News Detail
Science Department Leads Students to God’s Glory Through the Natural World
Come and explore the Maranatha Science Department to discover the wonderful things they are teaching.
Each week we have been introducing one of our hardworking and dedicated faculty and staff departments. This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the talented people God has brought to our school, and to give readers a little insight into each department, its members, and the calling the Lord has placed on their lives. We hope these features give you an even greater appreciation for our staff and the ways they enrich our students’ lives and help make Maranatha High School a Christ-centered and welcoming community.
THE SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
Jenessa Ocon, Department Chair
This is Jenessa’s third year at Maranatha and she has been the Science Department Chairperson for one and half years, under the tutelage of Dr. Allen Jang during her first 6 months. “I enjoy working with like-minded people who are curious about science and love God. Studying Creation is such a fantastic blessing, and it is a joy to be able to discuss with colleagues and observe what they are doing in their own classrooms and disciplines, while we are free to collaborate or share our successes with each other,” says Jenessa.
“The Science Department goals are to allow our students to explore and create within the scientific discipline so they can better solve problems that they encounter in their daily lives. Ultimately, students will also be led to God’s glory through natural revelation that we can guide them through. Glorifying God in all that we say, do, and think is vital to Maranatha’s mission, and it is reflected in our goals as a department.”
Quirky Fact: “I was a figure skater in Southern California on a synchronized skating team throughout my entire high school career.”
Girma Aleme
Girma joined the Maranatha faculty in August 2016. “I enjoy working at Maranatha because I can freely express my faith in Christ in class in connection to what I teach in Physics,” says Girma, who has also been a summer school Physics teacher for MHS in the summer of 2015. “I loved MHS and wanted to come back as a full-time teacher. My prayers were answered and I came back to teach Physics full-time starting in the 2016-2017 academic year.” Girma also loves the sense of collaboration and support he gets from each department member when he seeks it. “Working collaboratively in the Science Fair, Science Bowl, Science Olympiad, and other noble initiatives for the common good of the students are so exemplary.”
Quirky Fact: “I’m a person who believes in the power of words. I try my best to select the right words when I communicate with others. I also expect others to use the right words when they converse with me. I’m a positive thinker naturally and want to bless others in my use of the right words.”
Dr. Allen Jang
Dr. Jang has been teaching for 43 years (22 years in public schools), and nowhere else has he experienced the comradery, support, and spiritual bondings that he feels at Maranatha High School. “I have been teaching at MHS for seven years now. I am now a part-time teacher, but I taught one year as a long-term sub and five years as a full-time teacher. I was drawn to Maranatha by its reputation for being a strong, distinctive Christian school. In the public schools that I taught at, there was political correctness and censorship to deal with may stultify honest and open inquiries, and can halt genuine growth. I enjoy being able to discuss the pros and cons on a variety of scientific issues here at MHS and challenging students to think,” says Dr. Jang.
Quirky Fact: “I have a Black Belt and I was also a sworn Peace Officer and Law Enforcement Martial Arts instructor.”
Matt Ketterling
Matt has entered into his second year teaching at Maranatha and this is definitely the place he feels he should be. “I like being at Maranatha High School because I share the goal of making disciples of Jesus through education. At Maranatha, I can teach science as one aspect of a fully developed Christian worldview. It is great to work with a staff of committed professionals who share similar priorities as I do,” says Matt.
Quirky Fact: “I periodically set off the fire alarms, but only in the name of science.”
Samuel Morris
This is Samuel’s first semester teaching at Maranatha and what he enjoys most about working in the Science Department is the cross-collaboration and brainstorming on ways to inject technology into their lesson plans and inject pure science into his. “Just as a new church member might be drawn by a good preacher but stay as they begin to connect with others, I was initially drawn to the opportunity to join Maranatha because its Computer Science program was being built. I would have to say that the faculty and staff are just as big a factor as the initial opportunity was,” says Samuel.
Quirky Fact: “When I was born, the nurse asked my mother, ‘What are you naming your child?’ She responded that she was naming me after the Prophet Samuel. On my birth certificate, the nurse wrote my name as Prophet Samuel Morris.”
Dan Newkirk
The 2017-2018 school year is Dan’s second full school year teaching at Maranatha High School, though he has taught more than 10 sessions of summer school at MHS. “I enjoy the Christian community and awesome student at Maranatha. I enjoy the diversity of our department, as well as the encouragement and assistance all the teachers are quick to offer,” says Dan.
Quirky Fact: “I roast my own coffee beans.”
Ed Newkirk
In September 1983, Ed accepted his first position at Maranatha High School and believed it was the Lord who called upon him to serve at MHS. “I graduated from Biola University and had just finished my Master’s Degree from Cal State Fullerton in Exercise Physiology. I was coaching for five years as the JV Basketball coach at Biola, as well as the Defense Coordinator for the Varsity team. They were dropping the JV team at Biola, and so my wife Barbara and I were praying for a job that would allow me to be a coach and a teacher. My former high school coach and former MHS Principal, Bill McKinnley, asked me to come and coach at Maranatha,” says Ed.
Through the years, Ed has served as both the Science and Theology Departments Chairperson. He has also been the ASB advisor, bus coordinator, head basketball coach, assistant softball coach, track coach, and swim coach. “The best things about Maranatha will always be the students and their families. God continues to bless us with wonderful people!”
Quirky Fact: “I have eight grandkids and I was MVP for both my high school and college basketball teams.”
Antoine Peterson
This is Antoine’s fourth school year teaching at Maranatha High School, and he enjoys the Christian atmosphere of everyone on campus. “I believe that God led me here. Everyone in our department is outgoing and enjoys each other’s company,” says Antoine.
Quirky Fact: “I don’t do freeways or heights.”
Kelly Wierema
Kelly has been working at Maranatha for five years, but during the first two years she was contracted by Evergreen Physical Therapy and only did athletic training, but then the Kinesiology teaching position became available at Maranatha. “I applied for the job and was brought on as a teacher and the athletic trainer. I love working at Maranatha because there is a sense of family that has been created by the staff. It is a great environment to work in every day,” says Kelly. “I have learned so much from the other teachers in my department about teaching, but what I love seeing the most is how much love and care they put into their classes and their students. It is truly inspiring.”
Quirky Fact: “I love to travel and I believe a huge part of that was the fact that from ages 3 to 5 my family moved to Switzerland. We lived in a small town call Fenin on the outskirts of Nuchatel. We lived across the road from a cow pasture and our family spent a lot of time during those two years traveling around Europe.”
