We’re excited to announce the upcoming High School Valentine’s Dance on Saturday, February 3, 2024, from 6 – 9 pm. It’s a night filled with fun, food, and dancing. The event is open to students from 9th – 12th grades. For any questions or to buy tickets, please reach out to Mrs. Wilson in Room 213 or gwilson@acseht.org. All ACS students and outside guests must have a signed permission slip and all dresses must be submitted to Mrs. Ragland for prior approval.
Support ACS Athletics at Applebee’s Dining to Donate on February 7. When you dine at Applebee’s in Somers Point that day, 15% of your check goes to Atlantic Christian School’s Athletic Department. You can dine anytime between 11 am to close. Please present the flyer below to your server when you order.
Get ready to spread some Christmas cheer as we gear up for our Christmas Dress Down Days from Monday, December 18 to Friday, December 22! It’s time to showcase your festive spirit by participating in our daily themed dress-ups. We can’t wait to see the creativity and holiday joy you bring to each themed day. Get ready to make memories and enjoy the festive fun throughout the week!
Join us at our “One Christmas Night” festival for ACS students, staff, and their families this Friday, December 1, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. It’s a special time to celebrate the joy and hope of Christmas with indoor and outdoor fun for all ages, craft and food vendors, and musical performances by our students.
While tickets aren’t required for entry, they are needed for specific activities, such as inflatables, the hayride, pony ride, petting zoo, face painting, magic show, balloon characters, and Christmas crafts. This year, we’ve added new activities for kids ages 10 and up: the LED Volleyball Game and Laser Tag. Enjoy free activities like a live nativity, fire pits with s’mores, a photo booth, and Christmas movies. Food trucks and Christmas gift vendors will also be present.
Wristbands providing unlimited access to activities are $10, and tickets are $2 each. Both can be purchased at the school office or at the event.
The 4th Grade Chorale, 5th Grade Chorale, Elementary Band, Upper School Band, and Middle School and High School Worship Teams will be performing Christmas music throughout the evening at various locations.
“We invite all of our parents, students, and staff to come out to celebrate the birth of our Savior and participate in the many fun activities we have planned,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen. “Last year, over 1,000 people attended and we expect even more this year. It’s a great way to kick off the Christmas season.”
On Sunday, November 19th, twenty seven juniors and seniors headed to Washington DC with four of our teachers, Daniel Vasquez, Paul Jones, Laura Mills and Audra Williams for a 3-day Student Leadership Conference sponsored by the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).
Schools from all over the East Coast traveled to Washington, DC to hear from national speakers on a variety of current issues and worship collectively. During this conference, they spent time focused on bringing clarity to the biblical definition of identity, the purpose of relationships, and the path forward. The excursion this year was to Arlington National Cemetery where they witnessed the changing of the guards, had the opportunity to walk around the grounds and learn about the history of the cemetery. They worshiped, they were in fellowship and they were able to gain clarity around who they are in Christ.
High School Missions Club students eagerly anticipate their upcoming missions trip to Belize during Easter Break, where they aim to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus. The club successfully raised over $6,000 by providing parking on the ACS campus for attendees of the Pumpkin Run Car Show and Flea Market at Flemings Junkyard.
Currently, students are reaching out to family, friends, and local churches to seek financial and prayer support for their missions trips. The per-person cost for the Belize trip is $2,250. The club, under the guidance of Missions Club Advisor and faculty member Dave Genter, plans to participate in One Christmas Night’s live nativity to raise additional funds and organize spring fundraisers, including a car wash and family skate night.
Students embarking on the Belize missions trip will engage in various service activities, such as helping the elderly with home repairs, evangelism, working with local teens, and leading a Vacation Bible School at a local church.
If you wish to support the ACS mission teams, you can do so by visiting https://acseht.org/giving/online-donation-form. Choose the appropriate mission trip under the gift category section and, in a separate fill-in box, specify a Missions Club member’s name or the Missions Club. All contributions are tax-deductible.
Since 2008, approximately 350 students have participated in ACS missions trips, gaining firsthand experience in the joy of serving God by serving others. For more information, please contact Missions Club Advisor Dave Genter at dgenter@acseht.org.
In Mrs. Evelyn Altier’s sixth-grade class, instead of the usual solar system project, something exciting happened. She let the students design their own planet.
The main goal was simple: learn more about the solar system and make a planet with living things, plants, and water. The students had a blast putting what they learned in class into action, creating cool planets of their own. We’ve got some pictures of the students and their planets to share below!
There were lots of smiles and hugs as our students from preschool to high school welcomed their grandparents to our campus on Wednesday, November 22, for our annual Grandparent Appreciation Day.
Over 500 grandparents attended the event and were able to visit with students and attend chapel, featuring performances from our Kindergarten Classes, 5th Grade Worship Team, and PK4 Classes.
ACS Grandparents William and Brenda Maurer delivered the chapel’s special message. Grandparents to seven ACS students, the Maurers thanked ACS for coming alongside their commitment to raising their grandchildren in the Christian faith. Brenda Maurer, also an ACS Lunchroom volunteer, encouraged everyone to volunteer and witness what she herself observed – how teachers, staff, and other volunteers pour into the lives of the students at ACS on a daily basis.
Thank you, grandparents, for joining us at the event and for the vital role you play in shaping the lives of our students.
Thank you to everyone who joined us at Red Robin in Mays Landing for Spirit Night! ACS Athletics raised $ 436.00 from that event! We are grateful for the support of our school community. Thanks for supporting ACS Athletics!
The ACS Varsity Soccer Teams competed in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference (TSCAC) Championships on Saturday, November 4 hosted by Cairn University in Langhorne, PA. Both teams played their best and gave it all out on the field. We are proud of both teams. The presence of our supportive family and fans cheering on our Cougars was very encouraging and appreciated. The Boys’ team came into the playoffs with an undefeated record in conference play. This is the third year in a row that the Boys’ team advanced to the Championship Game. ACS played hard and led 2-1 deep in the second half with goals from Malachi Vasquez and Adam Schlundt. However, Pilgrim Academy scored in the last three minutes to tie the game 2-2 and send it into overtime. Pilgrim then scored in the last 47 seconds of OT to win this game 3-2.
Our Varsity Girls upset Calvary Academy 2-0 in the quarterfinals and then lost in the semifinals to Kings Christian 2-0. ACS competed in a challenging Consolation Game against Gloucester County Christian School and lost 3-0 to finish in 4th place.
Our TSCAC league also honored the following ACS players at the end of the Championships. ACS Senior Manny Johnson was named TSCAC Most Valuable Player (MVP) for this season. Eight of our players were named to the All-Star teams. For the Boys’ team Manny Johnson, Noah Gibbs, Malachi Vasquez and James Papanikolau were named to the 1st team and Chase Leach was named to the 2nd team. For our Girls’ team Rebecca Kelley and Sophia Johnson were named 1st team All-Stars and Kaia Barbour was named to 2nd team All-Stars.
We want to give special thanks to our Coaches Daniel Vasquez and Dakota Keller for their dedication in training our athletics to work hard, perform well and honor God both on and off the field.
Save the Date and invite your family and friend’s to our Veteran’s Day Appreciation Breakfast and Chapel on Thursday, November 2, 2023. To RSVP, please email Event Coordinator Christian Delacruz at cdelacruz@acseht.org or call (609) 653-1199 ext. 302
Our 21st annual Race for Education fall fundraiser will be held on Friday, October 27. Race fundraising packets will be sent home next week with PreK3-8th grade students. Let’s work together and reach out to our family members, friends, and local businesses to make this fundraiser our most successful ever.
Throughout Race Day on Friday, October 27, students in various grade-level groups will walk, run, or jog around our track for a 30-minute period, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. To add to the fun, the Middle School race will incorporate an obstacle course.
We are once again using a Race website where everyone can donate online. Parents, students, and teachers can participate by sending an email to people you know asking them to be a Race sponsor and giving them the link to our fundraising website — WWW.RACE4ED.COM/ACS
Sponsors can give any amount, but if they donate $50 or more, a special Race sneaker sign with the sponsor’s name and the name of the student they are sponsoring will be posted on a school hallway wall and in a classroom as a sign of support. Donors can also be a “Classroom Sponsor” (for a gift of $200) or an “Event Sponsor” (for a gift of $400). Individual yard signs with the names/logos of Classroom and Event sponsors will be placed around the edge of the track on Race Day to encourage all of our runners. In addition, the names/logos of our “Event Sponsors” will go on a banner hung at the school for the week prior to and on Race Day.
CLICK HERE to make a Race donation.
Below is the video recap of last year’s Race for Education
Join us for the enchanting story of “Beauty and the Beast JR.” performed by ACS students in 3rd – 12th grade. There will be three performances: November 17 at 7 p.m. and November 18 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Prepare for a captivating performance! Keep an eye out for our ticket and sponsorship online form, coming soon.
What a wonderful summer it has been! Our Cougar Camp concluded the summer season last Friday, August 25, with a Parent Night, during which our students had the joy of performing before their parents. We also took the opportunity to introduce our dedicated camp counselors and share a brief recap video of the memorable moments.
Beyond the exciting weekly themes, enjoyable lake days, engaging activities, and weekly Pastor Time, our campers had the privilege of visiting fun destinations such as the Regal Movie Theater, Cape May Zoo, Birch Grove Park, Lucy the Elephant, Cape May Lighthouse, Beesley’s Point Beach, and the Naval Air Station in Wildwood.
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to our Camp Director, Dyane Mathias, our counselors, volunteers, and pastors from different local churches for contributing to making this summer a truly memorable one for our campers. To our campers, we pray that you have a great school year, and we hope to see you again next summer!
It was Back-to-School for our teachers and staff on August 28-29 as they reflected on this year’s theme verse during the devotion led by Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen during the first day of in-service. Following devotions, Karen Oblen welcomed and introduced new faculty and staff for this school year and named a number of staff who have changed positions since last year.
Eighteen new teachers and staff (pictured on the right) have joined the ACS family this year: Flor Aiuto and Kira Murdock (PreK-2); Sierrah Thomas (PreK-3); Lisa Tomlinson (Early Ed Aide); Grace Staples (Kindergarten), Jeannie Pincus and Devon Bernardino (1st Grade); Rebecca Hund (3rd Grade); Sam Schriever (4th Grade); Katherine Vega (Elementary/Middle School Spanish); Dakota Keller (EE and Elementary PE); Scott Carr (Middle School Bible); Shauna Shull (Middle School Science); Matthew Glancey (High School Bible); Audra Williams (Upper School Business); George Quinn (Upper School Science); and Alex Reyes and Darren Martin (Facilities).
Twelve ACS faculty and staff members returning from last year are wearing new hats this year. Cookie Chambers (PreK-3); Michelle Wheeler and Robin Genter (PreK-4); Ruby Lewis (Kindergarten); Ashley Vaccaro (1st Grade); Olivia Leach (3rd Grade); Bethany Kiefer (5th Grade); Paul Jones (Upper School Bible); Dena Johnson (Upper School Spanish); Genevieve Huff (Art Teacher); Linda Stiteler (Resource Room); PJ Santos (Director of Development and Communication); and Dan Vasquez (Athletic Director and Dean of Students).
The new teachers attended the Professional Development sessions focused on integrating a Biblical worldview into everything students will learn in the classroom, led by Dr. Bryan Smith and Becky Teruel of Bob Jones University Press. ACS Instructional Support Specialist and 5th Grade Teacher, Bethany Kiefer led training sessions on Curriculum Trak, the school’s software on curriculum mapping. Other sessions focused on visual communication tools, discipline, school safety, classroom management, and office procedures. In break-out sessions, ACS elementary and upper school faculty members dug deeper into the BJU curriculum that will be used in classrooms this year to facilitate integrating a Biblical worldview into every subject.
Fusion Church in Egg Harbor Township also blessed ACS with a donation of 80 gift bags filled with school supplies, delivered by outreach volunteer Anne Dice and the Alphonse family. On Tuesday, August 30, the ACS Board of Directors treated faculty and staff to a continental breakfast, with Board member Kris Jacoby leading the devotion. The Parent-Teacher Fellowship also showed their appreciation for the faculty and staff by hosting lunch that day.
Please keep each of our new and returning faculty and staff members in prayer and may God be exalted and honored in everything we do.
ACS marked its 30th Commencement on June 9 with various speakers urging the 29 students in the Class of 2023 to draw upon the Biblical values and lessons learned at ACS, to use their gifts and abilities to serve God, and to seek God’s wisdom and strength as they begin the next chapter of their lives.
“It is my prayer that each of your dreams will be realized and that you will continue to make a difference in the world,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen, who welcomed the parents, faculty, staff, and friends to the ceremony held in the school gym that was also live-streamed on the ACS YouTube channel.  “The seeds of God’s Word have been planted in you here. Now go out and do God’s work.”
Commencement keynote speaker Christian Delacruz, the ACS Event Coordinator and a middle school and high school Bible teacher, encouraged the graduates to be bold in their faith and to seek to know God intimately. “As you move out into the world and seek to fulfill your dreams, understand that there is no secure foundation except in Christ alone.”
Salutatorian Reyna Lewis, 18, of Egg Harbor Township, noted that it took years of hard work, dedication, and perseverance for her and her fellow classmates to make it to graduation day, and thanked ACS teachers and family members for the important role that they played. “When faced with problems or trials, we were always encouraged to go to God because He is the one who gives us wisdom, love, understanding, and strength,” Lewis said. She finished with a 4.11 GPA and will be attending the University of Notre Dame to major in biochemistry.
Valedictorian Paige Noble, 18, of Egg Harbor Township, challenged her classmates to make the most of every opportunity and new experience. “We only live one life and we need to live that life for Jesus most of all,” Noble said. “God will do extraordinary things if we are looking for Him to use us. God needs to use us in His plan, not our own.” Noble, who achieved a 4.22 GPA, will be attending Cairn University and is considering majoring in math education, marketing, or sports management.
Three talented seniors who were members of the High School Worship Team — Daniella Ajayi, Tommy Ellison, Jr., and Jada Logan — presented special music during the program, performing “Time of Our Lives” by Tyrone Wells. Ajayi will be attending Howard University, where she plans to major in health sciences and minor in psychology. Ellison will be attending Liberty University, where he plans to major in nursing and minor in music therapy. Logan will be attending Temple University, where she plans to major in computer science.
Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen, Upper School Principal Meg McHale, and Board of Directors’ Chair Les Tomlinson participated in the presentation of the diplomas to the graduates. After receiving their diplomas, the graduates stepped out into the audience to present their parents and guardians with long stemmed roses as a gesture of gratitude.
As each graduate was introduced, McHale announced the various awards and scholarships that students had received. She noted that the Class of 2023 was collectively receiving $790,000 in college scholarships, after being offered $1.14 million from the schools they applied to. One graduate plans to serve in the U.S. Coast Guard.
Board of Directors Chair Pastor Les Tomlinson gave a closing charge to the graduates in his benediction at the close of the ceremony — Go out in joy, in confidence, in strength, in wisdom, in love with kindness and blessings to give away, use your studies to bless God’s beautiful world, and go out with freedom, knowing there so much more to see and enjoy.
Photo credits: Gail Crafton, AC Photo. The ACS Commencement can also be viewed on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@ACSEHT
ACS celebrated the many achievements of our sixty-six 8th grade students, the largest 8th grade class in the school’s 52-year history, and offered prayers of encouragement and affirmation at a “Blessing Ceremony” on June 13 in the school’s gymnasium. Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen welcomed and thanked the parents and families for choosing a Christian education founded on a Biblical worldview and encouraged the students to strengthen their relationship with the Lord as they move into high school.
“I pray today, and over this summer, that you make up your mind to be steadfast in your relationship with the Lord and with your future education,” Oblen said. “Remember the importance of a strong start, the importance of persevering through, even when it’s hard, and to run the race with endurance and to finish well.”
The ceremony then got underway the way every school day begins — with the reciting of pledges to the American flag, the Christian flag, and the Bible and with prayer. Three 8th graders — Joshua Maxwell, Alexis Shropshire, and Kaylee Tardif — led the pledges and Cylas Finx gave the opening prayer. The Valedictorian of the Class of 2023, Paige Noble, then gave a challenge to the 8th graders — to use your talents and abilities to glorify God and “to focus on what God thinks about you, and not what your classmates think about you.”
Two middle school teachers participated in the program to give parting words of advice. Social studies teacher Amy Parker and literature teacher Linda Stiteler encouraged the students to seek God’s purpose for their lives and to let Him guide their steps as they move on to high school.
Oblen and Upper School Principal Meg McHale presided over the presentation of scholarships and awards that recognized students for their accomplishments in academics, citizenship, and displaying Christian character. Athletic Director Pam Hitchner presented students with physical fitness awards.
On behalf of the Parent-Teacher Fellowship, PTF President Terry Vogel presented a devotional and a gift card to 16 students in the class who had attended ACS since kindergarten. Vogel said the gifts were a way of saying thank you to the families who had made a long-term commitment to Christian education. Vogel also announced the winners of the PTF Christian Service Scholarship, an essay-writing contest that focused on the question — what does Jesus say about serving others and what impact has serving others made on your life? She noted that 22 students submitted very well-written essays and the PTF board decided to give each student a $100 credit to apply toward tuition next year.
After the students received their awards and certificates of completion, a quartet of 8th graders from the Middle School Worship Team — Ashlee Alford, Abigail Kelley, Isabella Santos, and Rowynn Shevlin — performed a soulful rendition of “Make Room,” followed by the middle school faculty and staff surrounding the students seated on the stage as faculty member Dan Vasquez offered a prayer of blessing. After remarks from Principal McHale, 8th grader Luke Odell closed the program in prayer.
Following is a list of the special awards and scholarships that were presented to students in the 8th grade class:
Congratulations future class of 2027! Photo credit: John Loreaux.
Hundreds of family members, friends, faculty, and staff gathered to celebrate a successful year of learning and growing at our Kindergarten Graduation on June 12 and at our Early Education Promotion Program on June 13. The programs, filled with smiles and songs and high-fives, allowed students to demonstrate their accomplishments and praise God for His faithfulness throughout the school year.
At the action-packed Kindergarten Graduation, the students delighted the audience with a series of skits and songs that told the story of a day in the life of kindergarten. Early Education Director and Elementary Principal Gail Alford then presided over the presentation of diplomas to 52 kindergarten students, who proudly posed with their white graduation caps.
Kindergarten teachers Holly McCrosson, Julie Reilly, and Ashley Vaccaro presented their students with special awards for academic achievement, Christian character, Bible verse memorization, math, art, technology and Spanish. Kindergartener Austin Samuels gave the closing prayer.
At the lively Early Education Program, family members and friends smiled and clapped along as each of the classes, from PreK2 to PreK4, performed songs they had learned this past year and moved to the music — including “This Little Light of Mine,” “God of Creation,” “I am a Promise,” and “Good In Every Way.”
There were lots of smiles and hugs as our PreK4 teachers, Robin Genter, Jennifer Kelley, and Jessica Samuels, presented promotion certificates to their students. The program concluded with a message and prayer by Teresa Bird, Assistant Director of the ACS Early Education Center.
Photo credits: Mary Winkel Roesch and Gail Crafton, AC Photo
The Varsity Girls Softball Team won the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference championship on June 3, beating The Pilgrim Academy 20-10, in a game that ended early in the 5th inning under the 10-run rule. The win went to starting pitcher Ava Nixon, and strong, steady play from at least eight Lady Cougars who were red hot at the plate, hitting singles, doubles, and triples throughout the game.
An enthusiastic crowd of ACS parents and friends cheered on the Lady Cougars from the stands, including members of the Varsity Baseball Team, who had won their Tournament Consolation Game earlier in the day, beating Calvary Academy 8-3 to finish the season in 3rd place. Both games were played at the Stockton University athletic fields.
“We’re grateful to all our players and coaches for making this such a memorable season,” said Athletic Director Pam Hitchner. “We never gave up and aimed to play our best in every game and the hard work paid off.”
The Lady Cougars finished the regular season with a 14-2 overall record and were 9-1 in the conference. ACS entered the playoffs tied for first place with The Pilgrim Academy. The Lady Cougars beat Gloucester County Christian School 12-4 in the semi-final playoff game to advance to the TSCAC championship game.
The Varsity Boys Baseball Team had an overall record of 9-7 at the end of the regular season and were in 3rd place in the conference with a 6-5 record. ACS lost 7-6 to The Pilgrim Academy in the semi-final playoff game to advance to the consolation game in the final tournament.
After the tournament games, TSCAC awards were announced and for the second consecutive year junior shortstop Evangelina Kim was named the TSCAC Softball MVP and Varsity Softball Coach Dara Kimmerley received the TSCAC Softball Coach of the Year Award. Ten ACS players were named All-Stars — six from our championship-winning softball team and four from our 3rd place-finishing baseball team.
The six ACS Varsity Girls who were named All-Stars were: Evangelina Kim, Paige Noble, and Taylor Sutton (1st team); and Kaia Barbour, Alli Lushina, and Ava Nixon (2nd team). The four ACS Varsity Boys named All-Stars were: Charlie Costello and Robby Barberio (1st team); and Seth Phillips and Adam Schlundt (2nd team).
Congratulations to all our coaches for a memorable season — Varsity Baseball Head Coach Carl Phillips, an ACS 2017 alumnus, and assistant coaches Robert Barberio and Brendan Keller, and Varsity Softball Coach Dara Kimmerley and assistant coaches Lori Pearson and Richie Jackson.
Photo credit: Shannon Kim
ACS is pleased to periodically recognize and congratulate several of its alumni and former students 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 in this article are: Paul Jones (’15), Lydia Dice (’16), DJ Hitchner (’17), Jacob O’Brien (’19), and Devin Tridente (’22). Profiles of many more ACS alumni can be found on the “Alumni News” page of the ACS website under “News and Events.”
Paul Jones (’15) and his wife, former ACS student Hunter Robinson, are expecting their second daughter later this year. Paul was the Middle School Bible teacher at ACS for the 2022-2023 school year and is the youth pastor at Friendship Bible Church in Egg Harbor Township. Paul is passionate about basketball and has his own business, Kingdom Courts, that provides basketball skills training. His business motto is: training the next generation of hoopers — glorify God — outwork everyone.
Lydia Dice (’16) has co-authored a new book with her mother, Lydia, entitled “Is There a Shark in the Pool?” about dealing with anxiety. According to Mrs. Dice, the Lord used Lydia’s Bible class at ACS to partner with the power of the Holy Spirit to place her on His path to healing from anxiety. The book is being published by Trilogy Publishing, which is affiliated with TBN. To pre-order the book, please email: sharkinthepool711@gmail.com. Lydia and her family also attended the “ACS Legacy Gala: An Evening with Comedian Jeff Allen” on May 12 at the Ocean City Tabernacle.
Dakota (DJ) Hitchner (’17) married Brendan Keller on June 21, 2023 at the Renault Winery in Egg Harbor City, NJ. DJ and Brendan met as fellow athletes while attending Cairn University. Celebrating with DJ as members of the wedding party were six ACS alumni or former students — Kaylee Redding Carolus (’13), Olivia Mack, Candace Winkel Menno (’16), Kate Newman, Ola Oguntuase (’19), and Carly Harper Witherow (’08). ACS Athletic Director Pam Hitchner was the matron of honor. DJ and Brendan will be living in Upper Township. For the past year, DJ has been teaching PE and health at the Belhaven Middle School in Linwood and coaching their girls basketball team. This fall, DJ will be coaching the ACS Varsity Girls Soccer Team. Congratulations and may God bless you both!
Jacob O’Brien (’19), who has played on the Cairn University Men’s Soccer Team for the past four years, was recently accepted into a ministry outreach program with Missionary Athlete’s International (MAI) and is spending eight weeks this summer sharing his faith with young people at MAI soccer camps and clinics in Chicago and Brazil. Jake will be graduating in December 2023 with a degree in criminal justice and a minor in business.
Devin Tridente (’22) stopped by ACS on May 11 during the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference Track Meet, held on the ACS campus. After graduating in June 2022, Devin took a gap year and attended Calvary Chapel Bible College in California. He will be attending Regent University in the fall of 2023, where he will play on their D-1 Men’s Basketball Team. Devin plans to major in sports management and minor in business.
Alumni – We want to hear from you! Please send us news about how God is working in your life. Feel free to send photos as well. Email alumni news to: jmartin@acseht.org.
A group of eight Boy Scouts and six adult leaders from ACS Boy Scout Troop 389 went on a 3-day, 23-mile hike on the Appalachian Trail in early June, earning the scouts valuable credit toward a Hiking Merit Badge and creating awesome memories they will not soon forget, according to Scoutmaster and ACS parent Mike Jorgenson.
This was the second time the Troop had hiked a portion of the Appalachian Trail, but the first time was in New Jersey two years ago and this trip had them exploring the trail in Pennsylvania. The hiking trip, from June 2-4, started in Allentown, PA and ended about 10 miles from Hamburg, PA.
“The scouts thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and got to see and do things they had never done before; it was an amazing trip,” Jorgenson said. He noted that along the trail they encountered rattlesnakes, watched big hawks flying below them, explored a cave, enjoyed beautiful mountaintop scenic overlooks, and learned how to be self sufficient and push themselves physically.
“Everything they had for the weekend was on their backs in their backpacks — food, water, shelter, everything,” Jorgenson said. At night, the scouts pitched tents and also did hammock camping.
Jorgenson said the impetus and planning for the trip came from Assistant Scoutmaster and ACS parent Mike Capito, who had previously hiked other portions of the Appalachian Trail, which extends for 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine. Other adult leaders on the trip were Jeff Campsmith, Todd Chamberlain, ACS parent Nathan Petrinec, and ACS parent Jere Engle.
The eight scouts who participated in the trip were: Liam Arburg, Mason Campsmith, Logan Campsmith, ACS 7th grader Gabe Capito, Alex Chamberlain, Peter Chamberlain, ACS 9th grader Noah Engle, and ACS 6th grader Sam Petrinec.
Boy Scout Troop 389 and Cub Pack 389 are chartered by Atlantic Christian School and meet during the school year at ACS on Monday nights. For more information about the Troop or Pack, please contact Troop Committee Chair Peter Karabashian at ppknj@comcast.net.
Year-end Awards Chapels on June 7 and 14 recognized students in grades 1-5 and in grades 6, 7, 9, 10, and 11 for their hard work and accomplishments in their academic subjects, as well as in the areas of physical fitness and demonstrating Christian character.
Elementary Principal Gail Alford and middle school faculty member Dan Vasquez both reflected in their chapel remarks on this year’s theme verse from 2 Timothy 3:16-17 — All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. “God’s Word is given to each of us to equip up for every stage of our life,” Vasquez said. “This summer, allow God’s Word to come alive in your heart and impact how you live and act every day.”
At the Elementary Awards Chapel, 5th grader Maxdiel Ramos gave the opening prayer and the 5th Grade Worship Team led the students in two worship songs. After Alford’s chapel message, students were honored for making the Honor Roll and for significant achievement in physical fitness, music, art, Spanish, and technology. Each classroom teacher also recognized individual students for highest academic average, most improved, and exemplifying Christian character with their fellow classmates. 5th grader Knox Maxwell closed the chapel with prayer.
At the Middle School/High School Awards Chapel, the Middle School Worship Team opened the chapel with worship, singing “I Thank God” by Maverick City Music and Upperroom and “I Speak Jesus” by Here Be Lions. Upper School Principal Meg McHale then welcomed the students, noting that the program was a time to celebrate and receive awards for various achievements.
“But your true reward is knowing that you have poured yourself out and done the best that you could before the Lord,” McHale said. “God asks us to take the gifts He’s given us and give Him glory by using them and growing and learning so eventually we are able to impact the world for His kingdom.”
Students were then recognized for various achievements, including achieving the highest academic average in their grade and in individual subjects, the Presidential Fitness Awards, the Citizenship Award, and the COMPASS Award for exhibiting outstanding character and Christian testimony. Faculty member Vasquez closed the chapel with a devotional and prayer.
Both awards programs were live streamed and can be viewed on the ACS You Tube channel.
Congratulations to the 342 students in the 1st to 12th grades who were academic achievers during the 2022-2023 school year and earned a place on the year-end Honor Roll.
“We are grateful for the outstanding efforts of our dedicated teachers who helped their students find success in their academic studies during this past school year,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen. “We congratulate those who excelled and finished this school year strong, earning them a place on the Honor Roll.”
Oblen said the elementary students in grades 1-5 who earned a 95% average or higher in every major subject received the Highest Honors designation and students who received an 85%-94% average in every major subject received the Honors designation. Middle School and High School students in grades 6-12 who earned a cumulative GPA of 3.8 or higher at the end of the school year received the Highest Honors designation. Students in grades 6-12 who earned a cumulative GPA of 3.5-3.79 received the Honors designation.
CLICK HERE for the full list of the 2022-2023 Honor Roll recipients.
Over 200 family members, faculty, and staff gathered for a time of prayer, worship, and presentation of awards and scholarships for the 29 seniors in the Class of 2023 at the Baccalaureate Service held at the Flanders Hotel in Ocean City on June 7. Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen welcomed everyone to the service and senior Reyna Lewis gave the opening prayer.
Seniors Tommy Ellison, Jr. and Jada Logan led a time of worship and three faculty members — science teacher Dave Genter, Bible teacher Urick Lewis, and writing teacher Laura Mills — gave parting words of advice from scripture, encouraging the seniors to continue growing in their knowledge of God and to surrender to God’s will and purpose for their lives.
“We will all be praying for each one of you and we know that there is nothing this world can do to change the beautiful masterpiece God is making of you,” Mills said. “Remember that if God is for us, who can be against us?” Genter charged the seniors to go out as light in the world — as Christ’s ambassadors. “Don’t be ashamed of the things of Christ — be bold, but with a deep sense of love,” Genter said. Lewis encouraged the seniors to be confident that “God has everything in control so if you’re in Him, you have everything you need.”
The class posed for a group photo after each senior received a commendation certificate from the New Jersey State Assembly. The program concluded with Board of Directors’ vice chair Robert Barberio, whose son, Robby, was in the senior class, offering a prayer for God’s blessing on the Class of 2023.
A variety of scholarships and awards were presented during the program. Valedictorian Paige Noble and Salutatorian Reyna Lewis were recognized and received the Academic Achievement Scholarships. Fifteen students received certificates for Highest Honors, for earning a GPA of 3.8 or higher, and four students received a certificate for High Honors, for earning a GPA of 3.5-3.79.
Ten students who attended ACS continuously since kindergarten received a $100 gift from the Parent-Teacher Fellowship, presented by PTF President Terry Vogel, who encouraged the students to take their parents out to dinner to thank them for making the financial sacrifice to send them to ACS.
Following is a list of the special scholarship and award recipients:
High school and middle school students who played on an ACS sports team during the 2022-2023 school year received recognition for their participation, leadership, and athletic abilities at Athletic Awards Programs on June 2 and 5.
At the High School Athletics Awards event on June 2, it was a time to celebrate and reflect on a distinguished year of achievement as Athletic Director Pam Hitchner gave an overview of each team’s accomplishments. Hitchner also took time to thank and recognize ACS parents and volunteer Terry Vogel, and her husband, Paul, for their 28 years of service in support of ACS Athletics. In particular, Mrs. Vogel had overseen concession sales at home athletic games, helping raise thousands of dollars for ACS athletic programs.
The evening culminated with the announcement of special recognition awards. Seniors Cruz Lewis and Paige Noble were chosen by the Athletic Department to be the recipients of the 2023 Billy Robinson Award, which recognizes one high school boy and one high school girl for significant achievement, Christian testimony, and athletic ability. Robby Barberio, Maddie DeNick, and Reyna Lewis received the Cougar Award, which is given to seniors who have demonstrated outstanding Christian character, leadership, responsibility, and commitment in the area of athletics. The five athletes are pictured above.
There was a lot to celebrate in the achievements of the various Varsity teams. In the fall sports season, the Varsity Boys Soccer team, under head coach Chris Lopez, finished the regular season in second place and advanced to play in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference Championship match against King’s Christian School. The game ended in a tie of 2-2, with goals scored by Chase Leach and Malachi Vasquez. The game then went into double overtime, with both teams still tied. King’s Christian won in penalty kicks 4-2 and ACS finished the season in second place.
The Lady Cougars Varsity Soccer Team, under head coach Carly Witherow, finished in 3rd place in the regular season and lost in the conference consolation game to Calvary Academy. Ten ACS soccer players were named TSCAC All-Stars. Witherow, in her 11th year as head coach, was recognized for being the longest serving soccer coach and most winning soccer coach, leading ACS teams to 5 TSCAC Championships and twice being named TSCAC Coach of the Year. She is stepping down as head coach this year.
In winter sports, both the Varsity Boys and Girls Basketball Teams were the TSCAC Champions, winning hard-fought battles in their February 25 championship games held in the ACS gym. The No. 1-seeded Lady Cougars had an undefeated season, and the No. 2-seeded Varsity Boys’ Team pulled off an upset, beating No. 1-seeded Pilgrim Academy 54-45, a team that had been undefeated all season. Eight ACS players were named TSCAC All-Stars, senior Paige Noble received the 2023 TSCAC MVP Varsity Girls’ Basketball Award, and Varsity Girls’ head coach Kaylee Breunig received the 2023 TSCAC Varsity Girls Basketball Coach of the Year Award.
In the spring, the Varsity Girls Softball Team was tied for first place in the regular season, and went on to win the TSCAC Championship Title on June 3, beating Pilgrim Academy. The Varsity Boys Baseball team finished in third place in the regular season and won their TSCAC consolation game, beating Calvary Academy, finishing the seasons in third place. For the second consecutive year, 11th grade shortstop Evangelina Kim received the conference MVP Award in softball and Varsity Girls Softball head coach Dara Kimmerley received the Softball Coach of the Year Award. Ten ACS Varsity Baseball and Softball players were named TSCAC All-Stars.
The Varsity Cheerleading Team, under head coach Morgan Gibson and assistant coach Michelle Wheeler, made history again this year. For the second consecutive year, the Cheer Team was named the National Champions in The ONE Varsity Intermediate School Cheer Division. The ACS Cheer Team had earlier won first place in its category at The ONE Cheer and Dance Finals held April 1-2 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In both the April and Finals rounds of competition, the scoring was based on execution, technique and degree of difficulty, as well as the ability to inspire a crowd.
The track program continued to grow this year. The Cross Country Club, in its third year, competed in meets with King’s Christian School and at the Homecoming 5K Run. Over 90 middle school and high school students participated in the spring track program, with ACS high school boys’ and girls’ track teams winning first place at the TSCAC Track Meet hosted at ACS on May 11. The teams also competed at the Mid-Atlantic Christian School Association (MACSA) Invitational Track Meet at Messiah University.
During the program, the head coaches of the various teams presented certificates and special awards to their players, including the Coaches Award, Most Valuable Player, and Most Improved Player. The coaches participating in the program were: Girls Soccer — Carly Witherow; Boys Soccer — Chris Lopez; Girls Basketball — Kaylee Breunig and Dara Kimmerley; Boys Basketball — Drew Carney; Girls Softball — Dara Kimmerley; Boys Baseball — Carl Phillips; and Cheer — Morgan Gibson (head coach) and Michelle Wheeler (assistant coach).
The high school award recipients were:
Varsity Girls Soccer: Paige Noble (MVP); Maddie DeNick and Eden Wilson (co-Coaches Award); Alicia O’Donnell (Best All-Around Player)
Varsity Boys Soccer: David O’Donnell (MVP); Malachi Vasquez (Coaches Award); Chase Leach (Best Defensive Player); James Papanikolaou (Best All-Around Player)
Varsity Girls Basketball: Paige Noble and Evangelina Kim (co-MVP); Reyna Lewis (Championship Performance)
JV Girls Basketball: Skyler Shivers (MVP)
Varsity Boys Basketball: Noah Stokes (MVP); Charlie Costello (Coaches Award); Noah Gibbs and Caleb Vogel (Championship Performance)
JV Boys Basketball: Jericho Thomas (MVP); Caden Kim (Coaches Award); and Judah Dawkins (Most Improved)
Softball: Evangelina Kim and Taylor Sutton (co-MVP); Paige Noble (Coaches Award)
Baseball: Charlie Costello (MVP); Robby Barberio (Coaches Award); Josh Merlino (Most Improved)
Cheer: Haven Sanchez (MVP); Mackenzie Flynn (Coaches Award); Tara McCorkle (Most Improved)
At the Middle School Athletic Awards program on June 5, students who participated in soccer, basketball, baseball, softball, and track were recognized and honored. Athletic Director Pam Hitchner thanked the coaches for another outstanding year of competition in the Atlantic Cape Junior High League, of which ACS is a member. The middle school boys’ teams came in first place in soccer, basketball, and baseball and the middle school girls had winning records in soccer and softball. In the spring, the Middle School boys’ and girls’ track teams came in first place in the TSCAC Track Meet.
During the Middle School program, Hitchner also thanked and recognized four new first-year head coaches for their efforts — Becky Pineo (girls soccer), Silas Nixon (boys soccer), Jen Domsic and Sydney Pearson (girls basketball and softball). The other head coaches of Middle School teams, who presented certificates to their players and spoke about their accomplishments, were boys basketball coach Josh Clark and boys baseball coach Charlie Costello.
During his remarks, Middle School Boys Soccer Coach Nixon noted that coaching 25 players at different skill levels was the most difficult task he had ever undertaken, but they worked hard and came together as a team that ended up placing first in the league with an undefeated record. Coach Pineo emphasized the importance of displaying Christian character on the athletic field. “Playing sports doesn’t prove our character, but reveals our true character,” Pineo said.
Coaches Domsic and Pearson praised the athletes on both the Middle School Girls Basketball and Softball Teams for working hard to acquire new skills and abilities. “We started from scratch with some of our players, but we persevered and fought hard, and even in our losses we kept fighting,” Pearson said. She noted that the Middle School Girls Softball Team finished with a winning record of 7-3 with all new players.
The Middle School Boys Basketball Team had a remarkable season, with 23 straight victories and finishing in first place in the league. Coach Clark said the word “perseverance” best described the team. “This was a very special team that I was very proud to coach,” Clark said. “They never gave up and always showed up for every game and every practice.”
The Middle School Boys Baseball Team, under Coach Costello, finished the season tied for first place in the league. Coach Costello noted that while success on the athletic field is something to enjoy and be proud of, that the most important goal is to fear the Lord, quoting Proverbs 9:10 — “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
