. Our alums love coming back to see friends and faculty. It is always a great time to reconnect and catch up with them. This is a great tradition for all alumni who are in town for the holidays.

Yearbook tribute forms are now available. Click HERE for the Senior Tribute
Information Page, HERE for the Order Form, or visit our website under Quicklinks > Forms & Documents.

Join us this Friday for Maranatha’s annual celebration of Christmas! This year’s Evening of Christmas mixes live performances and multimedia to showcase the talents of our Drama, Choir, Mixed Ensemble, Dance and Orchestra students, enhanced by clips from popular Christmas movies.  The show begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Ambassador Auditorium followed by a family time of carols and holiday snacks in theStudent Center. 

This annual celebration is the perfect way to kickoff the holidays and experience the joy of Christmas with your Maranatha family. Tickets are only $5 and are available at the door, but may be purchased in advance through our website or in the Student Center during lunch time.

On November 14, the Sports Medicine Club hosted their first blood drive for the year in partnership with the City of Hope who brought their blood bus to campus.  The blood drive was in honor of former Maranatha student Jessie Mastan.  Jessie touched many lives as she received treatment at the City of Hope during her battle with cancer. The blood drive was an extraordinary success with 51 units of whole blood collected.  For every unit collected, several lives will be touched and saved at the City of Hope.  Thank you to all the students, parents, and staff who donated!

Head Football Coach, Peter Karavedas and his wife Erin welcomed their first child, daughter Allison on November 3, 2012. Coach Karavedas also teaches AP Government, Modern World History and Advanced Weight Training.  Reflecting Christ in all he does on campus, Coach Karavedas continually encourages the students toward excellence, leadership and a Christ driven life. Congratulations Coach K!

Recently we have had been tasting some delicious new entrees in the Minuteman Café. We are pleased to welcome new Chef Jason Francisco. Chef Jason was trained at Le Cordon Bleu and he has worked at many different restaurants and venues throughout his career. He was recognized by the National Restaurant Association for his competency in Human Resources Management and Supervision. In addition to his interest in cooking, Chef Jason is an army veteran from the Gulf War. He is also a graduate of California State University, Northridge with a Bachelor’s in Accounting

Earlier in the year we were able to hire certified Pastry Chef, Lorelei Topalian. She will work alongside Chef Jason creating delicious desserts and pastries. Lorelei comes to us with an abundance of experience not only in the art of baking, but she is also a master decorator.

The kitchen team is made complete by our lovely ladies Etsuko Riordan, Katsuko Tani, and Iyen Boon. These wonderful ladies have served the Maranatha family for many years and patiently serve hundreds of students each and every day with kindness and a smile.

From farm to table, Chef Jason and his crew are looking to serve the finest and freshest foods to our Maranatha family.

On Monday, October 29th, the Maranatha Soccer program teamed up with the Los Angeles Galaxy, through our partnership, to host the first stop of the Galaxy’s Rally tour as they built momentum for their playoff game against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Over 90 kids participated in a skills clinic followed by an autograph session with current members of the LA Galaxy: Bryan Jordan, Bryan Gaul, Rafael Garcia, and Kenny Walker. Alex and Carlos from the Futboleros trick juggling team also came out to teach some juggling skills to the kids while the Galaxy street team provided giveaways to some of the fans in attendance as well. The MLS Cup made its second trip to Maranatha and everyone got a chance to take pictures with it; even the coaches got in on the action!

With Christian music filling the air on the cool October evening, it was an amazing opportunity to praise the Lord through soccer while getting the chance to be up close and personal with professional soccer players all at Maranatha High School. We look forward to all that the Lord has in store for Maranatha Soccer and to more exciting events with our partners the Los Angeles Galaxy!

All the kids that participated in the clinic received tickets to the playoff game and both the MHS Boy’s and Girl’s Soccer teams were there to cheer on the Galaxy.  Go Galaxy, and Go Minutemen!

We continue to honor our incredible teaching staff with our second Teacher of the Month recipient Mrs. Jennifer Magnone, who is new to Maranatha this year, teaching AP and college preparatory Biology. Jennifer also serves as our Sophomore Class Advisor and has joined the Varsity Cheer coaching staff. Her dedication and professionalism are noteworthy, and her walk with Christ is admirable. We are grateful that she has jumped right into the community at MHS. Congratulations, and thank you, to Mrs. Magnone!

Tuition Assistance Applications are available beginning November 1. Families interested in applying for financial assistance for Maranatha’s 2013-14 school year, please be aware of the following important information:

The online tuition assistance application with FAST can be found on our website at: www.maranatha-hs.org/TuitionAssistance. You will need to create a username and a password; then, follow the prompts. The cost is $38 paid by credit card online directly to FAST.

In addition to your online application, you will need to submit required copies of your 2011 and 2012 tax returns to FAST as directed. Complimentary FAST document envelopes are available in the Admissions Office as faxed and emailed copies are not accepted.

For questions regarding tuition assistance, please contact Jennifer Zambrano, the Associate Dean of Admissions, at (626) 817-4072.

Maranatha staff are eager to meet the growing needs of our diverse student population and offer enriching activities for a plethora of talents and dispositions. This week a new student club is starting in response to the desire for an avenue to utilize and express talent in film and video creation. Mr. Wayne Randolph, the club’s advisor hopes the club will “highlight students’ creative talents and give them opportunities to express and grow their talents in new creative outlets.” The inaugural event of the club will be to host a Film Festival of MHS student talent on campus next semester. The different categories of storytelling represented will be: animation, fiction, and non-fiction. Mr. Randolph hopes that students will feel empowered and equipped to capture the amazing stories that can be found right here on our campus.

This November, Maranatha's theater students will present the classic Broadway musical, Little Women.  Six generations have read the story, this one will sing it. Based on Louisa May Alcott's classic 1869 semi-autobiographical novel, it focuses on the four March sisters — brassy, tomboy-like, aspiring writer Jo, romantic Meg, pretentious Amy, and kind-hearted Beth — and their beloved Marmee, at home in Concord, Massachusetts while the family patriarch is away serving as a Union Army chaplain during the Civil War. Intercut with the vignettes in which their lives unfold are several recreations of the melodramatic short stories Jo writes in her attic studio.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit our online box office (click here). 

Congratulations to five seniors: Kate Benuska, Randahl Brisco, Jessica Demasi, Carissa Vera, and Hannah Williamson for being selected as part of the 33 semi-finalists in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Royale Court. With over 1,000 girls trying out for the court, this was truly an honor.

Over 70 students and staff ventured up to the Tournament House yesterday to support our five semi-finalists as the Tournament announced the seven princesses. Imagine the cheering when Kate’s name was the last name to be read as a 2013 Tournament of Roses Princess! Over the next two months, Kate will attend over 150 events as an ambassador of the Tournament, our city, and certainly Maranatha!  Congratulations, Kate!

Do you love horses but never get a chance to ride? Would you rather clean a stall than your bedroom? Are you interested in learning more about the MHS Equestrian Team?
MHS has limited funds to pay for part of your lessons (from an equestrian fundraising event) so act now to participate! You do not need to own your own horse or be a good rider as you can learn by joining the team. Come to a free one-hour demonstration to learn more about this great opportunity on Friday, October 19 from 6-7 p.m. at Altadena Stables - 3064 Ridgeway Dr. Altadena. If interested, please RSVP to: (626) 797-2021 (Marcy or Terri) as there is limited availability.

There are four competition shows each school year.  Start practicing now so that you can start showing. You will be eligible for a Varsity letter and membership to the United States Equestrian Federation.

It’s never too early to start thinking about Christmas!  

Poinsettias from the Friends of Maranatha Arts
Buying poinsettias supports performing and visual arts needs. Poinsettias are on sale now through November 27.  Click HERE to get an order form or to place your order online, and pick up your poinsettias on December 5 or 6.  

Christmas Trees from the Booster Club
Support the athletic team of your choice by purchasing a Christmas Tree. Pre-order your tree now through November 4, and pick it up on Saturday, December 1.  More information and an order form are available HERE.  Please contact Jane Mason at jtalmason@aol.com with any questions.

See’s Candies from the Parent Association
Our See’s Candies sale is the Parent Association’s only fundraiser to support the annual Staff Wish List which allows our faculty to buy desired items for the classroom such as SMART Boards, iPads, mobile computer carts, etc. Order forms were recently mailed home (or click HERE to download). The sale ends November 16 and you can pick up your candy at school on November 29-30.  Contact Janette Derbyshire (aj3derbyshire@gmail.com) or Caryn Jacobs (jacobsmclpn@hotmail.com) if you have questions.

Over a thousand people came to campus last Friday night to celebrate Homecoming 2012! Besides winning both the JV and Varsity football games and welcoming alumni and many other special guests, we were able to celebrate staff and students.

During halftime of the varsity football game, we crowned our 2012 Homecoming Queen Caraline Dirks and King Andrew Elffers.  We also congratulate our entire Homecoming Court:  Freshen Marcus Moses & Thamara Peterson, Sophomores Max Heefner & Romana Brennan, Juniors Noah Daniels & Alley Guscott, and Seniors Michael DeMeester & Grace Jenks, Jamison Vaught & Sara Hogue, and Kyle Bueckert & Julianne Tyler.

James Worthy, named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, visited Maranatha High School on September 27 to speak to the students.  The seven-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA Champion delivered a message about utilizing your "platform" in life to impact the lives of those around you.  He encouraged students to reach out to others to give them a helping hand up, and to treat others with humility and respect.

After the assembly, the basketball great spent time sharing with Maranatha's Boys and Girls Basketball teams about his college and professional career, as well as encouraging the young athletes to work hard to reach their academic potential along with their athletic goals.  Before departing, Mr. Worthy took time to answer the students' questions and pose for photos.

The Parent Association has a new office! Thanks to the generosity of the MHS Board of Trustees, the PA has a wonderful new location right in the front of the school, adjacent to the upper parking lot.  Now that we have this great space, the PA will be having office hours to allow parents an opportunity to stop by and ask questions, or just to say hello and have a cup of coffee with us.  Please stop by on:

• Tuesdays from 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 a.m.
• Thursdays from 2:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m.

Due to the frequent requests of parents, the PA is excited to be offering two evening PA meetings this school year. The first will take place on November 14, 2012 in the 3rd floor Commons room in the Academic Center, replacing the original scheduled time of 8:30 a.m.  Social time will begin at 6:45, with the meeting starting promptly at 7:00.  The second evening PA meeting will take place on February 20, 2013 at the same location and time as the November 14th meeting.  This meeting will take the place of the original morning date of February 27th.  The goal of the evening meetings is to allow working parents the opportunity to experience the fun, informative, and inspiring Parent Association gatherings.

In order to facilitate more frequent faculty meetings and professional development, the school has scheduled six Student Late Start Days throughout the school year. On Student Late Start Days the school day begins at 9:00 a.m., and end at 3:05 p.m.  Students who need to arrive early may go to the Student Center at 8:00 a.m.  Late Start Days are scheduled for August 29, September 26, October 24, January 7, January 30, and February 20. Parents with questions should contact Principal Michelle Purghart at (626) 817-4045.

Nike has released a new promotional video featuring several of our talented athletes.  You might recognize a couple familiar faces in the national Nike ad campaign: Jeremy Major, Omar Younger, Conner Tapley, Jalen Jones, and Brandon Walker.  Jeremy is a principal character in the commercial ad and it's impossible to miss him!

Click the image to view the video on Nike's YouTube page.

Another mural by Maranatha students is being painted this summer along Del Mar Blvd, just southwest of campus.  The developer who is doing construction in that corner of the property asked our art students to contribute their talents to beautifying the wood fence separating the street from the construction area.

The mural will take approximately 3 weeks to complete.  When finished, it will feature distinctive Pasadena landmarks, including the Arroyo Bridge, City Hall, the Courthouse, the Norton Simon Museum, and the Huntington Library.

The talented group of student artists who are working on this public art project include: Johan Wijesinghe* and Jarrod Suda (the project's designers), as well as Austin Haver-Hill*, David McAllister*, Leeann Huang*, Catherine Yao, Calvin Yao, Ben Tong, Wesley Ching, Jimmy Phillips, Ali Socki, Cessi Socki, Jarrod Equitz, Alisa Sihn, and Crystal Jow.

(* pictured in photo)

Martin White, Senior Accountant, was recently nominated for recognition as an outstanding customer by a LA County MTA Metro operator. Besides recognition and a free Metro pass, Martin will be displayed in several ads with the operator, Mark Moore, on buses as well as in ads in the LA Times and other publications. As any true Minuteman would, Martin proudly wore his Maranatha (staff) shirt to the photo shoot. You never know where you might see Maranatha’s name next!

Wouldn’t you like to leave a legacy at Maranatha High School? The school is establishing an Alumni Wall this summer titled with our alumni motto: “Students Today... Alumni for Life!” The wall will be comprised of individual metal plaques with custom navy blue engraving, enabling each alum to leave a personalized message for eternity. This summer, the first installment of plaques will go up in the Gym Quad area. It is our hope that each year our senior students, as well as all alumni, will purchase a plaque so those who come after will see the legacy of those who came before.Click here for an ORDER FORM. Thank you!

Thank you for supporting the Parent Association this year. By purchasing Scrip gift cards, See's Candies, supporting the Used Uniform Sale, signing up your Ralph's card, donating used ink cartridges or cell phones, etc. the Parent Association was able to donate $30,000 to Maranatha this year!

Of these funds, $23,000 will go directly to fund the Teacher Wish List. Wishes that will be granted include: a SMART Board, a projector and screen, manicans for the Kinesiology Class, new computers for several teachers, technology upgrades to improve graphics for the Art Department, a color printer for the Yearbook and Graphic Design classes, International Standard Bible Encyclopedias, professional developmet for some teachers, new paper cutters, an iPad for the Swim Team, and benches outside and on the 2nd floor landing of the Academic Center.

Thank you for making a difference for our teachers and students!

Earlier this month, Maranatha junior Miles Schlenker had the distinct honor of winning third place in the annual 29th Congressional Arts Competition Forum and Exhibit, hosted by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) at the Huntington Library.   

“Every year, I get the opportunity to see absolutely amazing artwork submitted by high school artists from across the 29th Congressional District,” Schiff said.  “All of the students deserve recognition for their hard work and exceptional talent, and I hope they will all continue to enrich us with their artwork.”

This year’s competition saw 72 entries representing 27 high schools in the 29th Congressional District.  Each student participant received a Certificate of Special Recognition from Congressman Schiff.  In addition, Miles’ art piece, titled “Trapped” (shown here), will hang in Congressman Schiff’s office for the next year.

The Congressional Arts Competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for Members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents.  Since then, over 650,000 high school students have participated in the nationwide competition.

Maranatha High School was voted “Best Private School in the San Gabriel Valley” by the readers of the Pasadena Star-News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, and Whittier Daily News!  The San Gabriel Valley Newspaper Group conducts their annual “Best Of” poll each spring.  Maranatha’s award, along with the 2012 winners from each category, will be publicized in a special magazine to be distributed by the newspapers on May 27.

Maranatha science faculty Dr. Allen Jang was honored last month by the Chinese Parents Association for the Disabled (CPAD) at their annual Chinese New Year Banquet. Dr. Jang was awarded the organization’s highest award, Volunteer of the Year, for his work in implementing innovative programs to assist parents and students with disabilities. The CPAD has several affiliated autism-support chapters serving various languages and areas, and also serves Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, and Polio patients.  (Image: Dr. Allen Jang, shown here with his wife Loan, is presented a Certificate of Recognition by Congresswoman Judy Chu)

Maranatha High School recently participated in the annual American Mathematics Competition sponsored by the Mathematical Association of America. Congratulations to the many students who participated! A special honor goes to the top three students in the Upper Division (AMC 12) test: 1st place Crystal (Yue) Huang, 2nd Egyn Zhu, and 3rd Tommy (Zihao) Qu; as well as the top three in the Lower Division (AMC 10) test: 1st place Tony (Zhe) Wang, 2nd Jordan Flores, and 3rd Martin Wei. Of the 400,000+ students nationwide who took the test, Crystal Huang was also recognized as one of approximately 10,000 students to qualify to take the American Invitational Mathematics Exam. Congrats!  (Pictured here: First Place Winners Crystal Huang and Tony Wang)

Two of Maranatha’s visual arts students won awards in the Los Angeles County Office of Education Visual Arts Contest. Kristiane Stubbs `13 received 4th place for her original art submission, a headshot of 60’s icon Twiggy, which she created using a linoleum block. Taylor Bowman `12 took 5th place for her photograph titled “Gold in the Fog”, which was part of a photo series she did on the Golden Gate Bridge. This was Maranatha’s first time participating in the LACOE Art Contest, which includes entries from schools throughout Los Angeles.

We also wish to congratulate Kathryn Smith `12 – a finalist in the International World Poetry Movement Contest (Amatuer Division). Submissions from all over the world were narrowed down to just 116 finalist. As a finalist Kathryn received a gold medal and her poetry will be published in a compilation called Stars in our Hearts. Kathryn plans to continue pursuing her love for the written word by studying to become an English teacher and hopes someday to be a novelist.