Aaron McWilliams
Aaron McWilliams grew up in central Louisiana. After high school, he studied for the Benedictines for a couple of years and eventually discerned away from a religious vocation.
After moving to North Dakota, he started Spiral Light Candle Corp., receiving a patent for his invention in 2014 and distribution grew to over 1,100 locations around the country and internationally.
Aaron was recruited for and elected to the office of State Representative for North Dakota District 20 in the fall of 2016 and served until 2020. With a growing interest in law and political processes, Aaron completed his undergrad studies at Mayville State University in 2019 and began a Masters degree in American Legal Studies.
In 2021 Aaron started McStash Mills, a custom sawmill suppling the niche market of axe throwing target boards for venues across the country and an array of services and products.
Aaron serves as the chairman of ACE (Aquinas Catholic Educators) and hosts weekly radio shows on KNOX AM1310 in Grand Forks, ND, on local and regional topics.
Benton Schmidt
Benton Schmidt is a multi-faceted church musician and teacher currently serving at St. Paul's Newman Center in Fargo, ND, where he directs all aspects of liturgical music. Benton was homeschooled from first grade through high school graduation. He earned his first bachelor's degree in business through distance learning and alternative college online learning formats. He completed his Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance at North Dakota State University, where he developed his enthusiasm for choirs and early music, inspired by yearly performances of Handel’s Messiah each Christmas. He earned his Masters of Sacred Music at the University of Notre Dame, where he became especially interested in early German organ repertoire by Heinrich Scheidemann and Matthias Weckmann.
Schmidt is in the process of finishing his doctoral degree in church music at the University of Kansas, where his focus includes both modern and French Classic repertoire. His academic interests include the classical Solesmes method of Gregorian chant as taught by Dom André Mocquereau and the tradition of organ alternatim in the Latin liturgy. Recently, his travels have taken him to give recitals at Marquette University, St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Washington, D. C., and Cosenza, Italy. Outside of music, Benton is an ardent Anglophile who enjoys the mystery novels of Dorothy Sayers and Agatha Christie, the fantasy literature of Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, and dabbling in the theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar.
Kristin Gaytan
Kristin Gaytan graduated from college while raising her family of 12 beautiful children, an impressive feat that attests to her love for learning. She completed a 2-year Associate's Degree from MN State Community & Technical College in Moorhead and then later a B.S. in Business Administration from Mayville State University in ND. She is currently employed as Business Administrator at Nativity Catholic Church in Fargo. Though not highlighted in her degrees, she studied Spanish throughout her high school and early college years--accumulating six years of formal Spanish studies. It proved very useful as she later met and married her husband of 25 years, Adrian, who is originally from Mexico. Ever since, she has been immersed in Mexican culture, including the Spanish written and spoken language, food, music and faith. Mrs. Gaytan has homeschooled her family for over 20 years, demonstrating her deep interest in education of families and learning with children of all ages. She is excited to be able to share her love for Spanish and the Latin American culture with OnWord students!
Rita Ludemann
Rita Ludemann is a native of the Fargo-Moorhead area, and a graduate of the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, with B.S. degrees in both Social Work and Sociology. She worked as a peer counselor at UND and at the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center, Fargo. Rita served as Child Placement Worker for a Christian adoption agency with a strong pro-life mission. She has appreciated and employed a variety of educational settings throughout the years of raising her three children. This recently included helping tutor a High School Composition class and facilitating a Biblical Citizenship course for homeschool teens. In addition, she has completed an intensive Discipleship course through her local church, led Moms in Prayer, been involved in intercessory prayer teams, and facilitated various groups and Bible studies. Rita has a deep love of community study of the Bible written in original Hebrew, revealing the extra treasures in God’s Word. She has a passion for guiding youth and empowering parents with supportive educational options for their families. In addition, Rita is certifies in the Nurtured Heart Approach toward relationships. She desires to encourage people to learn and grow in critical thinking and then live in alignment with Jesus through intimately knowing Him and the world He created. She believes that studying Sociology through the lens of a Christian worldview can be a truly valuable educational pursuit and an invaluable way to deepen a student’s ability to discern truth.
Mary Hanbury
Mary Hanbury is the Director of Catechesis for the Diocese of Fargo, and has lived locally for the past 24 years. After growing up in the suburbs of Milwaukee, WI, Mary taught in the public school system after earning her degree in special education – learning disabilities. Ms. Hanbury has completed her Master’s degree in Catechesis from the Maryvale Institute in Birmingham, England, and is currently working on her master’s degree in Sacred Art from Pontifex University. She has participated in three workshops completing icons and one in illuminated manuscripts. In 2023 Ms. Hanbury attended a workshop in southern Italy where she joined a restoration team working on medieval frescoes in caves along with learning and performing restoration work on paintings in a studio.
Ms. Hanbury has a passion for both art history and pilgrimage sites, starting her own travel business in 2015. She is a sought-after pilgrimage coordinator to Rome and various destinations because of her expertise in organization, leadership, and sharing beautiful European art and its fascinating history. This is Mary's second year mentoring a dynamic art appreciation course for OnWord students.
Beth Johnson
A Red River Valley native, Beth Johnson, graduated from the University of North Dakota with a B.S. in Business Administration and emphasis in Financial Management. She worked in finance in the trucking industry prior to graduating from UND. She then further specialized in local government. Employed by the finance and administration department for the City of East Grand Forks, MN, Mrs. Johnson obtained the designation of Minnesota Certified Municipal Clerk, overseeing day-to-day accounting as well as quarterly and annual reporting, fixed assets, investments, payroll/Human Resources, elections, and presenting before the city council. After five years, her family moved to Bismarck, ND, where she worked similarly for Burleigh County for one year and then five more years at Facility Management for the State of North Dakota.
During her time working for the State, the Lord called Mrs. Johnson to homeschool her two children. She continued working part-time payroll with the State and eventually served as Support Representative for North Dakota Classical Conversations (CC), a classical Christian homeschooling community. She oversaw organization of local homeschool communities and planned statewide homeschool events as well as budget planning for programs. Currently, she facilitates local CC community discussion classes where her high schoolers are present as 10- and 12-graders.
Phoebe Diem
Raised in Dickinson, ND, Phoebe Diem attended Trinity High School before pursuing a B.S. degree in English Education at NDSU with a minor in History. During her studies, she had the incredible opportunity to complete her student teaching at a small boarding school in the south of France. Mrs. Diem recently married her high school sweetheart and began teaching English classes locally at Horace High School, Horace, ND. Outside of teaching, she loves baking bread and reading, and is passionate about history. If she is not teaching or correcting papers, Mrs. Diem is spending time with her family and friends, often cooking and playing board games. She loves sharing literature and history with youth!
Janelle Afrasiab
Janelle Afrasiab grew up near Edgeley, ND, and attended Valley City State University. She graduated with a BS in Business, English and Spanish Education and was fortunate enough to attend 2 separate semesters in LaPaz, BCS, Mexico attending classes and doing her student teaching. She taught HS Spanish 13 years, Business 4 years and English 1 year at different schools in Minnesota, North Dakota and Kansas. Currently she works in the IT Department of Fargo Public Schools allowing her to continue to work in education and be able to work in technology, which she has always enjoyed. When she is not working, she is probably attending one of her son's games. He's involved in football, basketball and baseball so she has all the sports seasons covered.
Mr. Scot Sorrells
Raymond Sorrells was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised in Minot, North Dakota. He earned a Bachelor of Architecture and a Master of Business Administration from North Dakota State University. During his graduate studies, he worked in the Center for Writers, where he consulted with students on theses, dissertations, and professional application writing.
Mr. Sorrells is a full-time project manager and writing consultant with extensive experience coordinating communication among international technology teams. Many of the stakeholders he works with use English as a second language, an experience that has strengthened his ability to help students communicate clearly, thoughtfully, and effectively. He specializes in guiding writers as they refine complex ideas into clear, engaging texts for a wide range of audiences.
In addition to his academic and professional work, Mr. Sorrells is active in community theatre and film. He enjoys exploring the strong parallels between theatre and writing, particularly the idea that rehearsals mirror drafts and performances mirror final publications. This perspective shapes his teaching approach: students bring their best ideas to early drafts, refine them through revision and feedback, and ultimately share their work confidently with an audience
