Post Tagged with: "Atlantic Christian School"

Show Your Love By Giving a Valentine’s Day Carnation; Orders Must be Placed by February 13

Show your love and appreciation for a friend, family member, or teacher by giving them a carnation with a special message on Valentine’s Day. The ACS Cheer Team is selling Valentine’s Day Carnations as a fundraiser and all orders must be turned in to the school office by 9 a.m. on Monday, February 13.

The order form is available below and has been sent home with students this week.

The price for a single carnation is $3 and the price for two carnations is $5. Please use the flyer form to write a message that will be attached to the carnation when it is delivered on Valentine’s Day. All proceeds will benefit the ACS Varsity cheerleaders.

CLICK HERE for a printable copy of the Carnation Fundraiser Order Form. Thank you for your support.

 

ACS Spirit Day at Texas Roadhouse — Friday, Feb. 24 — Help Raise Funds for ACS Athletics

Join us for ACS Spirit Day at Texas Roadhouse in Egg Harbor Township on Friday, February 24 from 4:00-10:30 p.m. Come out with your family and friends and enjoy hand-cut steaks, fall-off-the-bone ribs, made-from-scratch sides, and fresh-baked bread and help raise funds for ACS Athletics.

The restaurant is located at 6801 E. Black Horse Pike in Egg Harbor Township.

Please mention “Atlantic Christian School” when you order and 10% of your bill will benefit ACS Athletics.

Hope to see you there!

Spirit Week Spurs on ACS Basketball Teams; MS Boys, HS Girls Teams Undefeated, HS Boys in 2nd Place

ACS students and staff got fired up to support our basketball teams during Spirit Week, dressing up each day to various themes, starting  with Green-and-White Day on January 27 and ending with Whiteout Day on February 3. Best dressed prizes were given out to students each day.

The Varsity Girls’ Team is undefeated in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference and the Varsity Boys’ Team is in 2nd place. Based on their winning records, both teams will advance to the playoffs, with a bye in the quarter-finals on February 21 and then playing in the semi-final playoffs on February 23.

The ACS Varsity Girls’ Basketball Team is currently undefeated in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference.

The Middle School Boys’ Team is undefeated in the Atlantic Cape Junior High League and has been invited to play in the upcoming Northfield Invitational Tournament. The MS Boys will play their first tournament game on February 15 against the William Davies Middle School at 6:45 pm at the Northfield Community School gym. The Middle School Girls’ team is 5-4 in league play. Both teams will play their last games of the season on February 16, away at The Pilgrim Academy.

“We are so grateful for the enthusiastic support from our school families, alumni, and friends in the community who have been packing our gym for all our home games,” said Athletic Director Pam Hitchner. “We look forward to seeing them at all the remaining games this season, particularly at our semi-final playoff games on February 23.”

Hitchner also encouraged ACS fans to attend the February 10 8th Grade Night and February 17 Senior Night home games. 8th grade players and 12th grade players and their parents/guardians will be recognized and thanked before the start of each of the  games for their contributions to their teams.

Spirit Week, organized by Hitchner, featured fun themes including Neon Day, Tropical Day, Wild West Day, and College/Pro Team Day. On Wild West Day on February 1,  Andy the Armadillo from the Texas Roadhouse restaurant in Egg Harbor Township surprised students during lunch and picked the winners for those best dressed in Western attire. Winners received special Texas Roadhouse T-shirts and discount coupons to Texas Roadhouse. Additional coupons were also given to every student and school employee.

For Whiteout Day on February 3, the students selected for best-dressed received Wawa Gift Cards and those who wore all white attire got free admission to the home games that night against Pilgrim Academy. For middle school and high school students, there was a half-court basketball shooting contest during lunch on January 31 and a 3-point shooting contest on February 2. Winners also received Wawa Gift Cards.

 

 

 

 

 

Thank You for Supporting Our Fall Book Fair — Nearly $11,000 in Record Sales

Thank you to the many parents, grandparents, and other family members who supported our Seussical, JR.-themed fall Book Fair held from November 14-23. With over 1,200 books sold, the gross sales neared $11,000, setting a new school record, according to faculty member Patti Scardilli, who oversaw the Fair, assisted by Rhapsody Hahn-Chaney, ACS K-12 Computer Teacher.

The Book Fair profits of $2,675 are being used to purchase Christian literature and resources for the school library and classrooms. Scardilli said close to 100 new books are being added to the ACS library, including picture books, early readers, chapter books, and graphic novels.

Scardilli has now begun reading some of the new books to elementary students on their weekly library day. “The new books are so inspiring for our students — there are stories about God’s grace, about the heroes in the Bible, about courage, and the power of prayer,” Scardilli said.

Scardilli said the goal this year was to ensure that the Book Fair promoted a Biblical worldview and that the inventory was consistent with the ACS mission statement and values.

“We achieved that goal and ensured that all of the books, posters, and other products for sale were suitable for our student body,”  Scardilli said. To achieve that goal, ACS partnered for the first time with Christian-based vendors, including the Truth That Rocks Bookstore, Munce, Swanson, and New Day, to provide the books, stationery items, Bibles, devotionals, and gift items for the Book Fair.

Students visited the school library from November 14-18 to preview the Book Fair items and create their wish lists. Teachers’ classroom wish lists were also posted. In-person family shopping began on November 18 and 19, with opportunities to shop both before and after the Seussical, JR. musical performances. Family shopping continued the following week concluding on Grandparent Appreciation Day on November 23.

She thanked the some 20 parents, grandparents, staff, and students who volunteered and helped make the fair a success.

Cheer Team Makes Strong Showing at Feb. 5 Competition in Toms River

The ACS Varsity Cheer Team competed in its second meet of the season on February 5 at the ImpAct Cheer & Dance Competition at RWJ Barnabas Health Arena in Toms River and finished as 3rd Place Bronze Medalists in the Large Varsity Division.

“Our team outscored two other teams to place third in their division and we are unbelievably proud of the dedication and determination of our girls,” said head coach Morgan Gibson, who is assisted by Michelle Wheeler. “We went to this competition with two goals — to hit our routine and to make it to the final round and we did that and more.”

Gibson said the Varsity Cheer Team will be heading to its next competition on March 4 at Brookdale Community College.

 

Two High School Missions Trips Planned for Spring 2023; Students Seeking Financial, Prayer Support

Students in the High School Missions Club are looking forward to serving as the hands and feet of Jesus during two upcoming missions trips over Easter Break to the Bahamas and to Washington, DC. The students participated in several fundraisers in the fall and are now reaching out to family members, friends, and local churches to seek financial and prayer support for the trips.

The per person cost for the Bahamas trip is $2,350 and $900 for the Washington, DC trip. Club members raised $6,300 in November providing parking on the ACS campus for people attending the Pumpkin Run Car Show and Flea Market at the nearby Flemings Junk Yard. The club raised additional funds during the One Christmas Night event, where they received donations as they participated in the live nativity. The club plans to do a car wash and family skate night this spring as additional fundraisers, according to Missions Club Advisor and faculty member Dave Genter.

“The outbreak of COVID-19 prevented any missions trips for several years, but we were very pleased to be able to restart our missions trips in spring 2022,” Genter said. “It’s a life-changing experience for the students and it gets them to put their focus on others rather than themselves.”

Students going on the Bahamas missions trip will serving in a variety of ways, including working with children at sports camps and a handicapped center, tutoring at an after-school program, and leading a Vacation Bible School at a Haitian church.

In Washington, DC, the students will partnering with Praying Pelikan as they work with children doing tutoring, serving at a food bank and a soup kitchen, and doing street evangelism.

CLICK HERE if you would like to support the ACS mission teams or go to:  https://acseht.org/giving/online-donation-form. Under the gift category section, choose the appropriate missions trip. In a separate fill-in box, please specify a missions club member’s name or the Missions Club.  All gifts are tax deductible.

Since 2008, close to 350 students have gone on ACS missions trips and learned first-hand about the joy of serving God by serving others. For additional information, please contact Missions Club Advisor Dave Genter at dgenter@acseht.org.

Pastor Appreciation Day – Feb. 16

We love our pastors! Atlantic Christian School students and their families worship at over 100 churches across South Jersey and each year we set aside a day to recognize and thank the important role that pastors and others working in church ministry play in the lives of our students. This year, Pastor Appreciation Day will be held on Thursday, February 16. Invitations have been mailed to pastors and other ministry workers at their churches.

The day’s activities will begin with a breakfast for the pastors from 8:00-9:00 a.m., with Pastor Mat Mouliert of Crossroads Fellowship in Pleasantville as the featured speaker. After breakfast, the pastors and ministry leaders will attend our student-led All-School Chapel from  9:00-10:00 a.m. in the gym, where students will show their appreciation for their pastors through choral, instrumental, and oral presentations.

Group photos of pastors with their students will be taken following the chapel.

We are asking pastors to please RSVP online by February 13 to: HTTPS://acseht.org/PASTOR or CLICK HERE to RSVP.  Please contact ACS Event Coordinator Christian Delacruz with any questions at 609-653-1199, ext. 302 or to cdelacruz@acseht.org.

Some 20 South Jersey Restaurants to Compete in 10th Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off Benefit on Feb. 4

Some 20 South Jersey restaurants will be competing in Atlantic Christian School’s exciting Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off Benefit on Saturday, February 4 from 6-8 p.m. at its campus on 391 Zion Road in Egg Harbor Township.

“We’re looking forward to tasting a wide variety of delicious soups that will be part of our cook-off, and getting the opportunity to vote for our favorite soup to receive the People’s Choice Golden Spoon Award,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen. Chef Joseph Massaglia, chef owner of Mama Mia’s Ristorante in Marmora, will also be the Celebrity Cook-Off judge who will select one restaurant to receive the “Super Soup Chef’s Award.”

All proceeds from the Soup Cook-Off from ticket sales, sponsorships, and donations will benefit the educational programs of Atlantic Christian School and the Atlantic City Rescue Mission. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online at: ACSEHT.ORG/BOWLSOFHOPE.  Beverages, bread, and dessert are included in the ticket price — $20 for adults, $10 for students, and $5 for children 6 to 10 years of age, 5 and under are free.  CLICK HERE to purchase tickets.

ACS is also conducting a Bowls of Hope Food Drive to benefit the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, Southern Branch, and those attending the Cook-Off are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item to donate. A Student Talent Show will also be held during the evening.

To date, 19 restaurants and chefs have registered to compete in the cook-off and there are just a couple spots left. The restaurants signed up to participate as of January 25 are: the Atlantic City Rescue Mission Kitchen, B.F. Mazzeo; Carluccio’s, Charlie’s Bar & Restaurant, The Cheese Board, Chick-fil-A Fire Road, Gregory’s Restaurant & Bar, Jing Sushi House, Juliano’s Pub & Grill, La Tia Peruvian Cuisine, Maharaja Indian Restaurant, Mia’s Café, Root Cellar Tavern, Sal’s Cafe Coal Fired Pizza, Sana & Sadia’s Mediterranean Bistro, Sofia Restaurant, Stir It Up Catering, Towne & Country Café, and Windjammer Café-Bar-Grille.

Eleven local businesses are supporting the Cook-Off Benefit as Bowls of Hope Event Sponsors: 3’R Premium Cleaning Service; American Church Group of NJ; B.F. Mazzeo; Chick-fil-A Fire Road; Clayton’s Self Storage; Formica Freitag Bakery; Fortress Financial; HS Restoration & Cleaning Service; Olympic Physical Therapy; ServPro of Egg Harbor & Ventnor City; and Texas Roadhouse.

For more information, please call 609-653-1199, ext. 302 or send an email to Event Coordinator Christian Delacruz at cdelacruz@acseht.org.

Mock Trial Team Chalks Up First Win Against Atlantic City High School

Congratulations to the ACS Mock Trial Team for chalking up its first win of the season on Tuesday, January 24, beating a team from Atlantic City High School. The 8-member ACS team will face off against the Atlantic County Institute of Technology for its second match on Thursday, January 26. The competitions are being held in a courtroom at the Atlantic County Civil Courthouse in Atlantic City.

In the Mock Trial competition on Tuesday, ACS represented the Plaintiff’s side in a fictional case entitled “Dylan Salerno v Sam Arena.”  The case involves a grandparent, Dylan Salerno, suing 18-year-old Sam Arena for the wrongful death of his 17-year-old grandson, Rory Salerno, who died after participating with him in an energy drink on-line challenge. The team members have been studying the case for several months and preparing to play the roles of various individuals in the case under the watchful eyes of teacher-coach Rhapsody Hahn-Chaney and attorney-coach Jenna Cook

The students who competed on the side of the Plaintiff were: 10th grader Joshua Kinch (opening attorney), 11th grader Maddie Haag (closing attorney), 11th grader Louis Spirko (playing Dylan Salerno, the victim’s grandfather); 11th grader Ryleigh Martin (playing Logan Huntzperger, the victim’s friend), and 9th grader Justin Basso (playing Dr. Alex Schwartz, cardiologist and nutritional scientist).

“I’m very proud of our team and all the hard work they have put into preparing for this competition,” Hahn-Chaney said. “Our Mock Trial program is only in its second year, but we are now on the map as a team that has to be reckoned with.”

Each case is presided over by two judges who observe the proceedings, score the teams, and determine the winner. Hahn-Chaney said that the judges on Tuesday complimented several ACS team members, including 9th grader Justin Basso, who played Dr. Alex Schwartz, and 11th grader Maddie Haag, the closing attorney. “They were impressed with Justin’s command of the medical verbiage and his unshakable demeanor, which made him a very convincing medical expert and they also recognized Maddie for her effective presentation doing the closing,” Hahn-Chaney said.

On Thursday, ACS will compete as the Defense in the same case and the students who will be participating are: Maddie Haag (opening attorney), Ryleigh Martin (closing attorney), 12th grader Summer Scott (playing Dr. Jordan Scott, cardiologist and lead investigator), 11th grader Vera Huff (playing Bailey Patel, social media influencer and mentor to defendant), and 12th grader Evan Power (playing Sam Arena, social media influencer and defender).

Mock Trial teams from 10 Atlantic County high schools are competing in Round 1, which concludes on Thursday. Based on the number of wins or high scores, six teams will then advance to Round 2, which will be held on January 31, . There will also be a Round 3 on February 2 and then the Atlantic County Championship on February 7.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tickets and Sponsorships on Sale for our Feb. 4 Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off

Our 2023 Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off is just two weeks away on Saturday, February 4 and ACS parents, families, and friends are invited to attend this enjoyable evening of good food and fellowship that will benefit the school and the Atlantic City Rescue Mission. Now in its 10th year, the Bowls of Hope will feature some 20 restaurants and chefs serving up their signature soups. The Cook-Off will be held from 6:00-8:00 p.m. in the school gym and  ACS students will also entertain the crowd with a Talent Show.

Some of the restaurants and chefs already signed up for the Cook-Off are: Atlantic City Rescue Mission Kitchen,  Carluccio’s, Gregory’s Restaurant & Bar, Jing Sushi House, La Tia Peruvian Cuisine, Maharaja Indian Restaurant, Root Cellar Tavern, Sal’s Cafe, Sofia Restaurant, Stir It Up Catering, The Cheese Board, Towne & Country Cafe, and Windjammer Cafe. Several of these restaurants and chefs have won past Bowls of Hope People’s Choice and Super Soup Chef’s Choice Awards. Chef Joseph Massaglia, host of Joe’s Table for Two radio show and owner of Mama Mia’s Ristorante Bin Marmora, will be attending the event to serve as our celebrity soup judge.

Several businesses are already on board as Sponsors — 3’R Premium Cleaning Service; Clayton’s Self Storage; Fortress Financial; HS Restoration & Cleaning Service; ServPro of Egg Harbor/Ventnor City and Texas Roadhouse. Two of our sponsors — B.F. Mazzeo Fruit & Produce and Chick-fil-A Fire Road — are also entering soups for the first time in the Cook-Off. Additional sponsors are welcome for a donation of $400 and the deadline to sign up is Wednesday, January 25.  Sponsors will receive 4 complimentary adult tickets to the Bowls of Hope and a variety of advertising benefits.

Everyone attending the Bowls of Hope is also being asked to bring in a can of soup or other non-perishable to donate to the Community FoodBank of NJ, Southern Branch. It’s all about giving back to our community!

The prices of the Bowls of Hope tickets, which are considered a charitable, tax-deductible gift, are: Adults-$20; Students-$10; Children (6-10)-$5; Children 5 and under are free. Rolls donated by the Formica Freitag Bakery, beverage, and dessert are included in the ticket price. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online at — acseht.org/bowlsofhope.

CLICK HERE to sign up online to be a sponsor or to purchase tickets.

 

Fun Activities Planned for Spirit Week — Jan. 27-Feb. 3

A series of fun activities, including themed dress-down days with prizes for the best dressed, are planned for Spirit Week — from Friday, January 27 to Friday, February 3. Students in K-12th grade, staff, school families, and friends are encouraged to participate and show their school spirit as the ACS basketball teams get ready to play several exciting home games.

Spirit Week will kick off with “Green-and-White Day” on Friday, January 27, as ACS hosts King’s Christian School at home, and will culminate with “Whiteout Day” on Friday, February 3, when ACS will face off against The Pilgrim Academy at home. Students dressed in all white at the February 3 games will get free admission.

Athletic Director Pam Hitchner said the ACS middle school and high school basketball teams are posting strong, winning records and fans are filling the stands at home games to cheer them on to victory.

The Middle School Boys’ Team, under head coach Josh Clark, is undefeated with a 12-0 record, and the Middle School Girls’ Team, under head coach Dan Vasquez, has a 4-2 record in the Atlantic Cape Junior High League. The Varsity Boys’ Team, under head coach Drew Carney, is 8-5 overall and 3-0 in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference (TSCAC) and the Varsity Girls’ Team is 13-5 overall and 3-0 in the TSCAC.

Athletic Director Hitchner, who has organized Spirit Week, wants to see every student and staff member show their school spirit by participating in the Spirit Week activities. She said students who are best dressed according to each day’s theme will be selected for prizes.

No ripped jeans or leggings or tight or yoga-style pants are allowed on any day. If you have elementary PE class on any of the days, you need to wear sneakers so you can participate in gym class. Any students choosing not to participate should come to school in their regular school uniform.

The chart below lists the lineup of activities planned for Spirit Week:

 

ACS Sponsoring Student Video Contest to Promote Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off, Submission Deadline is Thursday, Jan. 26

Students in the 6th-12th grades are being challenged to create an original video to promote the Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off and Canned Food Drive. The contest offers VISA gift card prizes for the top three entries and those winning videos will be posted on ACS social media the last week of January leading up to the February 4 Cook-Off.

Information about the contest was sent to parents, students, and staff in an email from Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen the week of January 9 and an information flyer with details was sent home with students and is posted below.

The video should not be more than 2 minutes long and must be submitted by Thursday, January 26. Videos will be rated on originality, creativity, and promotion of the Bowls of Hope and the Canned Food Drive.

Video entries should be uploaded to: http://bit.ly/bowlsofhopevideo

 

ACS Cheer Team Wins First Place in First Competition of 2023 Season, Seeking to Advance Again to The One Finals in April

The ACS Cheer Team, which earned the prestigious title of National Grand Champion last year in The ONE Finals Junior High Intermediate Division, has earned a first place win in this 2023 season and is setting its sights on advancing to compete again in The One Finals in April. The 20-member team, which is comprised of both middle school and high school students, has also moved up to compete this year in the Varsity Division.

At the January 14 ImpACT Cheer and Dance Challenge held at Brookdale Community College, the ACS Cheer Team earned first place in the Varsity Division, based on points. With this win, the team earned a partial bid to compete again in The ONE Finals in Virginia Beach on April 1-2.

The team is now preparing for its second ImpACT Cheer and Dance Challenge competition on February 5 at the RWJ Barnabas Arena in Toms River and will compete again on March 4 at Brookdale Community College. The goal is to gain additional wins and points to receive a full bid to The ONE Finals.

Head coach Morgan Gibson and assistant coach Michelle Wheeler have been working with the team on a regular basis since September to sharpen their skills and to learn a new competition routine. That new routine was performed for the first time for ACS fans during half-time at the January 20 home basketball games against Gloucester County Christian School.

Fans cheered and clapped as they watched the cheerleaders display their skills in building, tumbling, dance, and creativity. The team will continue to lead cheers and perform its half-time routine at upcoming Friday night Varsity home basketball games.

The 20 students who are participating on the competition cheer team this season are: Ashlee Alford, Ava Barberio, Annalena DiMaio, Rebecca DiMaio, April Eaves, Mackenzie Flynn, Makenzie Fresh, Kylie Jackson, Emily Johnson, Grace Johnson, Abigail Kelley, Ava Lombardi, Autumn Loo, Kiara Loo, Tara Mccorkle, Mia Morales, Madeline Neill, Chelsie Richards, Haven Sanchez, and Makayla Tomlinson.

 

 

Donate to the ACS Food Drive by Friday, Feb. 3 or at the Feb. 4 Bowls of Hope Event

Donations of canned soup, vegetables, and other non-perishable food have been steadily coming in for our Bowls of Hope Food Drive and we are grateful for the generosity of our school families. Food donations can be sent in up until Friday, Feb. 3 or can be brought to the Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off on Saturday, February 4.

All donations with non-expired labels will be donated to the Community FoodBank of NJ, Southern Branch. The class that donates the most food items will win a pizza party.

Here are some important guidelines for the Food Drive:

  • Please check the food labels and do not donate any food with expired labels; they cannot be donated to the FoodBank.
  • Please be sure to write your child’s name and teacher’s name on any bag you send in with donated food. This will make sure your donation gets to your child’s class and can be part of the overall amount that each class is collecting.

Thank you for your participation.

 

 

ACS Launches New Reporting System to Alert Administration to Incidents of Concern

ACS has launched a new, confidential reporting system, known as “Your Voice,” to enable students, parents, and faculty/staff to alert the administration of any incident of concern, such as intimidation, bullying, or cyber-harassment. Assemblies were held on January 6 to inform 2nd-12th grade students of the new system and to encourage them to make their voices heard to help ACS keep everyone safe.

Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen also sent an email to parents and guardians on January 6 advising them of the assemblies and providing information on the reporting system.  ACS Guidance Counselor Christina Ragland led the presentations in the assemblies and the Elementary and Upper School Principals also participated, explaining to the students how to use the new system.

The icon “Your Voice” is now on the ACS App to facilitate reporting an incident in a timely manner. A locked drop box has also been installed in the school’s main foyer for paper reporting.

“It is our prayer that this reporting system will help alert us to bullying or other situations of concern within our school so that these situations can be handled,” Oblen said in her January 6 email. “It is our hearts’ desire that every student would feel respected, safe, loved, and protected while at ACS.”

There are four ways to make a confidential incident report — by scanning a QR code with your phone, by using the Your Voice icon on the ACS App, going online to: acseht.org/yourvoice, or submitting a paper form in the Incident Report Box in the school foyer.

CLICK HERE to access the online form to make a confidential incident report.

 

ACS Students Learn About the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The students in Mrs. Reilly’s kindergarten have been learning about the late civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his contributions to America. The class recently completed a project inspired by his memorable “I Have a Dream” speech to a crowd of some 250,000 people at the 1963 March on Washington.

As part of the two-day project, the students read two books together about the life and accomplishments of Dr. King. Along with writing about having a dream to make a difference in our world, the students also made “We Have a Dream” headbands and completed a coloring assignment.

Throughout the school year, ACS students learn about the life and legacy of Dr. King as part of their history/social studies curriculum. In addition to Mrs. Reilly’s class, a number of other classes have been reading, writing, and watching videos about Dr. King over the past two weeks to mark the national holiday in honor of Dr. King.

2023 ACS Yearbook Now on Sale

The 2023 ACS Yearbook is now on sale!  For the first time, the yearbook  will primarily be available for purchase online from now until February 17 directly from the yearbook publishing company, Balfour, and will only feature students and classes from the 6th-12th grades. The price of the yearbook is $45, but students in the Class of 2023 can purchase the yearbook for a discounted price of $40.

A limited number of yearbooks will be available for purchase after February 17 from the school office. It is recommended to purchase your yearbook online to guarantee receipt of a yearbook.

CLICK HERE to order a yearbook online, or go to: https://www.balfour.com/student-info?smi=87482

The yearbook is being produced by high school students in the Yearbook Club, which meets Thursdays during 8th period, under the direction of Yearbook Advisor and faculty member Tori Flath.

The yearbook cover design is illustrating the school’s 2022-2023 Spiritual Emphasis Theme — All Scripture is God Breathed — based on 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

The yearbook will include a dedication page to an ACS faculty or staff member, photos of each class from the 6th-12th grades, and photos of faculty and staff. The yearbook will celebrate the gifts and talents of ACS students, in areas such as academics, athletics, music, and art. There will also be lots of photos of students at pep rallies, Spirit Week, Homecoming, school dances, missions trips, and other activities.

You can also purchase the yearbook at the front desk. Any questions? Please contact Mrs. Flath at tflath@acseht.org.

Varsity Teams Find Success at Christmas Break Basketball Tournaments

The Varsity Boys’ and Girls’ basketball teams both enjoyed success at high school basketball tournaments held during the Christmas break. The Varsity Boys won their consolation game against Oakcrest High School on December 27 at the Boardwalk Basketball Classic in Wildwood and the Varsity Girls won the Doane Academy Spartan Classic Tournament held on December 30 in Burlington.

The Varsity Boys’ team was one of 44 high school teams from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia that played in the Boardwalk Basketball Classic held from December 23-31. ACS competed in the Dave Lewis Memorial Bracket at the tournament and played its first game on December 26, and lost 40-58 to Triton Regional High School.

In the consolation game on December 27, ACS played a hard-fought game and beat Oakcrest High School 53 to 45. Sophomore Noah Stokes led ACS with 20 points in that game. Senior Sam Glancey added 11 and junior Noah Gibbs had 8.

In the Doane Academy Tournament, the Varsity Girls’ team played their first game on December 29, beating Little Flower Catholic School of Philadelphia 43-38. They advanced to the championship game to beat Penn Tech High School in Pennsauken 53-26.

In the game against Little Flower, senior Paige Noble scored 11 and had 3 steals and junior Evangelina Kim scored 10 and grabbed 6 rebounds. Freshman Gianna Flynn scored 10 and had 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Senior Reyna Lewis had 7 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists. Junior Becca Kelley scored 5 and had 3 assists.

In the championship game against Penn Tech, Reyna was the top scorer with 18 and pulled down 4 rebounds. Evangelina scored 15 points and had 6 steals. Paige scored 7 points, had 10 assists, and 3 rebounds. Freshman Sophia Costello scored 6 and Gianna and Becca each scored 4. Gianna also had 3 steals.

 

 

Middle School Girls’ Basketball Team Playing With Enthusiasm, Seeking to Honor God On and Off Court

The Middle School Girls’ Basketball season kicked off in early January and the large, 20-player squad has been playing with enthusiasm and a focus on honoring God on and off the court, according to its new head coach, faculty member Daniel Vasquez. As of January 20, the team had posted a winning record of 4 and 2 in the Atlantic Cape Junior High League, and is improving and gaining confidence with every game.

“This team is such a joy to coach,” said Vasquez, who is assisted by ACS 2021 alumnus and former standout Varsity Girls’ team member Sydney Pearson, and Jen Domsic, whose 7th grade daughter, Caelyn, is a team member. “They are very coachable, tenacious, and relentless,” Vasquez said. “They want to be better and we often have to force them to leave the court because they just cannot get enough basketball.”

Vasquez also described the team as a group of girls who want to honor Jesus. “They are showing this with their attitudes and lifestyles on and off the court,” Vasquez said.

The team’s theme verse is Proverbs 31:30 — “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Vazquez said the team members have all memorized the verse and are learning to live in the fear of the Lord together.

A number of players have been excelling over the past six games and are helping lead the team to victory. 8th grader Shelby Tomlinson is the team’s top scorer and also leads the team in steals. 8th grader Kalee Tardif is the second-highest scorer and is also strong on the boards and in steals. 7th grader Malena Meyer leads the team in rebounds, is the third-highest scorer, and has chalked up over 7 steals. 7th graders Caelyn Domsic and Solia Pecou are also top rebounders and 8th grader Isabella Santos, in her first year on the team, is excelling on defense and getting lots of steals.

The 20 members of the team are: Kendall Bouchard, Sophia Capito, Natalie Dickson, Caelyn Domsic, Isabelle Edwards, Mia Gaffney, Lucy Huff, Gracie Leon, Grace Lushina, Ja’Niyah Martin, Layla McCarthy, Malena Meyer, Nadia Pearson, Solia Pecou, Nina Purdy, Sophia Rose, Isabella Santos, Kaila Smalls, Kalee Tardif, and Shelby Tomlinson.

The team has eight more games to play in the season, including two homes games the week of January 23 — playing Folsom Middle School on Wednesday, January 25 at 3:45 p.m. and Assumption Regional Catholic School on Friday, January 27, starting at 3:30 p.m. Come on out and cheer our team on to victory!

Pictured below are photos from the January 18 home game against Egg Harbor City Community School, which ACS won 17-4.

Alumni Spotlight: ACS Alumni, Former Students Making their Mark in College and Beyond

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: Paula Cibotti Accardi (’75), John (Tony) Polcini (’89), Brianna McHale Haltom (’07), Byron Nelson (’09), Dara Brown Heston (’11), Ani Karabashian (’12), Vassil Stoimenov (’14), Trevor Little (’15-non-graduating), Candace Winkel Menno (’16), Solomon Griffith (’19), Rose Shaw (’19), Caraline Winkel (’19), and Ashleigh Martin (’20). Profiles of many more ACS alumni can be found on the “Alumni News” page of the ACS website under “News and Events.”

Paula Cibotti Accardi, on the far left in the blue dress, was one of four students in the ACS 6th grade graduating class of 1975. They are pictured with Rev. Howard Bach, pastor of of St. John’s By the Sea Reformed Episcopal Church in Ventnor, where ACS was founded and held classes from 1971 until the early 1980s.

Paula Cibotti Accardi (’75-6th grade) has reconnected with ACS as a grandparent. Paula is thrilled that one of her grandsons, Daniel Accardi-Gonzalez, is in the 7th grade at ACS, where she has seen him grow academically and spiritually over the past year and a half.  In 1975, ACS only went up to the 6th grade. Paula attended for just one year and was one of four students in the 1975 6th grade graduating class. Paula was one year behind ACS alumnus Debby Zanes Reinwalds (’74) and they were childhood neighbors and friends in Ventnor. They are still friends today and Paula is grateful to Debby for introducing her to ACS and encouraging her to learn more about God. Paula graduated in 1981 from Atlantic City High School and got married in 1982. One of her three daughters is Angela Accardi-Gonzalez, Daniel’s mother. Paula worked for many years as a basic skills instructor/aide in the Linwood Public Schools and as a hairdresser on weekends. She lives in Northfield and has been a longtime member of New Life Assembly of God in Egg Harbor Township.

John (Tony) Polcini (’89). Congratulations to Tony for being elected in May 2022 to a four-year term as an at-large member of the City Council of Ocean City.  Tony may be the first ACS alumnus to be elected to serve in public office. “I count it a privilege that God blessed me with the opportunity to have this responsibility to serve the people of Ocean City, a place where I grew up, worked as a student, ran a business, and am raising my own family,” Tony said. “My goal is to make Ocean City the greatest family resort.” In addition to serving on City Council, Tony works as a salesman for Supplyitall Brady IFS in Vineland. He and his wife, Jennifer, have two sons, JD and Michael, and have been long-time active members of Mission Point Church in Somers Point.

Brianna McHale Haltom (’07) earned her Doctorate in Special Education from Liberty University in May 2022 and relocated to Lynchburg, VA with her husband, Caleb, and their four children in mid-January 2023. Caleb will be working as an accountant at Liberty. Brianna and Caleb also welcomed their fourth child, Jocelyn, on January 14, 2023,  shortly before the move to Lynchburg. Baby Jocelyn joins siblings Brantley, 11, Maverick, 9, and McKenna, 2, and Brianna is looking forward to being a stay-at-home mom.

Byron Nelson (’09) is in his 4th year as the Boys’ Basketball Head Coach at the Atlantic County Institute of Technology in Mays Landing and is having another exceptional season, recently winning the championship in the Bill Osborn Memorial Bracket at the Boardwalk Basketball Classic in December in Wildwood. Coach Byron also teaches health and PE at ACIT. Byron and his brothers, Wayne and Andrew, were recently highlighted in a Press of Atlantic City column on January 13, 2023, which focused on how all three brothers are involved in coaching basketball in the Atlantic City area. Wayne is head coach of the Atlantic City High School boys’ basketball team and Andrew, who also attended ACS until the 8th grade, is Bryon’s assistant coach at ACIT. Byron graduated from Kean University in 2016 with a BS in communication recreation administration. Byron is married to ACS classmate Amy Vogel Nelson (’09) and they have two young sons, Cameron and Malakai.  Amy and Byron reside in Northfield and worship at Landmark Church in Ocean City.

Dara Brown Heston (’11). If you visit the Charity Center Thrift Store on Tilton Road in Northfield, you will likely be welcomed with a smile by Dara, who is the store manager. Since 2015, Dara has been working for the Atlantic City Rescue Mission, first as a chef and now as manager of the thrift store. Dara’s passion is helping people in need. She also enjoys using her artistic talents to paint murals in the U.S. and overseas. She and her husband, Mike, traveled to Nicaragua several years ago, where Dara painted several murals. They fell in love with the simpler life and saw opportunities to help. They now hope to return to Nicaragua in the future to live and pursue missions work with the youth. Dara’s plans to serve in Nicaragua were featured in a June 16, 2022 article in the Shore Local Newsmagazine, which was written by 2014 ACS graduate Sarah Fertsch, who is a staff writer for the publication. Dara and Mike live in Hammonton and are now expecting their first child in March 2023.

Ani Karabashian (’12) received her Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from Rutgers University in May 2022 and now lives near New Brunswick. She has been working since August 2022 as a city planner for the firm of Heyer, Gruel & Associates in Red Bank, NJ.

Vassil Stoimenov (’14) came to the U.S. from Bulgaria at the age of 16 and attended ACS, where he excelled on the basketball court and was part of two ACS Varsity Boys’ championship teams. After graduation, he received a scholarship to Maryville University of Saint Louis in Missouri, where he played on the Men’s Basketball Team and majored in business management and leadership. After college, he played semi-pro basketball and was a member of the Bulgarian National Basketball team. Vassil now lives in Los Angeles, California and is the CEO of Concrete Regeneration, a construction company he founded in 2018 that installs decorative concrete floors. Vassil is also involved with the Consulate General of Bulgaria in Los Angeles, helping to promote Bulgarian culture in California.

Trevor Little (’15-non graduating) attended ACS from the 2nd to 4th grades and has fond memories of his elementary years at ACS. Trevor now leads the 6th-12th grade youth group that meets on Wednesday nights at Fresh Start Church in Egg Harbor Township and also leads the K-5th grade children’s group on Sunday mornings, a position in which he has been serving for 10 years.  Trevor is working on earning his Bachelor’s degree and during the day works at River Deck Marina in Sweetwater in the catering department. His heart is focused on serving in ministry and he has taken a Bible equipping class with Sojourn Community Church and done a pastoral internship with them. Trevor recently returned to ACS to be the guest speaker at Middle School Chapel on December 1, 2022, where he talked about the tactics and strategies of the devil and how he works tirelessly to make us question the truth in God’s Word. “The devil is the prince of lies and his native tongue is lies,” Trevor said in his remarks. “By identifying who our enemy is it will set you up on a pattern for redemption and joy.” Trevor’s mother, Linda Stiteler, is an ACS middle school teacher.

Wedding day in June 2022 for Candace Winkel, with her husband, PJ Menno, her siblings, Billy, Cristen, and Caraline, and her parents, Bill and Colleen.

Candace Winkel Menno (’16) graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Masters in the Science of Counseling from Clarks Summit University in May 2022 and a month later tied the knot with PJ Menno. They now live in Hammonton, where Candace is running her own business — Candace’s Canvasses — creating and selling her art online, at the Ocean City summer Farmer’s Market, and at other street fairs and art shows.  Candace recently returned to ACS in December 2022 to participate as an arts and crafts vendor at the One Christmas Night event. Her goal is to get her LPC in the state of New Jersey and in the future she would like to earn a post graduate Master’s in art therapy.

Solomon Griffith (’19) is a senior at Ursinus College in Pennsylvania. He received a scholarship in 2019 to attend Ursinus and play on the Men’s Baseball Team and has has been a stand-out player since his freshman year, playing first and second base. Solly recently earned postseason honors in June 2022 by being named to the D3baseball.com All-Mid-Atlantic Region V second team, just the second player in Ursinus program history to earn this honor. In the 2022 season Solly led the Ursinus Bears with a .357 batting average, 26 runs, 15 stolen bases, and a .520 slugging percentage. He also hit 12 doubles, two triples, and two home runs. and had 20 RBIs.  Solly also excelled academically, earning Academic All-Centennial Conference honors. Solly was a stand-out shortstop on the ACS Varsity Baseball team and the first baseball player in school history to get 100 hits during his high school career, a milestone that is heralded on a school banner that hangs in the ACS gym. Solly will graduate in May 2023 with a double major in history and plans to teach high school history in the area.

Rose Shaw (’19) is a senior at Stockton University and is majoring in communication. She plans to continue with her higher education to earn a Master’s in the same field with an emphasis on environmental sustainability and is applying to schools across the country. Rose is working part-time as a cashier at the Staples store in Somers Point.

Caraline Winkel (’19) is a junior at Clarks Summit University and is majoring in counseling. She is a member of the CSU Defenders Women’s Basketball team, where she regularly contributes to the team’s success with her strong outside shooting, helping with recent wins over Bryn Athn and Cairn University. In December 2022, Caraline got engaged to Liam Hungate and are planning a December 2024 wedding.

Ashleigh Martin (’20) is a junior at Anderson University in South Carolina, majoring in musical theatre. In the fall of 2022, she was dual cast as a featured dancer and understudy for the lead in the university’s presentation of the Cole Porter musical, “Anything Goes.” She performed in seven shows as a featured dancer and in one show as the lead character, Reno Sweeney. This was her third musical at Anderson and she has been cast in a leading role as Maizy LaBird in Anderson’s April 2023 production of “Seussical.” Ashleigh attends New Spring Church in Anderson and is now working as an actress in a church project creating videos for their children’s ministry at 14 satellite church campuses. The videos are being filmed at an off-site location in North Carolina. Ashleigh received a Presidential Fellows full tuition scholarship to Anderson, and has maintained a 4.0 GPA and made the Dean’s List every semester.

 

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: ckarabashian@acseht.org.

K-3rd Grade Students Present “The Amazing Christmas Maze” Cantata as Part of Dec. 9 Christmas Concert

Students from kindergarten to the third grade took center stage to share the story of the Biblical events that led up to the birth of Jesus at their Christmas concert on December 9. After the opening prayer by Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen, the kindergarten students performed “O What a Special Night” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain.” The concert program then transitioned to a presentation of the children’s cantata — “The Amazing Christmas Maze.”

As the scenes of the cantata unfolded, the story of Jesus’ birth was told by 1st to 3rd grade students through skits and songs, with various students playing the roles of Maze Master, Parker, Savvy, Gabrielle, Trace, Neil, Mary, Joseph, the inn keeper, an angel, a shepherd, and a wise woman.

Within each scene, the students performed a number of songs including “Somewhere Between Here and There,” which featured seven 1st graders in a vocal ensemble — Ellie Campbell, Annabelle Frye, Lily Henigan, Felicity Macpherson, Shiloh Samuels, Jack Sawyer, and Johannah Wilson.

At the conclusion of the cantata, during the collection of the Teacher-Staff Love Offering, 12th grader Tommy Ellison, Jr. presented a soulful rendition of Lauren Daigle’s “Noel.” Elementary Principal and Early Education Director Gail Alford closed the concert in prayer.

The students who played various speaking roles during the cantata were: Zara Thome (Maze Master); Callie Gibson (Parker); Juliette Valdes (Savvy); Kambriella Rogers (Gabrielle); Alexander Dimashi (Trace); Eden Tang (Neil); Chloe Capito (Mary); Sean Connolly (Joseph); Oritseyemi Pessu (Inn Keeper); Molly Klinetob (Angel); and Isabella Abreu (Shepherd and Wise Woman).

Congratulations to the show’s music directors Julie Zimmer and Tim Rosie for an outstanding program that celebrated the true meaning of Christmas — the birth of Jesus, the promised Messiah and savior of the world.

CLICK HERE to view a video of the kindergarten classes singing “Go Tell It on the Mountain” as part of our 12 Days of Christmas video series posted on the ACS YouTube Channel.

Early Education Students Present Merry, Joyous Christmas Concert

Preschool students jumped for joy and waved colorful ribbons as they sang and danced on stage for family members and friends at our Early Education Christmas Concert on December 9. The students wore their best Christmas outfits as they performed songs that celebrated the birth of Jesus, interspersed with scenes from a video entitled “The Christmas Promise” that featured the students acting out the Christmas story, dressed as angels, shepherds, the wise men, Mary, Joseph, and more.

The concert began with Miss Cookie’s PK2 class performing “Feeling Like Christmas,” followed by six preschool classes from PreK2 to PreK4 singing and doing choreography to a variety of Christmas songs, including “Light of the World,” “Oh What a Glorious Night,” “Born is the King,” “Christ the King of Christmas,” “Wrap It Up,” and “Jump for Joy.”

Between each class performance, portions of “The Christmas Promise” video were shown to trace the birth of Jesus from the announcement of the angels to the shepherds to the visit of the wise men in Nazareth. Excerpts of performances by students from preschool to high school during the Christmas season are also featured in a special video series — the 12 Days of Christmas Countdown — that ran from December 14-25 and can be viewed on the ACS YouTube channel.  CLICK HERE to view the video series.

School parent and board member Alisun Klingert thanked parents for choosing Atlantic Christian to be the place for their children’s education and asked them to considering giving a special love offering to bless the teachers and staff at Christmas. ACS staff member Kelly Flynn performed a heart-felt rendition of “Christmas Hallelujah” during the love offering. Some 40 PreK4 students filled the stage to conclude the program singing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and Assistant Director of Education Education, Teresa Bird, closed the program in prayer.

Thank you to the outstanding team of Early Education teachers and aides, who did a great job preparing our students for the concert — teachers Michelle Wheeler (PK2A), Madeline “Cookie” Chambers (PK2B), Ruby Lewis (PK3A), Heather Aspenberg (PK3B), Jennifer Kelley (PK4A), Jessica Samuels (PK4B), and Robin Genter (PK4C), and aides Chanta Fernandez, Yomayra Gaffney, Ashley Gonzalez, Chloe Griffith, Lesli Lopez, Jessica Matos, Alyda McKee, Grace Staples, and Sierra Thomas.

Middle School Boys’ Basketball Team Kicks Off Season Winning Dixie Howell Junior High Basketball Tournament Championship

The ACS Middle School Boys’ Basketball Team is off to a memorable start, making school history on December 14 by winning the championship in the Dixie Howell Junior High Basketball Tournament in Ocean City, the first time for an ACS middle school team competing in that tournament. Congratulations to the team and to two ACS players who were recognized for outstanding achievement in the tournament — 8th grader Ethan Costello was named Tournament MVP and 8th grader Micah D’Anna was named MVP of the championship game.

To advance to the championship round, our Cougars first beat Margaret Mace Middle School in Middle Township 40-32 on December 10 and then beat Richard Teitelman Middle School in Upper Township 26-10 on December 12. The tournament featured eight local boys’ middle school teams and seven local girls’ middle school teams and was sponsored by the Ocean City PBA Local #61 and the City of Ocean City. All games were played at the Ocean City Intermediate School.

The 18 members of the ACS middle school boys’ team are: Colton Carney, Gabe Correa, Carson Costello, Ethan Costello, Micah D’Anna, Zion Dawkins, Jude Gibbs, Caedyn Hahn-Chaney, Xavier Johnson, Jason Kelley, Alex Newall, Luke Odell, Christian Pineo, Tommy Potenski, Justice Settles, Luca Sullivan, Caleb Wilson, and Billy Winkel. Congratulations to head coach Josh Clark and assistant coach Charlie Costello. We look forward to an exciting season with this talented team.

Both the boys’ and girls’ middle school teams will kick off their regular season the first week of January, competing in the Atlantic Cape Junior High League. ACS will play The Pilgrim Academy at home on Thursday, January 5, with the girls’ game beginning at 3:45 p.m. and the boys’ game at 6:15 p.m.  Four games are scheduled for the week of January 9 — at home against Estell Manor on January 9; away at Assumption Regional Catholic School in Galloway on January 11; away at Doane Academy in Burlington, NJ on January 12; and at home again on January 13 playing Pleasantville Middle School.

Come on out and cheer our Middle School teams to victory.

Check Out Our Winter 2022 After-School Classes

The winter 2022 schedule of After-School Classes is finalized and there is something for everyone. To promote the benefits of health and exercise, there are basketball and gymnastics classes, and to develop creative and musical talents there are classes in art, band, and worship team. There is also a new Drama Club for 6th-12th graders that will meet on Thursdays starting February 2, with a showcase on April 21, and a new Group Vocal Lessons class for 3rd-8th graders.

The After-School program will continue to offer the Robotics Club for 3rd-6th graders and the year-long Servant’s Heart Club, led by ACS parent Jennifer DiMaio, where 2nd to 5th grade students will do hands-on projects to bless individuals and organizations in our community.

Faculty members and Varsity Basketball Team coaches Kaylee Breunig and Drew Carney are looking forward to leading Intramural Basketball sessions on six Saturdays for boys and girls in the 2nd-8th grades, starting on January 7, 2023. Registration for these intramurals is $75 per student, which includes a T-shirt, and can done online or by returning the registration flyer with payment that was sent home with students the week of December 19. CLICK HERE for the registration form.

Please check the schedule for the start dates and any class fees. The class schedule, class descriptions, and registration flyers were sent home with elementary students the week of December 19 and can also be downloaded from the ACS Website located under the “Programs” tab and on the ACS Family App using the “After School” icon.

CLICK HERE to see the winter schedule of after-school classes.

ACS Alumni Enjoy Friendly Competition at Annual Winter Basketball Game

ACS family members, alumni, faculty, and friends cheered from the stands as alumni and former students faced off on the basketball court on December 21 for the annual Alumni Basketball Games. Unfortunately, the Alumni Girls’ Basketball Game was not held due to the illness of several players, leaving the Alumni Boys’ Game as the main attraction.  Twelve alumni and former players from 2013-2022 faced off in a game that ended with the white team winning by five — 72-67.

The alumni and former students who played for the Cougars and participated in the alumni game included: Yamier Cooper (2015), Mikai Browne, Elijah Chapman (2019), Asher Dawkins, Malachi Green (2021), Jon Hevalow (2016), Ben Noble (2020), Dan Roland (2020), Jacob Rosie (2021), Mark Rosie (2020), Landon Shivers, and Devin Tridente (2022). Also adding their talents to the teams were Josh Clark, ACS PE teacher and MS Boys’ Basketball coach, Lucky Johnson, and Jared Shivers.

Two other alumni contributed their talents to the evening — Ashleigh Martin (2020) sang the National Anthem before the start of the game and ACS PE teacher and Varsity Girls’ Basketball head coach Kaylee Breunig (2012) kept the clock and stats alongside Ashleigh at the score table.

Thank you to Athletic Director Pam Hitchner for organizing another enjoyable evening of great basketball and fellowship on and off the court and for gifting each alumni player with a green or white alumni basketball event T-shirt.