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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.

Student Spotlight — 12th Grader Hunter Jorgenson, 2022 Alumnus Joshua Guevara Earn Rank of Eagle Scout

Congratulations to ACS 12th grader Hunter Jorgenson and 2022 alumnus Joshua Guevara for recently earning the rank of Eagle Scout as members of Boy Scout Troop 389, which is chartered by Atlantic Christian School. Hunter and Joshua were recognized for their accomplishments at an Eagle Scout Court of Honor on December 17 held in the ACS gym.

A number of dignitaries participated in the ceremony, including U.S. Congressman Jeff Van Drew, New Jersey Assemblyman Don Guardian, Atlantic County Board of Commissioners Vice Chair John Risley, Jr., and Egg Harbor Township Mayor Paul Hodson. Also participating in the ceremony were representatives of the Sons of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Jersey Shore Council Scout Executive James Gillick, Jr.

The dignitaries congratulated each Eagle Scout and presented them with special proclamations and certificates of achievement. Scoutmaster and ACS parent Mike Jorgenson served as the Master of Ceremonies and Assistant Scoutmaster Jeff Campsmith led the Eagle Scouts in the Eagle Scout Pledge. Pastor Robert Trice of One Hope Church opened the Court of Honor with prayer and Pastor George Quinn of Friendship Bible Church gave the closing prayer.

Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen, who attended the ceremony, said was impressed with the character and commitment of both Joshua and Hunter, and praised them for earning the rank of Eagle, which is only achieved by some 4 percent of scout members nationally.

Joshua joined the ACS Boy Scout Troop 389 in 2014 and over his eight years as a scout earned 30 merit badges and held four leadership positions, including Chaplain, Scribe, Treasurer, and Patrol Leader. He was awarded the Eagle Scout rank in May 2022, after completing the required Eagle Scout project.

For his project, Joshua created a 20′ x 16′ oval landscaping bed for the church sign of One Hope Church in Absecon, replacing a smaller bed that was overrun with weeds and ants. The project, which took 91 hours to complete and involved supervising 35 volunteers, included building a brick wall around the landscaping bed, filling the bed with annual and perennial plants, and installing an automatic irrigation system and lighting.

Hunter joined Boy Scout Troop 389 in 2015 and in seven years earned 26 merit badges.  He held five leadership positions in the Troop, including Assistant Patrol Leader, Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader, and Chaplain’s Aide.

Hunter’s Eagle Scout project benefited the Longport Veterans Monument. Over two work days in May 2022, Hunter led a group of 14 scouts and 4 adults from Boy Scout Troop 389 in cleaning the stone monument, brickwork, and walking paths, power washing the gazebo, installing a park bench which had been donated and refurbished by the Scouts, and adding plants to the grounds.

Students Learn About the Importance of Being Thankful for God’s Gifts at Christmas and Throughout the Year

Some 300 elementary students learned about the importance of being thankful during the Christmas season and throughout the year during a December 1 chapel and then wrote special thank-you messages on large paper cut-out gift boxes that were displayed in various locations in the school in December.

Four large Christmas trees made out of green construction paper were placed on the walls in two elementary hallways and in the Multi-Purpose Room. Brightly colored paper cut-out gift boxes were then placed under the trees that shared the messages written by the students, who thanked God for their friends, their family, their teachers, their school, their church, for Jesus dying on the cross, and more. Each message began with the same phrase — “I am thankful to God for ….”

The chapel message that initiated the Christmas gift thank-you project was presented by Mrs. Brossman’s 2nd grade class. “We discussed the importance of being thankful for God’s gifts, not just on Thanksgiving, but during Christmas and every day of the year,” Brossman said. “We talked about the gifts of salvation, of eternal life, of peace, and joy.”

During each school year, every elementary classes is assigned to present a Bible lesson of their own choosing to present at chapel. Brossman said she was very pleased with the enthusiastic response from the students and for the thoughtful messages they wrote on their paper gift boxes.

All four Christmas tree displays were completed in time to be on display for the One Christmas Night event on December 2.

 

4th Graders Sample Healthy Quinoa Cabbage Salad at AtlantiCare Cooking Demo

Our 4th grade students were treated to an in-person cooking demo on Tuesday, December 13 by Chef Shara Gadomsky of the Happy Heart Corner, who prepared a healthy quinoa cabbage salad for the students to sample as she encouraged them to eat nutritious foods and to not be afraid to try something new. Throughout the demo, Chef Shara interacted with the students, including having them use their math skills to help her measure the ingredients for the salad dressing. The demo was sponsored by the AtlantiCare Healthy Schools, Healthy Children program, of which ACS is a participating member school.

Jessica Whittle of AtlantiCare, accompanied by Angela Dennis, spoke to the students about how fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are part of a healthy diet. Quinoa is an ancient, gluten-free grain thatis a protein and originated with the Incas in the mountains of Bolivia, Chile, and Peru.  The presentation also tied in with sciences lessons in Mrs. Jackson’s and Mr. Tardif’s classes, who are teaching their students about making healthy food choices.

The students enjoyed sampling the salad and some even went back for seconds. They were also excited to receive a special gift of a measuring cup and measuring spoons from AtlantiCare as well as a recipe card for the Quinoa Cabbage Salad.

CLICK HERE for the recipe of the Quinoa Cabbage Salad.

 

Classroom Spotlight: 2nd Grade Class Fills Backpacks to Bless Area Homeless

Students in Mrs. Brossman’s 2nd grade class collected and filled backpacks to bless homeless people in Atlantic City in December, supporting a larger project led by Calvary Chapel of Hammonton, who handed out the backpacks to the homeless on the streets of Atlantic City on December 17.

In all, the class donated 13 backpacks that were filled a variety of items, including blankets, gloves, hats, hygiene items, Bibles, and Dunkin or Wawa gift cards.

“This is the second year that my class has participated in this community service project and I think it’s a wonderful way for our students and their families to get involved in helping and serving those in need in our own community,” Brossman said. The collecting began on November 30 and ended on December 14.

Brossman put a display of the backpacks in the hallway outside her classroom to promote the project with the rest of the student body.

Throughout each school year, students from preschool to the 12th grade participate in a variety of community service projects to bless area veterans, seniors living in nursing homes, mail carriers, the homeless, the Atlantic City Rescue Mission, the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, and other charities, ministries, and non-profits.

ACS Holds Life-Saving Fall Blood Drive

Thank you to everyone who donated blood at our American Cross Blood Drive on November 30 and helped make the life-saving event a success. We collected 19 units of blood — which provides critical aid for up to 57 hospital patients in our area in need of transfusions during this holiday season.

No dates have been selected yet for blood drives at ACS in 2023.  Please check on our school website and on our Facebook and Instagram pages for more information.

ACS has been a partner with the American Red Cross as a blood drive sponsor since 2008. The blood drives are organized by the ACS Student Council, overseen by Student Council faculty advisor Dave Genter.

12th Grader Lauren Kent Wins ACS Christmas Card Design Contest

Congratulations to 12th grader Lauren Kent for winning first place in the ACS Christmas Card Art Design Contest. Her original art design is featured on the cover of the 2022 ACS Christmas Card that was recently mailed to several thousand school families, friends, and supporters.

In addition to Lauren, three other students were recognized for their outstanding designs: 2nd place-tie – Aine Dorsey (10th grade); 2nd place-tie — Noelle Thompson (11th grade); and 3rd place – Eve Wilson (12th grade).

Twenty-five cover art designs were submitted for the contest by high school students in art teacher Sherry Mirakian’s 9th grade Art Appreciation class and High School Art Workshop class. The students worked for a month on their designs, both in class and at home.

On December 5, a faculty-staff panel of judges selected the top 4 designs and the winners were announced and presented with award ribbons during Upper School Chapel on December 8.

Lauren’s card design was done with acrylic paint on card stock and features the story in Luke 2:8-15 where an angel brought the good news of Jesus’ birth to the shepherds as they were tending to their flocks at night. A host of angels then appeared and praised God saying — “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

“This is the sixth year that my students have participated in creating a card that would be used as the ACS Christmas Card,” Mirakian said. “I am very proud of all my students and especially happy with the high quality of their designs and the Biblical message presented by each of the four students who were awarded ribbons.”

The top four Christmas card designs along with 21 other card designs are on display through the end of January on a large bulletin board in the main school hallway adjacent next to the Multi-Purpose Room.

ACS Families, Friends Come Together for Joyous Celebration of Christ’s Birth at One Christmas Night Festival

Over 1,500 ACS families and friends turned out for our One Christmas Night festival on December 2 — a joyous celebration of the birth of the son of God, Jesus our Savior. There were fun activities for adults and children to experience, including a live nativity, a hayride, pony rides, a petting zoo, inflatables, Christmas craft making, and face painting, with a magic show and balloon twister added to the list this year.

Throughout the evening, students from elementary to high school entertained festival-goers with lively band and vocal performances of favorite Christmas songs. There were performances in the gym by the 4th and 5th Grade Bands, the Middle School Band, and the High School Band, under the direction of Band Director Tim Rosie. The Middle School and High School Worship Teams, led by staff members Kelly Flynn and Julie Zimmer, presented 15-minute performances throughout the evening of popular Christmas carols on an outdoor stage in front of the main school building.

There were also lots of opportunities to pose for photos, at the live nativity, with the Grinch, and with Frozen characters Belle and Olaf. Families gathered together around the fire pits to warm up or roast marshmallows to make S’mores. They also got an early start on Christmas shopping as they visited nearly two dozen vendors in our Christmas Bazaar. Thank you to Stir It Up catering in Northfield, Root Cellar Tavern in Dorothy, our Parent Teacher Fellowship, and Chef Steve’s Popcorn for providing dinner, desserts, and hot chocolate to satisfy even the hungriest festival-goer.  Popular new dessert offerings were a candy bar created by the ACS cheer team and glow-stick cotton candy, offered up by the Santos family.

Thank you to the faculty, staff, and parents who volunteered to decorate the campus and served throughout the night to make our 2nd annual One Christmas Night an enjoyable event for everyone who attended. Thank you also to staff member Bill Smallwood for building a new stable for our nativity and to ACS parent Michael Flynn for building a new large ticket sales booth. We wish everyone a very merry Christmas and hope to see you at next year’s festival.

2022 Race for Education Raises $43,047; Student, Class Prizes Awarded at December Chapels

Students from preschool to the 8th grade participated in this year’s Race for Education and helped raise $43,047 for our Annual Fund.  Thank you to our Event Sponsors, Classroom Sponsors, and hundreds of other donors, our students and their families, and volunteers for making our 2022 Race for Education fundraiser a super success. Event Coordinator Christian Delacruz announced the results of the Race during chapels on December 1 and 2 and congratulated 5th grader August Palermo as the Student Grand Prize Winner and Olivia Leach’s second grade class for winning the Class Grand Prize.

“We are very thankful for the tremendous effort that our students made to reach out to family members, friends, and local businesses to ask them to donate to the Race,” Delacruz said. “We reached and exceeded our goal of $40,000 and we had 18 Event Sponsors,  a record number of 38 Classroom Sponsors, and 250 Sneaker Sponsors, which helped put us over the top.”  Delacruz said Event Sponsors donated $400, Classroom Sponsors donated $200, and any student who received a donation of $50 or more received a sneaker poster recognizing their donor.

A video capturing the Race highlights was shown during the chapels.  CLICK HERE to view the video.

The Class Grand Prize Winner — Olivia Leach’s 2C class — raised $2,465 through gifts from sponsors of the 21 students in her class. The class will receive a pizza party or an ice cream party and the choice of an outing to either the Atlantic City Aquarium, Get Air Trampoline Park, or Storybook Land.  Student Grand Prize Winner August Palermo raised $940 through gifts from his sponsors and will receive a season pass to Storybook Land in Egg Harbor Township or to Ocean City Water Park as his prize.

Two other classes were recognized for winning the top fundraising prize in their grade category.  Jessica Samuels’ PK4B class won the Early Ed Class Prize for raising $1,005,  the most among the seven Early Ed classes.  Linda Stiteler’s 7th grade homeroom class won the Middle School Class Prize for raising $2,080, the most among the eight Middle School homerooms.  Both winning classes will receive an ice-cream party as their prize.

Additional prizes and certificates were also awarded for individual student participation. Sixty-six students from kindergarten to the 8th grade who received three or more donations were awarded a Dress Down Day Pass. Over 70 certificates were given to one boy and one girl from each class (including some ties) who were the top runners on Race Day, completing the most laps in their class.

The student in each grade who excelled in their fundraising efforts and had the most sponsor donations (in some cases there was a tie) received a $10 Five Below Gift Card. The 13 top student fundraisers from each grade were:

• PreK2 – Eleyna Geisenhoffer
• PreK3 – Dustin Samuels
• PreK4 – Azaria Moonesar
• Kindergarten – Minna Ali
• 1st Grade – Felicity Macpherson
• 2nd Grade – Addison Rawlings
• 3rd Grade – Jackelyn Berges
• 4th Grade – Amabella Markert
• 5th Grade – August Palermo
• 6th Grade – Sophia Gomez
• 7th Grade – Liam Larkin
• 8th Grade – Justice Settles

 

 

Student Council Sponsoring Christmas Hat, Headband Day, Other Fun Christmas Activities for Week of December 19

A number of fun, Christmas-themed activities for students and staff, including Christmas Hat and Headband Day, Wear Your Christmas Jammies Day, and Ugly Christmas Sweater Day, are planned for the week of December 19, sponsored by the Student Council.

 

Christmas Hat and Headband Day – 12/19, all-day event
On Monday, December 19, all PreK-12th grade students and staff are invited to wear a Christmas-themed hat or headband.

 

 

Wear Your Christmas Jammies Day – 12/20, all-day event
On Tuesday, December 20, all PreK-12th grade students and staff are invited to wear modest Christmas pajamas. No sweatpants, please.

 

 

Red, White, and Green Day – 12/21, all-day event
On Wednesday, December 21, all PreK-12th grade students and staff are invited to dress in the Christmas colors of red, white, and green. Jeans can be worn, however, with no rips or tears.

 

 

Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest – 12/22, all-day event
Students in K-12th grade and staff can wear your ugliest Christmas sweater to school on Thursday, December 22. Each homeroom will choose one student to be entered in a competition during the all-school Christmas Chapel. Contestants will come up to the front during chapel and the winners will be chosen by applause. If you do not own an ugly sweater, you may wear jeans with a red or green top. Prizes will be given for the best ugly sweater in K-5 and 6th-12th grades.

 

All-School Christmas Chapel – 12/22, 9:00 a.m
The all-school Christmas Chapel for PreK4-12th grade students and staff will begin at 9:00 a.m. in the gymnasium. The chapel will be live streamed over the ACS YouTube channel. Various student groups will perform during the chapel, including the Middle School Band, the High School Worship Team, the 5th Grade Worship Team, and the 2nd Grade Classes. Pastor Matt Mouliert, Senior Pastor at Crossroads Fellowship in Pleasantville, will be sharing a Christmas message. After the message, the Ugly Christmas Sweater winners will be announced as well as the winners of the Early Ed-5th Grade Christmas Tree Decorating Contest and the 6th-12th Grade Christmas Door Decorating Contest.

 

Christmas Parties and Group Activities – 12/19-12/22
Students in our Early Education and Elementary Classes will be holding Christmas celebration parties on various days during the week of December 19. On Thursday, December 22, after the all-school Christmas Chapel, Middle School students will enjoy an Escape Room activity and High School students will participate in a Lip-Sync Contest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Shop on AmazonSmile and Support ACS

When you do your Christmas shopping online, shop at AmazonSmile and you can support ACS at the same time. AmazonSmile is a simple and easy way to support ACS when you shop for Christmas gifts, at no cost to you.

When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection, and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to Atlantic Christian School.

If you haven’t signed up for AmazonSmile, it’s easy to do. To enroll, follow these steps:

1. Go to smile.amazon.com
2. Log into your Amazon account.
3. Search and select Atlantic Christian School as your charity to support. Then start shopping! Thank you for supporting ACS.

CLICK HERE to start shopping on AmazonSmile.

Thanks for supporting ACS!

High School Students Learn About Importance of Making Every Moment Count at ACSI Conference in Washington, DC

By Robby Barberio

Twenty-six 10th-12th grade students traveled to Washington, DC in late November to participate in the  Redemption Everyday Conference in Washington, DC, which focused on the importance of making every moment of your life count and seeking to make a difference in the world around you. The students also had the opportunity to tour the Museum of the Bible and meet in small group sessions for deeper discussion.

The conference, held from November 20-22, was organized by the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), of which ACS is an accredited member school. Each conference day opened with a time of worship and eight speakers were featured over the three days of the conference — Megan Almon, Dave Binewald, Amy Crouch, Gian Paul Gonzalez, Kathy Koch, Bobby Manning, Justin McRoberts, and Derek Melleby.

Faculty member Dan Vasquez, one of four ACS group leaders on the trip, said his favorite speaker was Gian Paul Gonzalaz. Gonzalez was a former NCAA First Team All-American forward from Montclair State University. After playing in the NBA Summer League in 2007, he was offered a few professional basketball contracts, but turned them down to work with at risk youth. He is currently a high school teacher at an inner city school in New Jersey.

“Gian Paul was called by God just by doing everyday work,” Vasquez said. “He didn’t do anything spectacular, but he is serving God in his everyday life. He was a reminder to me to stay faithful.”

During breaks between speakers, comedian Keith Coast entertained the some 400 students from ACS and other schools in the northeast region with skits and fun, interactive games. ACS 10th grader  James Papanikolaou and staff member Jessica Martin were invited to the stage to compete in a game where a student team faced off against a team of chaperones to guess the meaning of a Swedish word that was the name of an Ikea product. The student team won.

At the end of each day, the ACS students met with their group leaders to discuss what they had learned from the conference speakers. Faculty member Chris Lopez, another group leader, said he was encouraged to see how the students processed the things the speakers had talked about.

“There’s a temptation to blindly agree with a speaker just because they are speaking at a large conference,” Lopez said. “But I was encouraged to see the students challenge the speakers out of love.”

On the third day, the students worked with their leaders on an action plan of projects or activities they could bring back to ACS to implement during this school year.

In addition to the group sessions, the students also had the chance to explore Washington, DC and visit the Museum of the Bible. “My favorite part of the trip was exploring downtown DC with my friends and seeing different parts of the city,” said 12th grader Daniella Ajayi.

Overall, the leadership conference was a time of learning and bonding for the students. When asked what his favorite part of the trip was, 11th grader Noah Gibbs said — “I just enjoyed learning about God, and it’s even better with my friends.”

The students who attended the conference were: Daniella Ajayi, Kaia Barbour, Maddie DeNick, Tommy Ellison, Zac Fosbenner, Noah Gibbs, Sam Glancey, Vera Huff, Richie Jackson, Dee Jang, Grace Johnson, Manny Johnson, Moges Johnson, Ali Lushina, Ryleigh Martin, James Papanikolauo, Haven Sanchez, Alek Stein, Nate Stein, Makayla Tomlinson, Trae Walls, and Grace Wroniuk. The four adult group leaders were Chris Lopez, Jessica Martin, and Dan and Erin Vasquez.

 

Middle School Students Encouraged to Keep Focus on God and His Word at Spiritual Emphasis Retreat

Middle school students were encouraged to keep God and His Word at the center of their daily lives at the Middle School Spiritual Emphasis Retreat on November 4 held at the Ocean City Tabernacle in Ocean City.

Pastor Wil Del Valle was the keynote speaker during the one-day retreat in which he emphasized the importance of not letting friends, social media, and other activities crowd out spending time each day to pray and read God’s Word.

“When we read the Bible, we should never lose sight of the wonder of God and how He has demonstrated time and again his power and authority over the universe He created,” Del Valle said.  As an example, he recounted the story of when the Israelites were fleeing Egypt and how God parted the Red Sea so that they could cross to safety on the other side. “We should never take these kinds of stories about the amazing acts of God for granted,” Del Valle said.

The Middle School Retreat began in the morning with a time of worship led by Lee Martin, ACS parent and Director of Worship and Communication at the Ocean City Tabernacle, and Alyssa Griffith of Sojourn Community Church. Following worship, Del Valle presented his devotion at the first of two chapel sessions, both of which were followed by the students gathering in smaller COMPASS groups to dig deeper into the devotion lesson. Some of the discussion focused on the value of friendship, exploring how the Bible defines friendship, and what it means to be a good friend.

The nearly 170 students also enjoyed fellowship during an indoor/outdoor group activity time, where students played volleyball, football, soccer, 9 Square in the Air, ping-pong, and more.  The retreat concluded with a scavenger hunt down Asbury Avenue, with students organized in their COMPASS small groups searching for various items on the list.  The winners of the scavenger hunt will be announced soon.

 

ACS Celebrates Grandparent Appreciation Day

There were lots of smiles and hugs as our students from preschool to high school welcomed their grandparents to our campus on November 23 for our annual Grandparent Appreciation Day. Over 400 grandparents experienced worship time in chapel and visited classrooms to enjoy one-on-one time with their grandchildren.

Grandparent Elaine Santo was the featured speaker during chapel. A retired teacher who taught math for 21 years, Santo encouraged her fellow grandparents to pray for the teachers and staff at ACS. “You are a critical component in the lives of your grandchildren and there is nothing more important than praying for them as well as for their teachers and this institution,” Santo said.

Santo also shared about her experience teaching an elective class at ACS called GEMS, which gave middle school girls an opportunity to gain confidence and poise as young ladies, focusing on developing their beauty on the outside and the inside. Her passion for teaching young women to be confident and look their best comes from her own life experience. While attending the University of Delaware, she entered the Miss Delaware scholarship pageant in 1975 and won. The next year she competed in the Miss America pageant. Santo has seven grandchildren, three of which attend ACS — Johannah, Aaron, and Caleb Wilson.

The chapel program also featured ACS students performing various songs to show their appreciation for their grandparents. The groups that performed included the 5th Grade Worship Team, the 5th Grade Band, the 1st-5th Grade Sign Language Club, the PreK4 Classes, and the Kindergarten Classes. 12th grader Cruz Lewis opened the chapel with prayer and 5th grader Megan Connolly gave the closing prayer, thanking God for the love that grandparents pour into the lives of their grandchildren.

Grandparents had the opportunity to visit Early Ed and kindergarten classrooms before the chapel. Grandparents with students in grades 1-5 visited their grandchildren after the chapel and enjoyed doing special activities with them. Students in the 6th-12th grades came down to the gym to spend time with their grandparents during a reception held after the chapel.  Dozens of students and their grandparents also visited the school library to view and purchase items from the Book Fair.

We celebrate the special bond between grandparents and their grandchildren. As it says in Proverbs 17:6 – “Children’s children are a crown to the aged.”

CLICK HERE for a video highlighting the day’s activities.

Join Us for One Christmas Night Festival — Friday, Dec. 2

Our festive “One Christmas Night” event for our ACS school family is one day away — on Friday, December 2. We hope you can join us for a wonderful celebration of the birth of our Savior.

You don’t need a ticket to attend, but there will be tickets on sale to participate in eight of the fun, family-friendly activities, including a hay ride, pony ride, petting zoo, magic show, inflatables, face painting, a balloon twister, and making Christmas crafts. Be sure to look for the new, big Ticket Sales Booth that will be set up near the main school entrance.

There will be musical performances throughout the evening by our 4th and 5th Grade Bands, our 6th-7th Grade Middle School Band, our 8th-12th Grade Upper School Band, and our Middle School and High School Worship Teams.

There will be several food vendors on site, so you can plan on having dinner at the festival. And there will be plenty of sweet treats as well, including S’mores kits to cook over our fire pits.

Nearly two dozen vendors will be participating in our expanded Christmas Bazaar. Vendors will be spread out indoors, in our two front hallways and in the Multi-Purpose Room. Great gift-giving items on sale will include jewelry, home decor, children’s books, candles, push pop cakes and other baked goods, paintings, hand-made Christmas ornaments, and more. There will also be several opportunities to take a family Christmas photo.

Join us for a memorable evening.

Inviting ACS Alumni, Families to Winter Alumni Basketball Event — Wednesday, Dec. 21

ACS Alumni and their families are invited to our winter alumni event — Alumni Women’s and Men’s Basketball Games — on Wednesday, December 21. A complimentary pizza meal will be provided for all alumni and all players will receive an event T-shirt.

Please RSVP by 12/16/22 to Athletic Director Pam Hitchner if you would like to play — send a text to: 609-412-7735.

The Alumni Women’s Game will tip off at 5:30 p.m. and the Alumni Men’s Game will start at 7:00 p.m.

Hope to see you there!

ACS Students Present Spectacular Production of Seussical, JR. Musical

The ACS production of the Seussical, JR. musical drew over a thousand people to our school’s stage for three shows on November 18 and 19. A cast of 45 students from the 3rd-12th grades put on a spectacular performance — singing, dancing, and bringing to life the Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, JoJo and the townspeople of Whoville, Mayzie LaBird, Gertrude McFuzz, and other wacky and whimsical Dr. Seuss characters.

Narrated by the Cat in the Hat, played by 12th grader Evan Power, the story in the musical centers on Horton the Elephant’s quest to save the people of Whoville, who live on a tiny speck of dust. Horton, played by 10th grader Joshua Kinch, lives with other interesting animals in the Jungle of Nool, including a plain bird named Gertrude McFuzz, played by 11th grade Ryleigh Martin, and Mayzie LaBird, a fancy, showy bird, played by 6th grader Sophia Gomez.

Horton places the speck of dust on a pink ball of clover, and as the story unfolds he builds a friendship with one of the youngest Whos, JoJo, who only he can hear speaking from tiny Whoville. No one believes that anyone is living on the speck of dust until JoJo, played by 5th grader Megan Connolly, gives out a great yell that everyone in the Jungle of Nool can hear.  The iconic Dr. Seuss quote that becomes a recurring theme throughout the musical is — “A person is a person no matter how small.”

Director Genevieve Huff said the cast worked very hard and bonded over the 10 weeks of rehearsals — becoming like one big, happy family. A talented group of some 50 volunteers — including ACS teachers, staff, students, and parents — served behind the scenes doing set design, scenery, face painting, costumes, stage crew, and much more.

“I know the audience members felt like they were walking into a Dr. Seuss storybook and I’m very grateful for the countless hours that our volunteers spent to make the show visually spectacular,” Huff said.

ACS Art Teacher Sherry Mirakian led a team of volunteers who focused on the scenery — creating and painting the backdrop, the Pill-Berry Bush, glow-in-the-dark fish, and other props for the show. The student Set Design Club worked diligently on Thursdays during school and additional volunteers served after school and in the evenings for two weeks prior to the show.

ACS Computer Teacher Rhapsody Hahn-Chaney and Instructional Specialist Bethany Kiefer focused on costumes. Hahn-Chaney, who majored in fashion design in college and worked for several years at fashion houses in Manhattan, made the costumes for the six Bird Girls and the lead characters of Maizy LaBird and Gertrude McFuzz, and made the ears and tails for the six monkey-like creatures known as the Wickersham Brothers.

Thank you to Gail Crafton of AC Photo for donating her services to create these photo memories.

 

 

 

ACS Fills 69 Shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child Project Led by 12th Grader Jake DeNick

ACS students, faculty, and staff recently participated in Operation Christmas Child and filled 69 shoeboxes to bless children this Christmas. The project was organized by 12th grader Jake DeNick as his Senior Project and concluded on November 18. The shoeboxes will be distributed around the world during this Christmas season by the ministry of Samaritan’s Purse.

Jake chose this initiative to be his Senior Project as part of a year-long Senior Project Class. “I’ve been participating in Operation Christmas Child for many years with my church and I’ve always enjoyed doing it,” Jake said. “I wanted to give the school community the chance to do it with me.”

During the week of October 24, Jake made presentations at several teacher meetings about his project and brought shoeboxes to hand out to teachers interested in doing the project with their students. By the end of the project, 13 classes from preschool to high school decided to participate, along with over a dozen of ACS faculty and staff members.

“This project is an opportunity for children in foreign countries to have a Christmas who don’t normally get to have a Christmas, while also getting to learn about the Bible,” Jake said. Each shoebox sponsor had the opportunity to choose if the box was for a boy or girl and to choose the age range, either 2-4 years old, 5-9 years, or 10-14 years old. The shoeboxes were filled with their choice of toys, school supplies, and personal care items. When Samaritan’s Purse distributes them to the children they also take the opportunity to share the Gospel.

Jake’s Senior Project class is facilitated by faculty member Daniel Vasquez. Other seniors are working a variety of Senior Projects, all with a community service focus and utilizing their individual gifts and talents. Part of each project also includes writing a letter of intent, writing a research or reflection paper, and doing an oral presentation to the class.

ACS Students Compete in ACUA 2022 Recycled Art Contest, 12th Grader Lauren Kent Receives Honorable Mention Award

ACS high school students recently competed in the 8th annual Recycled Art Contest sponsored by the Atlantic County Utilities Authority and 12th grader Lauren Kent was awarded Honorable Mention for her entry. She received recognition at a ceremony on November 19 at the ACUA America Recycles Day event and her unique and creative artwork was also on display there.

Kent and seven other students created artwork for the contest during Mrs. Mirakian’s Art Workshop class, a semester-long class that meets four days a week. The art pieces were entered in the 14- to 18-year-old category in the contest and were completed on October 19. The artwork was then taken to the Atlantic County Library in Egg Harbor Township, where they were on display until October 31.

In addition to Lauren, the other students who competed in the contest from ACS were: Eddie Ireland, Alli Lushina, Evan Pearson, Alli Schlundt, Noelle Thompson, Eden Wilson, and Eve Wilson.

Lauren used a variety of recyclable materials to create her artwork, including wire, yarn, cork, cardboard, hot glue, and buttons. Artwork created by other students in the class used other recyclable materials such as aluminum cans, bottle caps, egg cartons, newspaper, plastic bottles, puzzle pieces, and straws.

 

One Christmas Night Christmas Celebration — Two Weeks Away on Friday, Dec. 2 — Tickets on Sale for Activities

Our festive “One Christmas Night” event is just two weeks away — on Friday, December 2, from 5:00-8:30 p.m. You don’t want to miss this special event for ACS students, their families, faculty, and staff as we come together to celebrate the joy and hope of Christmas. There will be performances by our bands and worship teams, a live nativity, and lots of fun indoor and outdoor activities, some of which will require tickets that can be pre-purchased in the school office or at the event.

New activities will include a magic show, a balloon twister, and a Christmas Bazaar with 23 vendors selling Christmas crafts and other holiday items.  There will also be photo opportunities with Olaf and some of the other endearing characters from “Frozen” and a place to pose for a family portrait.

Tickets will be needed for eight different activities — the magic show, the balloon twister, inflatables, the hayride, the pony ride, the petting zoo, face painting, and Christmas arts and crafts. Tickets prices are $2 per ticket and $14 for a pack of 8 tickets. Flyers were sent home with students from PreK-6th grade that included a ticket order form for pre-orders.

Delicious food will be available for sale from several vendors, including the Stir It Up Restaurant in Egg Harbor Township and the Root Cellar Tavern in Dorothy.  There will also be fire pits where you can enjoy making s’mores. The Varsity Girls’ Basketball Team plans to sell s’mores kits as a fundraiser and the Cheer Team will be selling baked goods and doing a candy buffet bar.

“We invite all of our parents, students, and staff to come out to celebrate the birth of our Savior and participate in the many fun activities we have planned,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen. “Last year, about 1,000 people attended and we expect even more this year.  It’s a great way to kick off the Christmas season.”