Post Tagged with: "Atlantic Christian School"

Gregory’s Restaurant & Bar, Sal’s Cafe Win Top Awards at 2023 Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off Benefit

2023 Bowls of Hope Chef’s Super Soup Award Winner – Gregory’s Restaurant and Bar

Two Somers Point restaurants received the top awards for their New England Clam Chowders at Atlantic Christian School’s 2023 Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off Benefit held in the school gym on February 4. Gregory’s Restaurant & Bar, pictured at left, won first place in the “Chef’s Super Soup Award,” and Sal’s Cafe, pictured at right, won first place in the “People’s Choice Golden Spoon Award.” Some 400 people filled the school gym to taste delicious signature soups from 18 area restaurants and then voted for their favorite soup for the People’s Choice Golden Spoon Award. Chef Joe Massaglia of Mama Mia’s Ristorante in Marmora chose his favorite soup for the Chef’s Super Soup Award.

2023 Bowls of Hope People’s Choice Golden Spoon Award Winner — Sal’s Cafe.

Coming in second place for the Chef’s Award was B.F. Mazzeo in Northfield, with its Butternut Squash Soup, and Chick-fil-A Fire Road received third place for its Tortilla Soup. For the Golden Spoon Award, Towne & Country Cafe came in second place with its Tomato Basil Soup, and Gregory’s Restaurant and Bar placed third.

For B.F. Mazzeo and Chick-fil-A Fire Road this was their first time competing in the Cook-Off. This is the third time that Gregory’s Restaurant & Bar has received the Chef’s Super Soup Award, with prior wins in 2018 and 2023. Sal’s Cafe is also now a three-peat winner, previously receiving the People’s Choice Golden Spoon Award in 2017 and 2022.

The Bowls of Hope showcased 18 restaurants and chefs in and around Atlantic County serving up their specialty soups and competing for the awards. Atlantic Christian high school students were among the some 50 student and staff volunteers who helped serve the soups and worked behind the scenes in the kitchen, with set up and clean up, selling tickets, and more.

The 18 restaurants and chefs who participated were: Atlantic City Rescue Mission Kitchen (Atlantic City); B.F. Mazzeo (Northfield); Carluccio’s (Northfield); Charlie’s Bar & Restaurant (Somers Point); Chick-fil-A Fire Road (Egg Harbor Township); Gregory’s Restaurant & Bar (Somers Point); Jing Sushi House (Somers Point); Juliano’s Pub & Grill (Egg Harbor Township); Maurizio’s Pizzeria Express (Egg Harbor Township); Mays Landing Diner (Mays Landing); Mia’s Café (Mays Landing); Root Cellar Tavern (Dorothy); Sal’s Café (Somers Point); Sana & Sadia’s Mediterranean Bistro (Egg Harbor Township); Sofia Restaurant (Margate); Stir It Up Catering (Northfield); Towne & Country Café (Egg Harbor Township); and The Windjammer Café-Bar-Grille (Somers Point).

7th grader Nino Miranda won 1st place in the Bowls of Hope Student Video Contest.

Thank you to the 11 generous sponsors that helped make the benefit fundraiser a success — 3’R Premium Commercial Cleaning Services; American Church Group of New Jersey; B.F. Mazzeo; Chick-fil-A Fire Road; Clayton’s Self Storage; Formica Freitag Bakery; Fortress Financial; HS Restoration and Cleaning Service; Olympic Physical Therapy; ServPro of Egg Harbor/Ventnor City; and Texas Roadhouse.

All funds raised from ticket sales and sponsorships for the Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off, now in its 10th year, are benefiting the Atlantic City Rescue Mission and Atlantic Christian School. Many of those attending the event also brought cans of soup and other non-perishable items for the school’s food drive to benefit the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, Southern Branch.

7th grader Nino Miranda was recognized during the evening for winning first place in a Bowls of Hope Video Contest for creating a video to help promote the event. Two runners-up finalists in the video contest also were recognized — 11th grader Zachary Fosbenner and 6th grader Jennyfer Loiza-Riveros.

We are also grateful to a number of parents who donated desserts, and to Greate Bay Country Club for providing high top tables for our guests. Thank you also to Chef Massaglia, host of the “Joe’s Table for Two” WOND Radio program and Bill Link of the Truth That Rocks Bookstore for helping promote the event, and to photographer and ACS grandparent Gail Crafton of AC Photo for donating her services.

Bowls of Hope Food Drive Sets Record, Collecting Nearly Two and a Half Tons of Food for Community FoodBank of NJ, Southern Branch

Our 2023 Bowls of Hope Food Drive collected nearly two and a half tons of food for the Community FoodBank of NJ, Southern Branch, setting a new school record with a total weight of 4,811 pounds.  High school students on the Student Council, who helped organize the school-wide event, packed up and loaded the donations into 26 large boxes and bins that were picked up by a FoodBank truck on Thursday, February 9.

The Food Drive was held during the month of January and concluded on February 4 at the Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off. The school record was previously set in 2021 with 4,655 pounds of food collected, and last year’s drive collected 4,063 pounds of non-perishable food.

Mrs. Brossman’s 2nd grade class won first place in the Bowls of Hope Food Drive contest, bringing in the most donations of non-perishable food.

Congratulations to Mrs. Brossman’s 2nd grade class for winning first place among all PreK-12th grade classes for collecting the most non-perishable food items — 1,118 items. The class will receive a pizza party as its prize.

“Thank you to all our school families who donated throughout January and to everyone who attended our Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off and brought in food to make this an overwhelming success,” said Event Coordinator Christian Delacruz, who oversaw the drive assisted by Student Council Advisor Dan Vasquez. “Your generosity will be a blessing to families in our community who are struggling to put food on the table.”

Student Talent Show Entertains Crowd at Feb. 4 Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off

ACS students from elementary to high school entertained the audience at the Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off Benefit on February 4 as they sang, danced, played the piano and violin, and even kicked and leaped with ninja-like moves as part of the Student Talent Show.

“We believe that every student has God-given gifts and creative talents and the Bowls of Hope Talent Show gave some of our students the chance to share their musical and artistic abilities with our school families and friends,” said Event Coordinator Christian Delacruz, who oversaw the auditions for the Talent Show.

“We’re proud of every student who performed and they all did a really good job,” Delacruz said. He also thanked faculty member Amy Parker for serving as the Master of Ceremonies throughout the evening and kept everyone informed and excited as each performer took to the stage.

Congratulations to each of the Talent Show participants, listed here in the order that they performed:

  • The 5th Grade Worship Team, singing and doing choreography to “Light of the World”
  • 5th grader Ella Henigan – playing “Danny Boy” on the violin
  • 1st grader Roselyn Vega – singing “Thank God”
  • 4th grader Allie Pineo – singing “Reckless Love”
  • Kindergartener Braylen Borlandoe – dancing and doing Ninja moves to “Ninja Music”
  • 3rd grader Callie Gibson and 2nd grader Olivia Moren-Owens singing “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”
  • 7th grader Nino Miranda – playing “Kings Ballroom” on the piano
  • 5th grader Megan Connolly – singing “Big House”
  • 3rd graders Jeremiah Diaz, Victoria Rosario, and Sadie Wyzen-Gregory – singing and moving to “Gratitude”
  • 11th grader Ryleigh Martin – singing “King of Kings”
  • 4th graders Lily Kimmerley, Bella Markert, and Allie Pineo – singing “Peace Like a River”

Photo credits: Gail Crafton, AC Photo.

Re-Enrollment Underway for 2023-2024 School Year; Exclusive Time-Frame for Current Family Re-Enrollment Ends Feb. 17

Re-enrollment for returning families is now open for the 2023-2024 school year. Email messages about re-enrollment were sent to families on January 24 by Admissions Director Jessica Martin. ACS families with students currently enrolled are being given an exclusive time-frame from January 24 to February 28 to secure their child’s space for next year, ahead of the open enrollment period for new families, which will begin on March 1, 2023.

“Our enrollment this year has continued to increase to record levels and we thank God that more and more families are choosing a Christian education for their children,” said Admissions Director Jessica Martin. “It’s important for our current families to re-enroll early to secure their child’s space for next year.”

Martin said current families must do two things by Tuesday, February 28 to secure their child’s spot in the next grade — pay the Enrollment Fee and submit the B6T Transportation Form. The Enrollment Fee is $50 per student (maximum $100 per family) until February 19 and then increases to $75 per student (maximum $150 per family) on February 20.

Beginning on March 1, Martin said spots not filled by a current family will become open for a new family. She also emphasized that current families who will be enrolling additional children for the first time should contact her before March 1 for additional instructions.

The tuition rates for the 2023-2024 school year were recently approved by the school’s Board of Directors. The new rates are posted on the school’s website under the Admissions tab and are also available on the link below. ACS families seeking needs-based Tuition Assistance can submit an application online on the school’s website. The application period opened on February 1 and the deadline for returning families to submit a Tuition Assistance Application is May 1, 2023.

Early Education Student Re-enrollment Procedure:

To re-enroll an Early Education student, please complete the online “Early Education Schedule Form,” which was emailed to families by Martin on January 26 (link to form is also below), and pay the Early Education Enrollment Fee of $50 per student ($100 per family maximum) by February 28. The Enrollment Fee is $50 per student (maximum $100 per family) until February 19 and then increases on February 20 to $75 per student (maximum $150 per family).  The enrollment fee has been billed to all annual and semi-annual payers. Families making monthly payments through FACTS have been billed for their enrollment fee under “Incidental Billing.”

CLICK HERE for the online Early Education Center Schedule Form

K-12 Student Re-enrollment Procedure:

To secure your child’s space in grades K-12, please complete and return the fillable PDF “B6T Transportation Form” and pay the $50 Enrollment Fee by Tuesday, February 28. If the fee is not paid or if the B6T Transportation Form is submitted after February 28, a child’s spot in the next grade cannot be guaranteed. The B6T Transportation Form (see link below) may be returned to the school office by email, FAX (609-653-1435), mail, or hand-delivery. A signature on the B6T form is still required by the school districts. If you are unable to create a digital signature, please print the form and sign it manually. The Enrollment Fee is $50 per student (maximum $100 per family) until February 19 and then increases on February 20 to $75 per student (maximum $150 per family).  The enrollment fee has been billed to all annual and semi-annual payers. Families making monthly payments through FACTS have been billed for their enrollment fee under “Incidental Billing.”

Martin also noted that there is an important additional step for all rising 8th graders seeking to enroll in 9th grade next year. All rising 8th graders must also submit a new Pastor’s Reference Form by February 28 to hold their spot.

Please contact Mrs. Jessica Martin, Director of Admissions, with any questions at jmartin@acseht.org or 609-653-1199, ext. 314.

CLICK HERE for the 2023-2024 Tuition Rates and Fees

CLICK HERE for the 2023-2024 B6T Transportation Form

CLICK HERE for the Pastor’s Reference Form

ACS Students Show their Support for Philadelphia Eagles at Pep Rally on Feb. 6

Go Eagles! Over 400 students from preschool to high school dressed up in their favorite Eagles Spirit Wear for Eagles Day at Atlantic Christian School in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey on Monday, February 6. The students packed the bleachers for a pep rally in the school gym and sang the Eagles Fight Song — “Fly, Eagles Fly” — to show their support for an Eagles win in the Super Bowl LVII on Sunday, February 12. A video of the pep rally was shown on NBC10 Philadelphia news that evening.

The school’s cheer team led the students as they sang and danced to the fight song, with choreography created by the cheer team. Green confetti was shot into the air to cap off the Eagles Day assembly.

“Our cheerleaders had a really fun time coming up with the dance choreography to get everyone pumped up for the Super Bowl and, of course, we want the Eagles to win,” said the cheer team head coach Morgan Gibson. “So many people who live in South Jersey are huge Eagles fans, so we knew our students would enjoy celebrating an Eagles Day.”

Gibson noted that various parts of the choreography were based on moves that Eagles players use as their touchdown celebration dances.

CLICK HERE to view a video of the ACS students signing and dancing to “Fly, Eagles Fly.”

 

Power of a Praying Mother 6-Week Bible Study for Moms to Start February 17

All ACS moms are invited to attend a new, 6-week Bible study entitled “The Power of a Praying Mother” to be held on Friday mornings from February 17 to March 31. Pastor Gwen Mouilert, an ACS alumni grandparent, will be leading the Bible study, which will be held in the ACS library from 8:45-9:45 a.m.

The Bible study will examine the lives of six different women in the Bible — Sarah, Leah, Hannah, Marth, Deborah, and the women of Canaan — and how prayer helped them meet the challenges they faced.

Gwen is a celebrated speaker, author, and teacher who has been in ministry for over 30 years. She has appeared on Christian television and radio and has authored several books – including “Satan’s Secret Weapon” (formerly entitled “Overcoming Bitterness”) and “Hidden Treasures” – which have been featured in such publications as Winds of Fire, Charisma, and Spirit Led Woman magazines.

Gwen also teaches weekly women’s Bible studies at Crossroads Fellowship in Pleasantville, a church she co-founded with her late husband, Concepcion. She currently resides in Egg Harbor Township and is the proud grandmother of two grandsons, Jacob and Luke Mouilert, who graduated from ACS.

Light refreshments will be available and an RSVP is recommended, but not required. Please note that there will be no Bible study on March 10.

CLICK HERE to RSVP.

For additional questions, please contact the school office.

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.