Justin Benson

Justin grew up on a farm near Hurley, SD.  He has a B.S. in Agricultural Engineering with a Chemistry minor from South Dakota State University.  He and his wife, Jocelyn are raising their family, Asher, Malachi, and Ephraim, on a farm near Chatfield, MN.  They are members of St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chatfield where he serves on the Board of Elders.  Justin is employed on the management team with Hormel Foods.

Pastor Jesse Krusemark

Pastor Krusemark grew up in Illinois.  He has a B.A. in Music and Physics from Luther College.  He has a M.Div. from Concordia Theological Seminary and has completed graduate work in music at the University of Illinois.  He serves as pastor at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Stockton, MN where he resides with his wife, Elizabeth, and sons, Jude and Ian.

Jeremy Richards

Jeremy grew up in Aberdeen, SD and attended Lutheran schools through high school.  He has a B.S. in Consumer Affairs from South Dakota State University and a M.B.A. from Colorado Technical University.  He lives with his wife, Susie, and son, Jacob, in Sioux Falls, SD.  They are members of Memorial Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls.

Glenda Mumme

Glenda grew up in Columbus, Indiana. She received a B.A. from Concordia River Forest. She lives in Waterville, Minnesota with her husband, Pastor David Mumme, and children, Hannah, Eleonore, Nathan, Abigail, and Samuel. They attend Trinity Lutheran Church in Waterville, Minnesota. In her free time, Glenda likes to read, take pictures, and work on completing scrapbooks.

Christina Harman

Christina grew up in the great state of Iowa. She received a B.A. in Music with minors in Religious Studies and Sociology from Bethany Lutheran College. She lives in Mankato, Minnesota and attends The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in North Mankato, Minnesota.

Mrs. Jocelyn Benson- Head Teacher, Paideia

Jocelyn grew up in Fort Dodge, Iowa, attending Lutheran school through 8th grade. She has a B.A. in English-teaching and an M.A. in Educational Psychology from the University of Northern Iowa. She also completed 3.5 years of doctoral work in Educational Psychology with emphases in Technology and Education and History/Foundations of Education at the University of Iowa. She loved teaching English and coaching many sports at the high school level before returning to school full time. Jocelyn lives on a farm outside of Chatfield, MN, with her husband, Justin, and their 3 boys- Asher, Malachi, and Ephraim.

In her free time, Mrs. Benson enjoys spending time with her family, reading, watching sports (especially college football), and spending time outside.

Contact Mrs. Benson

Pastor David M. Juhl- Chaplain

Pastor Juhl grew up in Du Quoin, Illinois. He has a B.A. in Radio and Televison from Southern Illinois University. Before attending seminary, Pastor Juhl was a radio disc jockey, working for WDQN Radio in Du Quoin, IL and volunteering at WSIU/WUSI/WVSI Radio in Carbondale, IL while a student at SIU. Pastr Juhl has a MDiv from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne.

Pastor Juhl shepherds Our Savior Evangelical-Lutheran Church, Momence, Illinois.

Pastor Juhl lives in Momence with his wife, Rebecca, daughter, Catherine, and two sons, Matthew and Christopher. His hobbies are reading, the Internet, listening to music, as well as golf and bowling (when time and money are available).

Pastor Jesse E. Krusemark- Music

Pastor Krusemark grew up in Pittsfield, Illinois. He has a B.A in Music and Physics from Luther College, he studied Music Theory at the graduate level at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where he was also a visiting lecturer in Music Theory, and he received a MDiv from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, with part of his instruction taken at Westfield House, Cambridge, England.

Pastor Krusemark shepherds Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Stockton, Minnesota. He lives in Stockton with his wife, Elizabeth, son, Jude, and son, Ian.

In his free time, Pastor Krusemark enjoys his family, fishes, gardens, cooks, hunts, and watches Big Ten basketball and football. As a teacher for Wittenberg Academy, Pastor Krusemark is excited for the opportunity to teach young Lutherans something about their music.

Pastor Heath R. Curtis- Latin and Greek

Pastor Curtis grew up in southwestern Nebraska and received his BA in theology from Concordia - Seward. While attending Concordia Seminary - St. Louis, he also attained his MA in Classics at Washington University. During his last year of seminary, he also taught beginning Greek and after ordination he served as an adjunct professor of theology at Concordia University - Chicago. Pastor Curtis keeps his Latin and Greek sharp by translating and editing for Concordia Publishing House's efforts to get more of the works of Martin Luther and Johan Gerhard into English.

Pastor Jason M. Braaten- Logic

Pastor Braaten grew up in New Lenox, Illinois, a small community southwest of Chicago on I-80.  He has a BA in Theological Languages and Philosophy from Concordia University Chicago, an MDiv from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, with part of his instruction taken at Westfield House, Cambridge, England, and is working toward a STM in Historical Theology from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne.

Pastor Braaten shepherds Immanuel Lutheran Church, Tuscola, Illinois.  He lives in Tuscola with his wife, Lauren, and three children, Oliver, Jonathan, and Wilhelmina (Willa). 

In his free time, he enjoys gardening and reading.  When asked why he is excited to teach for WA, he said, “It’s exciting to be part of an opportunity to give Lutherans both Classical and Lutheran education at the high school level via the Internet.”

Mr. Justin Benson- Physics & Chemistry

Mr. Benson grew up on a farm near Hurley, SD.  He has a B.S. in Agricultural Engineering with a Chemistry minor from South Dakota State University.  He and his wife, Jocelyn are raising their family, Asher, Malachi, and Ephraim, on a farm near Chatfield, MN.  They are members of St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chatfield, where he serves on the Board of Elders.  Mr. Benson is employed on the management team with Hormel Foods.

In his free time, Mr. Benson enjoys spending time with his family, gardening, church activities, and watching sports.

Mr. Jeremy Staub- Biology

Mr. Staub grew up in Woodburn, Indiana.  After graduating from Concordia University in Seward Nebraska, he received his first call to Emmanuel Lutheran School in the fall of 2009, where he teaches middle school science and music. He attends Emmanuel Lutheran Church on Maui. In December of 2010, he was married to his wife Becky. In his spare time he enjoys being active outdoors, whether it is landscaping, hiking, surfing, snorkeling or anything else. He also enjoys following Cubs baseball, playing games, reading books and watching movies. He is thankful for the opportunity to share his faith in Jesus with his students in science, music, and everything else in between. He is very excited to take part in this teaching experience. He looks forward to interacting with students across the country in a unique and interactive way. He also looks forward to growing from this experience as the students also grow in their knowledge of science and their Creator.

Miss Christina Harman- Paideia

Miss Harman grew up in the great state of Iowa. She received a B.A. in Music with minors in Religious Studies and Sociology from Bethany Lutheran College. She lives in Mankato, Minnesota and attends The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in North Mankato, Minnesota.

In her free time, Miss Harman enjoys laughing with her family and friends, enjoying God's creation, reading non-fiction, and composing random songs. As for teaching for Wittenberg Academy, Miss Harman says, "I've enjoyed teaching online and in a Lutheran school, but I am now excited and humbled to get to teach for an online Classical Lutheran school - what a great combination!

Mrs. Sharon Meyer- Physical Education

Mrs. Meyer grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She has a B.A. in Elementary Education and minors in Athletic Coaching and Social Studies from Concordia University Wisconsin. She lives in rural Spring Valley, Minnesota with her husband, Duane, stepson, Jeffrey, stepdaughter, Alyssa, and daughters Kylie and Jessie. They attend St. Paul Lutheran Church in Chatfield, Minnesota.

In her free time, Mrs. Meyer likes to run (especially in local road races), read, spend time with her family (especially playing games, hiking, fishing, ice skating, sledding, and playing hockey, football, and softball), garden, can, and bake.

Mrs. Meyer is excited to teach P.E. for Wittenberg Academy for several reasons: "First, the school excites me for my daughters' sakes. I know they are only 3 and 5, but they will need this school. Second, believing so strongly in what this school will accomplish, I would like to be of service to it and its students. This school and what it sets forth to do is desperately needed today. Finally, in the last couple of years, I have worked hard to accomplish and have accomplished many physical goals in my life. I wish to share what I have learned with WA students. My hope is that WA students learn to stay in good physical shape or get into good physical shape at a young age. It enriches one's life so much when they are physically healthy."

Mr. Adam Barkley- Theatre

As a pastor's son, Mr. Barkley grew up all over- he was born in Arizona, later moved to Oregon, and spent his middle and high school years in a north Chicago. He now lives in Clinton, Iowa with his wife, Sarah, and son, Seth. They attend St. John
Lutheran in Clinton. Mr. Barkley received his Theatre degree from Concordia, Ann Arbor, he studied characterization and speech at Eastern Michigan University, and studied Shakespeare, art, and British political science at The London Center in England.

In his free time, Mr. Barkley loves to sing. He recently joined Riverchor, a community choir in Clinton. He also enjoys watching movies and playing with his son. Mr. Barkley, when asked why he is excited to teach Theatre for Wittenberg Academy said, "Many times, educational institutions are bound by two-dimensional instruction that leaves no room for students to critically think and process the material they are learning. I'm excited to instruct with a Christ-centered approach that will allow students to retain and hopefully apply their knowledge of the arts beyond their years at WA."

Mrs. Emily Olson- Grammar, Rhetoric, Speech/Debate

Mrs. Olson grew up in Illinois, Kentucky, and Ohio- a child of the Midwest. She now lives in Pipestone, Minnesota with her husband, Pastor Jon C. Olson, sons, Paul and Samuel, and daughter, Clara. Pastor Olson shepherds Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Pipestone. Mrs. Olson graduated from Valparaiso University with a B.A. in English and Music with a minor in Humanities through Christ College (Interdisciplinary Honors College). In addition, she studied abroad in Cambridge, England, where she met her husband, who was also studying abroad. Mrs. Olson earned a Master's Degree in English with emphases in literature and rhetoric from South Dakota State University.

In her free time, Mrs. Olson likes to read, bake (she can be bribed with brownies!), take walks, and talk on the phone. She is excited to teach for WA because "WA offers what I hope to give my own children: an education in how to pursue life-long learning under a Classical model with a specifically confessionally Lutheran emphasis.

Mr. David Buchs- Mathematics

Mr. Buchs grew up mostly in southern Minnesota, though he did spend time in St. Louis and northern Minnesota. He currently lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana with his wife, Jessica, and their two sons, Nathaniel and Theodore. They are awaiting news of his vicarage placement!

They are members at Zion Lutheran Church in Lewisville, MN, but Zion Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne has been his field work church while at the Seminary.
Mr. Buchs graduated from Bethany Lutheran College with a B.A. in Music, Mathematics, and Liberal Arts.

In his free time he likes to play with his sons, go hiking, running, or biking, and visit with family and friends.
When asked why he is excited to teach for Wittenberg Academy, Mr. Buchs said, "I am looking forward to sharing my enthusiasm for mathematics! I am also excited about being a part of the life-long formation that takes place in a classical Lutheran education -- it will be great to see students learning and growing not only as sound thinkers but also as faithful Lutherans!