ACS is pleased to recognize and congratulate several of its alumni who are making their mark in college, in the working world, and in other endeavors, building on the strong educational and spiritual foundation they received during their years at ACS. The alumni spotlighted here are Karen Kizer Woerner (’86), Tommy Tillis (’10), Dara Brown Heston (’11), Rachel Picking Tillis (’11), Hannah Schalles (’13), Paul Jones (’15), Sam Karabashian (’15), Lydia Dice (’16), and Dakota (DJ) Hitchner (’17). Profiles of these and many more ACS alumni can be found on the “Alumni News” page of the ACS website under the “News and Events” category.
Karen Kizer Woerner (’86) earned her BS in elementary education from Liberty University and wanted to return to her hometown to teach. She spent 15 years as an elementary teacher in Pleasantville, mostly as a 4th grade teacher.. During those years, she was named Teacher of the Year twice at the Leeds Avenue School and was nominated and chosen twice for the Who’s Who of American Teachers. Karen became a stay-at-home mom in 2005 and has been homeschooling her children, Kirsten and Andrew. This fall, Karen stepped back into the classroom part-time and is teaching 4th and 5th grade at Westminster Christian Academy.
Tommy Tillis (’10) joined the U.S. Navy after high school and served as a Navy rescue swimmer for six years, with three tours of duty to Bahrain. He is married to another ACS alumnus, Rachel Picking (’11), and they have two children, Ellie, and Cooper. While Tommy was serving in the Navy, the family lived in Norfolk, VA, but they returned to South Jersey in 2018. Tommy is now a firefighter in Ocean City, his life-long dream job, and Rachel is a stay-at-home mom. Rachel, who was valedictorian of the Class of 2010, attended Liberty University where she earned a BS in business administration.
Dara Brown Heston (’11), who has overseen the kitchen at the Atlantic City Rescue Mission for the past six years, recently became a Certified Medical Assistant and is working at a plasma clinic in Atlantic City.
Hannah Schalles (’13) graduated in May 2020 from Cedarville University with a Doctor of Pharmacy and is now doing her pharmacy residence at Nemours/Alfred I duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware. She plans to pursue a career as a clinical pharmacist.
Paul Jones (’15) has relocated to Florida with his wife, Hunter, and daughter, Selah, to take a faculty position at Trinity Christian Academy in Lake Worth. Paul is teaching middle school Bible and history. He will also be an assistant coach on the Varsity Boys’ basketball team, a position Paul held at ACS for the past several years.
Sam Karabashian (’15) has been living and working in the nation’s capital since graduating in 2019 from Biola University with a degree in business analytics. He worked last year in the Capitol Hill office of Congressman Mark Green of Tennessee and recently took a position with DeLoitte, a global firm that provides audit, consulting, tax, and advisory services.
Lydia Dice (’16) graduated with honors in September 2020 from Lancaster Bible College with degrees in Bible and middle level education in science and math. She has moved to South Carolina to work for a gap year with One Life at South Wesleyan University while she pursues her Masters in higher education through Geneva University.
Dakota (DJ) Hitchner (’17) is in her junior year at Cairn University pursuing a degree in health and physical education. She has distinguished herself as a scholar and athlete, making the dean’s list every semester while playing on the Women’s Soccer Team and the Women’s Basketball team. She has made all-conference in both sports every year, has been captain of the Women’s Basketball team, and was named to the All-Sportsmanship Team of the Colonial States Athletic Conference. In September 2020, DJ was recognized for her athletic talents and leadership by being one of 10 players named to Cairn’s 2010-2020 All-Decade Women’s Basketball team. She is also student president of the athletic department and is responsible for planning student events on campus.