Post Tagged with: "Atlantic Christian School"

Cooking Classes Make Fancy Cupcakes for Butterfly Ball

The Butterfly Ball is just one day away, and when the elementary girls arrive with their dads or other family members for an elegant evening of dinner, dancing, and fun, they will be pleasantly surprised by the dessert table spread — featuring a variety of fancy cupcakes made by ACS students in the middle school and high school cooking classes.

“The students were so excited to have the opportunity to showcase their baking and decorating talents for this event,” said faculty member Ruby Lewis, who teaches the two cooking classes that meet twice a week. “They really wanted to make a special treat for the young girls and their dads at the Butterfly Ball.” The ball is for girls in kindergarten to the 5th grade and their dads or other family members, and has become a favorite annual event for ACS families.

Lewis said the students baked and decorated 10 dozen cupcakes for the event.  They made vanilla and chocolate cupcakes and some are gluten free.  “I’m so proud of the work that all the students did,” Lewis said. “The cupcakes look great and they are delicious.”

 

 

 

High School Students Create Video to Promote Driver Safety for Statewide “Just Drive” PSA Contest

An original video to promote teen driver safety created by three ACS high school students has been entered into a statewide “Just Drive” PSA Video Contest, as part of a campaign to focus attention on teen driving safety and reducing teen driving injuries and deaths. The 30-second video, entitled “Limit Distractions,” was created by Eddie Ireland, Summer Scott, and Isaac Choi (pictured here from left) as part of a multi-week project in Rhapsody Hahn-Chaney’s High School Information Technology Class.  ACS is a member of the U Got Brains Champion School Program and received a $1,000 stipend to underwrite the video project and a related social media campaign.

The video created by Choi, Ireland, and Scott was one of four made by different student teams in the class.  Students in the class and in the high school Driver’s Ed class, as well as several teachers and administrators, viewed the four videos and voted to select the video to be submitted for the contest.  The contest is being sponsored by the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey, as well as the program’s funder, the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, and its founding sponsor, NJM Insurance Group.

Students in the high school Driver’s Ed class who viewed and cast their votes for their favorite “Just Drive” PSA video.

For the social media campaign, Hahn-Chaney posted four videos from February 22-25 on the ACS Facebook and Instagram pages that reminded teenagers to just drive and avoid distractions when behind the wheel, like being on the phone or eating.  Two of the posts included photos of ACS students as actors in their video PSA projects, recording clips in the parking lot for their videos, and editing a video clip in the ACS computer lab.

Hahn-Chaney said each student team had a creative designer, a director, and an editor. The students planned out shot lists, wrote scripts for voiceover recordings, and spent time in the ACS parking lot taking videos using camera equipment and cell phones.  Back in the classroom, the students edited their videos using various tools such as a screen recording program called Screencastify and video editing software like iMovie and Flixier.

The selected ACS student video will be competing against videos submitted by teams from other New Jersey high schools. The winners of the top videos in the contest will be announced in May. ACS students involved in the video project will also take a field trip to Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ on May 26 for the contest Awards Showcase, joining other New Jersey high school students who entered the contest.

CLICK HERE to view the student video being entered into the contest.

12th Grader Aaron Glancey Organizes Middle School Boys Over-Nighter as Senior Project

ACS 12th grader Aaron Glancey is organizing a Middle School Boys Over-Nighter on March 25 at the Ocean City Tabernacle — an event he has chosen to be his Senior Project as part of a year-long Senior Project Class. Aaron announced the event during Upper School Chapel on March 10 and has distributed flyers this week about the over-nighter to ACS middle school boys.

Aaron said the over-nighter is open to middle school boys at ACS and in the community, and he is busy spreading the word about the event to area churches and on social media. Aaron chose to organize this special event for middle school boys because he attended a similar event when he was in 8th grade and remembered the positive impact it had on his life.  Fellow senior, Quinn Schrag, is leading worship at the over-nighter as part of his Senior Project.

The over-nighter will be held from 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 25 to 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 26 and there is a $20 registration fee. The evening will include games, refreshments, live worship music, and small group break-out sessions. Aaron and Quinn will lead some of the small group sessions, joined by several adult leaders from area churches.

The Senior Project class is facilitated by faculty member Linda Stiteler. Stiteler said that other students are working a variety of Senior Projects, all with a community service focus and utilizing their individual gifts and talents.  Joshua Schlundt is building a bench to install in Birch Grove Park in Northfield. Mia Liggins is using her talents as a photographer on a project for St. Vincent’s School in Mays Landing. Devin Tridente, a member of the ACS Championship Varsity Basketball team, is organizing an outdoor basketball clinic at ACS in April.

“It’s a very valuable learning and growing experience for our seniors to be responsible for coming up with a unique project and creating it from start to finish,” Stiteler said.  She said writing a letter of intent, writing a research or reflection paper, and doing an oral presentation to the class are also required elements for every project.

CLICK HERE for more information and to register for the Middle School Boys Overnighter.

 

Students Sample Healthy Fruit & Spinach Smoothies for Green Mustache Day

Nearly 300 students from the 1st to 6th grades showed off their green mustaches on Wednesday, March 2 after sampling healthy smoothies during lunch made with fruit and spinach. It was all part of “Green Mustache Day,” a fun annual activity that ACS sponsors as part of its membership in the AtlantiCare Healthy Schools, Healthy Children program.

Photos were taken of groups of students after they sampled the smoothies and made green mustaches on their upper lips with the drink. Students who sampled the smoothies also received a green paper mustache as a fun reward. A number of faculty and staff also sampled the smoothies and posed for photos.

A staff panel selected three group photos to submit to an AtlantiCare contest. One of the photos could be selected to receive a $50 VISA card, which will go to the classroom of the students in the photo. The photos in the running are from Mrs. Meza’s 2nd grade class, Mrs. McCarthy’s 3rd grade class, and Ms. Lorick’s 5th grade class.

Thank you to the students in the middle school and high school cooking classes, under the direction of faculty member Ruby Lewis, who made four gallons of the smoothies for our students to sample, cutting up the fruit and adding them with other ingredients into a blender.

For families who would like to try making this healthy smoothie at home, here’s the recipe that makes 32 ounces:

2 ripe frozen bananas
1 apple, chopped
2 cups fresh chopped spinach (can also use kale)
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup cold water

Leading NJ Cardiothoracic Surgeon Teaches ACS Students About Heart Transplants, Benefits of Organ Donations

11th and 12th grade students had the special opportunity on March 9 to meet and talk via livestream with Dr. Margarita Camacho, a leading New Jersey cardiothoracic surgeon at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, to learn about organ transplants and the benefits of being an organ donor.  During the meeting, the students watched a pre-recorded video of Dr. Camacho doing a full heart transplant and an implant of a LVAV machine, while listening to her explain the delicate procedures involved in the operations.

Twenty-six students who are part of three different high school science classes came together for the two-hour Zoom presentation. The students were from the Honors Anatomy and Physiology class, the Intro to Health and Medicine class, and the Biology 2 class, in which students can earn dual college credits from Atlantic Cape Community College.

Faculty member Celine Melody, who teaches the Biology 2 and the Intro to Health and Medicine classes, organized the livestream, which was facilitated by the Liberty Science Center.  She said the presentation began with a representative from the NJ Sharing Network educating the students about organ donations and encouraging them to consider being organ donors. A second speaker was a heart transplant recipient, who shared his story about how an organ donation saved his life. The final speaker was Dr. Camacho.

“Our students had the opportunity to ask questions of Dr. Camacho, who was very kind and engaging,” Melody said. “Overall, our students were very impressed and loved the experience. Many of them said they were inspired by the work the doctor did and were encouraged to consider becoming organ donors once they reached the age of 18.”

Students Celebrate Dr. Seuss’ Birthday, Helps Make Reading Fun

ACS preschool and elementary students and teachers celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday on March 2 as part of Read Across America Day — a national campaign that focuses on motivating children to be lifelong readers.

One of Dr. Seuss’ books– “Wacky Wednesday” — was the inspiration for students and teachers to come to school dressed up in colorful, mismatched clothes, wigs, and hats, and with wacky hairdos.

Several parents and high school students visited various classrooms to read aloud favorite Dr. Seuss books. The school library had a large variety of Dr. Seuss books on display for students to check out. Kindergarten classes even enjoyed a special snack of green eggs and ham. It was all about making reading fun.

New Batting Cage Installed in Time for Baseball, Softball Seasons

A new batting cage is open and ready for use by students on the ACS middle school and high school baseball and softball teams, built by the ACS facilities staff during the first week of March.

“We are very blessed to have a facilities team that was able to envision and build this new batting cage, just in time for the baseball and softball seasons,” said Athletic Director Pam Hitchner. “The COVID-19 pandemic limited our seasons over the past two years, so we’re looking forward to a full season and this new batting cage will help strengthen our skills when we go up to bat.”

Facilities Manager Jonathan Ireland oversaw the four-day project to build the 40-foot by 18-foot wood-framed cage, with assistance from facilities staff members Cisco Bernardino and Bill Smallwood. Ireland also enlisted help from local builder Mike Angerman, who donated his services to drill the 4-foot-deep holes for the wood support beams.

Hitchner said this new cage replaces an earlier metal-frame cage that was damaged in a storm.  “This new cage is built sturdy and strong and should last us for a number of years,” Hitchner said.

 

We’re No. 1! ACS Varsity Boys’ Basketball Team Wins TSCAC Championship; Varsity Girls Finish in 2nd Place

The ACS Varsity Boys’ Basketball team won the 2022 Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference Championship game on Saturday, February 26, beating Pilgrim Academy 51-42 before a standing-room-only crowd at the Gloucester County Christian School gym in Sewell. This is the third consecutive year that our Varsity Boys’ team has brought home the championship trophy.  The Lady Cougars , who finished in first place in the regular season, lost a heart-breaker by one point — 40-39 — to Gloucester County Christian School in the girls’ championship game on Saturday.

Four ACS players on the Varsity Boys’ team were named TSCAC All-Stars and presented with medals hanging from a green lanyard — Sr. guard #3 Aaron Glancey (1st team), #2 Sr. Devin Tridente and #11 Jr. Caleb Vogel (2nd team), and #33 Soph. Noah Gibbs (Honorable Mention). All four All-Stars made significant contributions to the team during the championship game.  Glancey had 11 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and five steals.  Vogel led on offense with 16 points, and Gibbs and Tridente both scored 10 points.

The Lady Cougars Basketball team received their trophy for earning 1st place in the regular season of the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference.

On the Lady Cougars team, four players were named TSCAC All-Stars and received special medals — #3 Jr. Paige Noble (1st team), #24 Jr. Maddie DeNick and #12 Soph. Evangelina Kim (2nd team), and #11 Jr. Reyna Lewis (Honorable Mention), who was sidelined on Saturday after sustaining an injury in the 3rd quarter.

The Varsity Boys’ championship game started off with Glancey, the team’s strongest player on offense and defense, picking up two fouls in the first two minutes and having to take the bench. The team kept the score close until Glancey could re-enter the game in the 2nd quarter. Vogel then started making his mark on offense, scoring 8 of his 16 points during that period.  Just before the clock ran out at halftime, Tridente hit a huge three-pointer to push the ACS lead to 9 going into the break.

Throughout the 3rd quarter, ACS turned up the intensity on defense, consistently forcing Pilgrim to scramble and commit multiple turnovers. ACS was able to hold Pilgrim forward Connor Storr, who later earned the TSCAC MVP award, to just 2 points in the quarter and 15 points for the game, after he had averaged over 20 points per game during the regular season. Taking a 14-point lead in the 4th quarter, ACS kept control of the game and made multiple foul shots down the stretch to finish with the 51-42 victory.

We are grateful to Coach Drew Carney and assistant coaches Ben Chapman and Dan Carney for an exciting season and for the many hours of hard work that helped develop a Varsity Boys’ team that steadily improved and persevered.  Thank you also to Lady Cougars head coach Kaylee Breunig and assistant coach Dara Kimmerley for building up a winning team that had no seniors and not one returning starter from last year. Congratulations to the coaches and players for a memorable season.  Photo credit: Mia Liggins, Arzum Sanchez.

 

 

4th Grader Madelyn Petrinec Wins ACS Spelling Bee, Advances to March 12 Scripps S. Jersey Regional Bee

Congratulations to 4th grader Madelyn Petrinec for winning our school Spelling Bee on February 17, rising to the top spot among 21 competitors from the 1st to 8th grades after 2 hours and 43 rounds of competition. Madelyn will move on to represent ACS at the Scripps South Jersey Regional Spelling Bee in Vineland on Saturday, March 12. We’ll be rooting for you, Madelyn!

Coming in second place was 7th grader Garrett Martin. 4th grader Tamara Kulov placed third, staying in the Bee through the first 21 rounds. Garrett and Madelyn then went head to head for another 21 rounds before Garrett misspelled “Chelonia” and Madelyn correctly spelled “justaucorps.”

Parents, teachers, and students were on hand in the gym to watch the bee and applaud between rounds. The 21 students from the 1st to 8th grades who competed in the bee had either won or placed runner up in classroom bees held in January.

Under the guidance of Spelling Bee Advisor Jessica Martin, the students had a month to prepare for the all-school bee by studying a list of 450 words provided by the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Martin was also the pronouncer for the Bee.

The top 21 spellers who competed in the Bee, by grade level, were:

  • 1st Grade: Grigory Kagramanov, Molly Klinetob, and Carson Myers
  • 2nd Grade: Alexander Dimashi, Grace Petrinec, and Olivia Smith
  • 3rd Grade: Caitlin Doucett, Sofia Huezo, and Khaleesi Nyanankpe
  • 4th Grade: Joey Kinch, Tamara Kulov, and Madelyn Petrinec
  • 5th Grade: Mia Gaffney, Gaebriel Hahn-Chaney, and Reese Resnick
  • 6th Grade: Matthew Coates and Caelyn Domsic
  • 7th Grade: Caedyn Hahn-Chaney and Garrett Martin
  • 8th Grade: Marcus Anderson and Gabriella Goodwin

 

 

Varsity Basketball Teams Heading to TSCAC Championship Round Saturday After Winning Semi-Final Playoff Games

Congratulations to our Varsity Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball Teams for winning their semi-final playoff games on Thursday night to secure a spot in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference Championship Games on Saturday, February 26. We are proud of you!

The Thursday night playoff games, played in the ACS gym before a crowd of fired-up fans, got underway with the Lady Cougars facing off against Cumberland Christian School and defeating them 56-13. Jr. Paige Noble led the team on offense with 18 points and four assists, and also pulled down five rebounds. Other key players in the game were Jr. Maddie DeNick, who scored 11 points and had 7 rebounds, and Soph. Evangelina Kim, who had 8 points and 6 steals.

The Varsity Boys’ game followed after, with ACS beating King’s Christian School 46-39 in a hard fought battle.  ACS trailed King’s Christian by 2 at half-time and by as many as 8 to start the 3rd quarter. But ACS went on an 18-0 run from the end of the 3rd quarter through the start of the 4th quarter to seize control of the game. Soph. Noah Gibbs and Jr. Caleb Vogel carried the team down the stretch on offense, scoring 17 of the team’s 24 second half points. Vogel finished with 13 points and Gibbs with 12. Other high scorers were Sr. Devin Tridente with 12 points and Sr. Aaron Glancey with 8 points.

The Lady Cougars, under head coach Kaylee Breunig, finished in first place in the regular season, with a 7-1 record, and are advancing to the TSCAC championship final for the eighth straight year. They will play Gloucester Country Christian School on Saturday at 3 p.m.  The Varsity Boys’ team, under head coach Drew Carney, placed second in the regular season, with an 8-2 record, and will play Pilgrim Academy in the Championship final at 5 p.m. Both games will be played at Gloucester County Christian School, which is located at 151 Golf Club Road in Sewell.

Come on out and cheer our Cougars on to victory! Go Cougars!

 

 

 

ACS Students Show their Love and Appreciation for their Pastors

We love our pastors! ACS students and staff showed their love and appreciation for their pastors at a Pastor Appreciation Breakfast and Chapel on Thursday, Feb. 17. ACS students attend over 115 different churches across South Jersey.

Pastor Tony Montemurro of Calvary Chapel Gateway gave an encouraging message to the some 30 pastors who attended the Pastor’s Breakfast. A number of students also had the opportunity to talk and share with pastors at the breakfast. ACS elementary and high school students spent several weeks during art class creating beautiful artwork in honor of the pastors that were displayed on every breakfast table. Hand-written thank-you messages from students to their pastors were also given to the pastors who attended the breakfast and later mailed to those who were unable to attend.

During the student-led chapel, which followed the breakfast, featured speaker 11th grader Hunter Jorgenson also thanked the pastors for being strong spiritual leaders and mentors.  Jorgenson shared about what he learned during a personal devotion reading through the book of 1st Corinthians.  “All of us face daily struggles, even our pastors, but the Bible says that our toil, efforts, struggle and pain are not in vain, because in the end we will received the prize of eternal life,” Jorgenson said.

The chapel also featured various students from preschool to high school worshiping God and expressing their love and appreciation for their pastors through instrumental and vocal presentations, reciting scripture, and a special video in which students talk about why they love their pastors and churches.   CLICK HERE to view the video, which is posted on the ACS YouTube Channel.

 

 

 

Class Projects, Chapel Speaker, Trivia Contest Help Focus Students on Black History

Throughout February, ACS students from preschool to high school participated in a variety of special activities and class projects for Black History Month. Bulletin boards, library displays, classroom assignments, and a trivia contest during morning announcements helped shine a spotlight on the history, culture, and accomplishments of Black Americans.

The quiz contest ran for two weeks in February and a total of 8 African Americans were highlighted as well as a quiz question on the 13th amendment. Students were told a fact about an influential Black American and were able to qualify to win a prize by being the first to find their Principal and correctly identify that person. Information about the noteworthy individuals and the 13th amendment were displayed on a large bulletin board in the Multi-Purpose Room.

On February 3, Elementary and Upper School students welcomed chapel speaker Christian Ragland, who spoke on the Biblical principles around diversity and inclusion. “Jesus lived by example and taught us to be kind to each other and to love our neighbors as ourselves,” Ragland said. “If you want to be God’s ambassador, you should not make assumptions about others because they are different from you. Ask questions and find ways to use what makes someone different to benefit the whole.” Ragland is the operations pastor at Lighthouse Community Church in Pleasantville and is Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at AtlantiCare.

 

A variety of classroom lessons and projects highlighted the historical contributions of African Americans and celebrated God’s plan for creating unity from diversity. Below are examples of some of these projects.

 

 

Sale of Bowls of Hope Super Soup Coupon Card Ends Monday, Feb. 28; Support Our Annual Fund With Your Purchase

The deadline to purchase a Bowls of Hope Super Soup Coupon Card is just days away — on Monday, February 28.  The card, which is being sold for $20, entitles you to a free cup of soup, generally with a minimum purchase, from 10 area restaurants. The card can be purchased online or in the school office. Flyers with an order form were sent home to families this week.

The Bowls of Hope Fundraiser Classroom Contest will also end on February 28. Funds raised through the sale of the Coupon Card will be added to the income from the tickets sales and sponsorships for the Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off to determine the class that will come in first place by raising the most funds. Be sure to write your child’s name and class on the Coupon Card order form.

The 1o participating restaurants featured on the card are:  Bahay Kubo; Gregory’s Restaurant & Bar; La Cucina Ristorante; La Tia Peruvian Cuisine; Maurizio’s Express EHT; Sana & Sadia’s Cafe; Sofia Restaurant; Stir It Up; Velo Cafe; and Windjammer Diner Bar & Grille. The card will be valid for use at these restaurants until May 31, 2022 for take-out or eat-in orders.

By purchasing a Super Soup Coupon Card you are supporting our school’s educational programs and the local restaurants in our community who understand the value of a Christian education.  Purchase a card for yourself and give one as a gift to a family member or friend.

CLICK HERE to purchase a card online.

This year’s Bowls of Hope sponsors are also featured on the Coupon Card: the American Church Group of New Jersey; B.F. Mazzeo Fruits and Produce; Chick-fil-A Fire Road; Elder Pest Control; Formica Bros. Bakery; Fortress Financial; HS Restoration and Cleaning Service; Klingert Family Chiropractic Center; Olympic Physical Therapy; and Texas Roadhouse, Egg Harbor Township.

Register by March 8 for “A Taste of ACS” Cooking and Dining Event on March 15

Spots are filling up fast for “A Taste of ACS” — an exclusive cooking, dining, and fellowship event for parents, faculty, and staff on Tuesday, March 15. The registration deadline online is Tuesday, March 8 and participation is limited to 50 cooks and their spouses.  There is a $10 entry fee for cooks and a $20 fee for cooks accompanied by their spouses. All proceeds will support PTF student scholarships and programs.

What do you have to do to participate? Make your favorite appetizer, main dish, or dessert and bring it to the event to share with other cooks and their spouses.  You will also need to provide the recipe of your dish to the PTF, which will become part of a recipe collection that each participant will receive.  A panel of judges will also be tasting the food throughout the evening and selecting winners to receive prizes for “Best Sweet Dish” and “Best Savory Dish.”

How many people should your dish serve? The serving size should be for 30 people, which will be divided into smaller, tasting-size portions.

CLICK HERE to register online by no later than Tuesday, March 8.

Questions? Please call or text PTF President Terry Vogel — 609-226-4383

2022 ACS SpiritWear With New Designs, Products Now Available for Purchase

ACS SpiritWear featuring new designs and products for 2022 is now available for sale for school families from February 25 to March 14. The SpiritWear includes crew or hooded sweatshirts with three different designs, a zip-up hooded sweatshirt available in green and black, stainless steel personalized water bottles in three sizes, and black T-shirts displaying our 2021-2022 spiritual theme verse.

Show your school spirit and support the ACS Parent-Teacher Fellowship with your purchase. SpiritWear is also approved apparel that can be worn by students during the school day.

Orders will be delivered the week of March 28. Prices for the SpiritWear range from $15 to $40 and there is an additional $5 for sizes 2XL and above. Pricing is as follows:

— School spiritual theme T-shirts – $15
— Personalized water bottles – $25
— Crew sweatshirts – $30
— Hooded sweatshirts – $35
— Zip-up sweatshirts are $40.

CLICK HERE to purchase your SpiritWear online.

 

Baseball, Softball 2022 Season Preview, Tryout Dates

The Middle School and High School Baseball and Softball seasons will be getting underway in March. High School Tryouts will be on Monday, March 7 and Middle School Tryouts are on Wednesday, March 16.  Interested students should sign up in the gym.

We are welcoming back all of our head coaches this year who had strong seasons last year.  Both Varsity teams finished in second place in the regular season and advanced to play in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference Championship finals, but lost in the finals and finished in second place overall. Both Middle School teams had winning seasons in the Atlantic Cape Junior High League, but league rankings were not finalized due to the impact of COVID-19 on the participation of public school teams.

Here’s the lineup of our coaches for the 2022 season:

Varsity Boys’ Baseball — Gus Casey, in his 2nd year as head coach, who served as co-head coach last season.

Varsity Girls’ Softball — Dara Kimmerley, in her 8th year as head coach.

Middle School Baseball — Charlie Costello, in his 2nd year as head coach.

Middle School Softball — Mike Bohs, in his 4th year as head coach.

The first games of the Varsity Baseball and Softball teams will be on Tuesday, March 29 at home against King’s Christian School. The Middle School season schedule will be finalized soon. Please check out the ACS website or ACS App under the “Athletics” tab or button for the game schedules of all our teams.  See you in the bleachers!

ACS Holds Successful February 9 Red Cross Blood Drive; Press of Atlantic City Article Promoted ACS Drive

Thank you to everyone who donated blood at our American Red Cross Blood Drive on February 9 and helped make the life-saving event a success. The Red Cross collected 37 units of blood at the drive — which will provide critical aid for up to 111 patients in area hospitals.  The ACS blood drive also received some promotion in a January 29, 2022 article in the Press of Atlantic City about a nationwide blood shortage.

In the Press article, ACS Student Council faculty advisor Dave Genter explained why he feels it is important to donate blood to help others in need. He said in the article — “Jesus shed his blood so we can live, therefore we can shed a little blood so others can have a chance to live longer as well.” Genter oversees the ACS blood drives, which are organized by the Student Council.   CLICK HERE to read the full Press of Atlantic City article.

“We were very pleased to see an increase in the amount of blood that was collected at this February drive, up from 25 units collected at our December 1 drive,” Genter said. ACS has been a partner with the American Red Cross as a blood drive sponsor since 2008.

The next ACS Red Cross Blood Drive will be held on May 19, from 3:30-8:30 p.m. More details will be posted in upcoming issues of the “Cougar Current,” on our school website and social media pages.

 

 

Sal’s Cafe, La Tia Peruvian Cuisine Win Top Awards at 2022 Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off Benefit

Our 2022 Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off was a super success! Congratulations to Sal’s Cafe in Somers Point for winning the “People’s Choice Golden Spoon Award” with their New England Clam Chowder. Some 400 people filled our gym to taste these and other delicious signature soups from area restaurants and then voted for their favorite soup. Congratulations also to La Tia Peruvian Cuisine in Linwood for winning the “Chef’s Super Soup Award” with their Peruvian Chicken Soup.

Professional chefs David Goldstein and Peter Guzzo served as our judges this year to select the recipient of the “Chef’s Super Soup Award.” Pictured with the chefs are, from left, Amaya Perez and co-owner Maria Uceda of La Tia Peruvian Cuisine. Coming in tied for 2nd place for the Chef’s Award were Gregory’s Restaurant and Bar in Somers Point, with a Shrimp and Crab Bisque, and the Atlantic City Rescue Mission Kitchen, with a Broccoli and Cheddar Soup. Congratulations to 2011 ACS alumnus Dara Heston, who headed up the Mission’s culinary team.

For the Golden Spoon Award, pictured at top in the center are David Rossi and owner Blair Pira of Sal’s Cafe, with (from left) Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen, Upper School Principal Meg McHale, and Event Coordinator Christian Delacruz.  Gregory’s Restaurant and Bar in Somers Point placed 2nd, and Stir It Up Catering in Northfield placed 3rd with their Chicken Pot Pie Soup.

All funds raised from this community-building event, now in its 9th year, are benefiting the Atlantic City Rescue Mission and Atlantic Christian School.

Thank you to everyone who bought a ticket, donated to be an Event Sponsor, or brought cans of soup and other non-perishable items for the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, Southern Branch. The Bowls of Hope showcased eleven restaurants in and around Atlantic County serving up their specialty soups. Our high school students were among over 50 student and staff volunteers who helped serve the soups and worked behind the scenes in the kitchen, with set up and clean up, selling tickets, and more.

Thank you also to our generous sponsors who helped make this benefit fundraiser a success — American Church Group of New Jersey; B.F. Mazzeo Fruit and Produce; Chick-fil-A Fire Road; Elder Pest Control; Formica Bros. Bakery; Fortress Financial; HS Restoration and Cleaning Service; Klingert Family Chiropractic Center; Olympic Physical Therapy; and Texas Roadhouse, Egg Harbor Township.

We are also grateful to Chester’s Bakery and a number of parents who donated desserts, and to Greate Bay Country Club for  providing high top tables for our guests. Thank you also to Chef Joe Massaglia of the “Joe’s Table for Two” WOND Radio program, to Rick Brancadora of Wibbage Radio, and Press of Atlantic City editor Scott Cronick for helping promote the event, and to photographer and ACS grandparent Gail Crafton of AC Photo for donating her services.

 

 

Bowls of Hope Food Drive Collects Over 2 Tons of Food for Community FoodBank of NJ

Our Bowls of Hope Food Drive collected over two tons of food for the Community FoodBank of NJ, Southern Branch, with a total weight of 4,063 pounds and close to last year’s record of 4,655 pounds.  Middle school and high school students on the Student Council, who helped organize the school-wide event, packed up and loaded the donations into boxes on wooden pallets for pickup by a FoodBank truck on Wednesday, February 9. Congratulations to Mrs. Capito’s 1st grade class for winning first place for the second year in a row among all PreK-12th grade classes for collecting the most non-perishable food by weight — 505 pounds.

Mrs. Capito’s first grade class came in first place for the second year in a row in a school-wide contest by collecting the most non-perishable food donations by weight — 505 pounds.

“Thank you to all our school families who donated throughout January and to everyone who attended our Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off and brought in food to make this an overwhelming success,” said faculty member Dave Genter, who oversaw the drive as the Student Council Advisor. “Your generosity is helping out many families in our community who are struggling to make ends meet.”

The Food Drive was held during the month of January and concluded on February 5 at the Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off. In January, hundreds of paper grocery bags donated by the English Creek Shoprite in Egg Harbor Township were sent home with students for families to fill with their food  donations.

Mrs. Capito’s 1st grade class will be enjoying a pizza party as their prize for collecting the most donations by weight. Two other classes were also recognized for their efforts — in second place, Mrs. McCartney’s 1C class, which collected 457 pounds of food, and in 3rd place, Mrs. Brossman’s 1st grade class, which collected 436 pounds of food.

ACS Cheerleading Squad Wins 1st Place in ImpACT Cheer Competition in N. Jersey; Advances to April National Competition in Virginia Beach

In its first competition of the season, the ACS Cheerleading Squad won first place at the ImpACT Competition, in the JV Intermediate Division, on Saturday, February 12 at the RWJBarnabas Health Arena in Toms River. This exciting win opened the door for the ACS squad to be invited to other competitions, including The ONE Finals national competition in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where ACS will compete on April 2-3.

Congratulations to our amazing squad of middle school and high school students that have reached this level of excellence, under the dedicated and experienced leadership of Head Coach Morgan Gibson, and Assistant Head Coaches Kelly Flynn and Michelle Wheeler. The squad has been practicing since last November and cheering at ACS basketball games. At the competition, the ACS squad competed in their division against five other high school teams from northern New Jersey.

“We’re just so proud of them” said assistant coach Flynn. “They worked so hard and earned this big win. We’re excited and are looking forward to the very prestigious national competition — The One Finals — in Virginia Beach.” Flynn said the cheerleaders plan to offer an intramural cheer program for younger students at ACS to help raise funds to pay for the squad’s way to the Virginia Beach competition. Other cheer fundraisers planned include an ACS Night of Bowling on March 18 from 4-7 p.m. and a Popcorn Sale of Chef Steve’s Popcorn.

The 23 students who are part of this year’s competition Cheerleading Squad are — Ashlee Alford, Ava Barberio, Annalena DiMaio, Rebecca DiMaio, April Eaves, Mackenzie Flynn, Makenzie Fresh, Kylie Jackson, Abigail Kelley, Rielly Kisielewski, Ava Lombardi, Autumn Loo, Kiara Loo, Ja’Niyah Martin, Jadelyn Maurer, Lydia McCarthy, Tara McCorkle, Heather Milstead,  Sophia Puglisi, Chelsie Richards, Haven Sanchez, Isabella Santos, and Makayla Tomlinson.

 

Calling All Cooks and Foodies — Join Us for “A Taste of ACS” on Tuesday, March 15

The Parent-Teacher Fellowship is sponsoring a new cooking and dining experience — “A Taste of ACS” — to be held on Tuesday, March 15, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the ACS Multi-Purpose Room.  “A Taste of ACS” is an exclusive fellowship event for parents, guardians, faculty, and staff to enjoy an evening with other cooks and foodies and taste their creations. Participation is limited to 50 cooks and their spouses.  Participating cooks are asked to make their favorite appetizer, main dish, or dessert to bring to the event and share with other cooks and their spouses.  Participants must also provide the recipe of their dish to the PTF, which will become part of a recipe collection that each participant will receive.

Want to participate?  CLICK HERE to register online by no later than Tuesday, March 8.

A panel of judges will also be tasting the food throughout the evening and selecting winners to receive prizes for “Best Sweet Dish” and “Best Savory Dish.”  The serving size for a dish should be for 30 people, which will be divided into smaller, tasting-size portions for participants and judges to sample.

The entry fee for cooks is $10; the entry fee for cooks accompanied by their spouses is $20. Funds raised will support PTF student scholarships and programs.

For any questions, please call or text PTF President Terry Vogel — 609-226-4383

 

New Mock Trial Team Makes Strong Showing in First Season of Competition, Gains Valuable Experience

The newly-formed ACS Mock Trial Team faced off against teams from Mainland High School and Egg Harbor Township High School on February 3 and 10, and while the ACS team lost both matches, they received high marks and praise from judges and coaches who were impressed with their performance as a first-year team. ACS was one of nine high schools in Atlantic County to compete in the first two rounds of the Vincent J. Apruzzese High School Mock Trial Competition, which is sponsored in cooperation with the New Jersey State Bar Association and New Jersey’s county bar associations.

“We are very proud of our team,” said teacher coach Rhapsody Hahn-Chaney. “We put up a really good fight in both matches, and both the judges and other team coaches were very surprised at how well we did as a first-year team.” Hahn-Chaney noted that ACS competed against the two strongest teams in the county. Mainland has won at the state level several times and Egg Harbor Township has won the county.

“Our team is young and the students are excited that they have established a name for ACS in the Mock Trial Competition,” said Hahn-Chaney.  “Every member of this year’s team is planning to return next year and they are encouraging their friends to join as well.”  Hahn-Chaney said she also plans to offer Mock Trial as a high school elective class in the fall of 2022, which will continue building the program and give more students an opportunity to get involved.

“Participating in mock trial has so many benefits for our students — it increases critical thinking skills, sharpens public speaking skills, and creates an understanding of the American criminal justice system,” Hahn-Chaney said. “The elective class in the fall is open to any student, whether or not they choose to join the ACS Mock Trial team.”

The six members of this year’s team were, from left: 11th grader Jason Herrera; 10th grader Ryleigh Martin; 11th grader Evan Power; 9th grader Joshua Kinch; 9th grader James Papanikolauo; and 10th grader Vera Huff. Also pictured is teacher coach Rhapsody Hahn-Chaney.  Robin Tolg, Esq. served as the Attorney Coach and ACS alumni parent Gary Griffith, Esq. served as a team mentor. Griffith is a former mock trial attorney-coach and has also served as a mock trial judge at the college level.

The team has been meeting after school three to four days a week since late November to learn about the criminal case of the State of Metropolitan vs. Perry Jordan.  Because of the small size of the team, the team members switched off to play the different roles of lawyers and witnesses. Herrera served as the time-keeper. A team typically consists of 10 members plus alternates.

Both matches took place virtually, rather than in a courtroom, due to the COVID pandemic.  ACS team members were located in the ACS computer lab and in the school library, where they participated via Zoom using laptops. The parents of team members and various teachers gathered in a nearby classroom to remotely watch the proceedings, which each lasted over three hours.

In the February 3 match against Mainland High School, ACS played the side of the defense representing the defendant. In the February 10 match against Egg Harbor Township High School, ACS switched sides to be the prosecution representing the state.

 

ACS Students Spreading Love to Seniors in Care Facilities for Valentine’s Day

ACS elementary students spent two weeks in February creating hand-made cards to bring some love and cheer to senior citizens in local nursing home and assisted living facilities on Valentine’s Day. Nearly 40 students who are part of the after-school Servant’s Heart Club made dozens of cards at their monthly meeting on February 1. Another some 90 students in kindergarten, first, and 3rd grade classes created colorful cards with encouraging messages as a special art project later in the month.

Mrs. Jennifer DiMaio, the Servant’s Heart Club advisor, said the Valentine’s Day cards created by the club members are being given to residents of the Somers Place Assisted Living Community in Egg Harbor Township.  ACS grandparent Suzanne Carney plans to deliver the cards created by the elementary classes to seniors living at Autumn Lake Healthcare in Ocean View, the Linwood Care Center, and the North Cape Center in North Cape May.

“These cards will bring smiles on the faces of the residents in these facilities and really make them feel special on Valentine’s Day,” Mrs. Carney said.

 

We’ve Got Talent, Yes We Do! – Student Performers Shine at Feb. 5 Bowls of Hope Talent Show

We’ve got talent, yes we do! ACS students from elementary to high school entertained the audience at the Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off Benefit on February 5 as they sang, played the piano, did sign language and choreography to worship songs, danced, and even played the violin while riding a hoverboard as part of the Student Talent Show.

“We’re proud of every student for sharing their God-given talents with us and for putting in the time and effort to do their best,” said Event Coordinator Christian Delacruz, who oversaw the auditions for the Talent Show. “It takes a lot of courage to perform on stage in front of hundreds of people, but our students took up the challenge and did a really good job.”

Pictured above left, doing sign language and singing to “The Goodness of God,” are 4th graders, from left: Raquel Crespo, Maddy Schoonejongen, and Ryleigh Gregas. Below are photo highlights of our other talented student performers.  Photo credit: Gail Crafton, AC Photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bowls of Hope Super Soup Coupon Card on Sale Until February 28, Enjoy Soups at 10 Local Restaurants

If you enjoyed the soups served at the Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off Benefit on February 5, you can continue enjoying them this winter and spring by purchasing a Bowls of Hope Super Soup Coupon Card and also help raise more funds for the ACS Annual Fund. The card, which is being sold for $20, entitles you to a free cup of soup, generally with a minimum purchase, from 10 area restaurants. The card will be on sale until Monday, February 28 and will be valid until May 31, 2022 for take-out or eat-in orders.

Several restaurants on the card were unable to attend the Soup Cook-Off in person, but chose to support ACS by being on the Coupon Card. The 1o participating restaurants are:  Bahay Kubo; Gregory’s Restaurant & Bar; La Cucina Ristorante; La Tia Peruvian Cuisine; Maurizio’s Express EHT; Sana & Sadia’s Cafe; Sofia Restaurant; Stir It Up; Velo Cafe; and Windjammer Diner Bar & Grille.

By purchasing a Super Soup Coupon Card you are supporting our school’s educational programs and the local restaurants in our community who understand the value of a Christian education. Purchase a card for yourself and give some as a gift to family and friends.

CLICK HERE to purchase a card online or it can be purchased in the school office.

This year’s Bowls of Hope sponsors are also featured on the Coupon Card: the American Church Group of New Jersey; B.F. Mazzeo Fruits and Produce; Chick-fil-A Fire Road; Elder Pest Control; Formica Bros. Bakery; Fortress Financial; HS Restoration and Cleaning Service; Klingert Family Chiropractic Center; Olympic Physical Therapy; and Texas Roadhouse, Egg Harbor Township.