Mason Classical Academy

✨ MCA Class of 2026 ✨

Your journey at MCA may have ended, but the great adventure is just beginning.

We are so proud of the young men and women you have become and grateful for the mark you have left on this community. Go forward with courage, wisdom, and wonder.

Congratulations, graduates! Your next chapter awaits!

Today, MCA held its annual High School Olympiad! The day was packed with an opening ceremony, the parade of teams, a water balloon toss, dodgeball, chalk mural contests, trivia, lip-sync battles, and more.

Please take a look at the photos below — THIS is the high school experience that’s possible when phones don’t get in the way: connection, engagement, laughter, and real FUN. All too often, we see teens looking down at screens in silence, but not at MCA. You can practically hear these pictures — the cheering, teasing, laughing, and screaming. These students were having an absolute blast together.

We hope these photos make you smile the way they made us smile. And a huge thank you to the teachers who helped facilitate and participate in the beautiful chaos of today’s Olympiad. These are the kinds of memories our students will carry with them forever.

MCA 10th grader, Mia Ferranti, participation in Florida History Day, which was held May 4–5 at Tallahassee State College. We are ecstatic to share that she earned 5th place in the State of Florida in her category! This year’s National History Day theme was “Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History.” Mia chose to create an exhibit titled, “Actions Speak Louder Than Words: The Silent Sentinels”, which explored the courageous efforts of the Silent Sentinels and their pivotal role in advancing women’s suffrage in the United States.

Mia felt very confident during the interview portion of the competition and was especially encouraged to receive numerous Exemplar ratings on her adjudication sheets. We are proud and grateful that Mia represented MCA with such dignity and poise throughout the competition. This achievement reflects many months of research, writing, and preparation. Mia would like to thank Mr. Zwerneman and Miss Purcell, whose wisdom, encouragement, and guidance were instrumental throughout the entire process as she conducted her research, designed her tri-fold exhibit board, and wrote her process paper.

Congratulations, Mia! You make our whole school community so proud!

The Mason Middle School golf team wrapped up its spring season on Saturday! While the team did not finish first overall, several players earned outstanding individual finishes!

Alek placed 2nd in the boys division, Bella earned 2nd place in the girls division, and Portia and Charlotte tied for 3rd place. We are proud of the hard work, growth, and sportsmanship these student-athletes displayed throughout the season!

If your child is interested in participating in the Mason Golf program next fall, please contact Coach Dave Horton at [email protected].

Yesterday’s Senior BBQ was a huge success! As our seniors’ time at MCA begins to draw to a close, we treasure every opportunity to celebrate them, laugh with them, and make a few more special memories together before graduation.

A big thank you to Principal Carlisi for stepping behind the grill and serving as the seniors’ very own grill master for the day!

Moments like these remind us that while achievements and milestones matter, it’s the friendships, traditions, and shared memories that make the MCA journey so meaningful. We are so proud of the Class of 2026 and can’t wait to celebrate all that lies ahead for them!l

Teacher Appreciation Week is off to an amazing start!

Our incredible teachers have been showered with love— delicious treats, gift cards, fun raffles, and so much more! Both campuses enjoyed specialty coffee from Four Roots Coffee kiosk, serving up handcrafted lattes, cold brews, and all the cozy favorites that kept everyone smiling! Fyodor Dostoevsky famously said “To love is to suffer” but most educators know “To love is to be caffeinated" and we certainly love our teachers!

We are beyond grateful for our teachers and for every single person who contributed to the Teacher Appreciation Fund — you made this week extra special!

Here’s to a week full of gratitude, celebration, and well-deserved appreciation!

MCA community—make some noise for Jacob Cox! He placed FOURTH IN THE NATION at the New York City National Shakespeare Competition—rising above 15,000+ contestants across the country. This marks MCA’s highest finish ever after three consecutive years of competing.

In a competition with a 43-year legacy, Jacob didn’t just show up—he made history. We’re beyond proud. Please see below for Ms. Morris' write-up on Jacob's dedication, passion, and achievement. It is worth the read. Well done, Jacob!

"On April 27, 2026, Jacob Cox tread the boards at Lincoln Center in New York City to compete in the English-Speaking Union’s 43rd Annual National Shakespeare Competition. While Mason Classical Academy’s connection with the ESU (founded in 1920) is a relatively new chapter in our school's history, it has been a remarkably successful one. In only three years of participation, MCA has reached the national level every single year: first with Isabella Rosato (class of ’24), followed by Jacob’s back-to-back appearances.

The scale of Jacob’s achievement is difficult to overstate. Every year, over 15,000 students nationwide enter this competition; Jacob was one of only 39 semi-finalists invited to the national stage. To be selected once is a feat; to be selected twice is a rarity; to place 4th overall in the nation is extraordinary. Delivering a powerful Mark Antony monologue from Julius Caesar alongside a nuanced rendition of “Sonnet 23”, Jacob fought his way to the very top of the ranks. While he narrowly missed a top-three podium finish, he walked away with immense pride in a performance that captivated the judges.

For Jacob, Shakespeare is far more than an academic pursuit—it is a labor of love. A four-year veteran of our Shakespeare Theater class, he has tackled the most demanding roles in the canon, including Hamlet, Macbeth, and Henry V. His journey continues this summer at the British American Drama Academy’s Midsummer Conservatory Programme in Oxford, UK, for which he has received scholarships. FUN FACT: David Schwimmer (Ross Geller on Friends) also attended this programme in his youth. Following his time in England, Jacob will move to New York City to pursue his acting career while continuing his collegiate education at The City University of New York."