Post Tagged with: "Atlantic County"

“Bienvenido” to Our New Spanish Teacher

Mrs. Estefany Gomez joined our faculty this fall as our new Elementary Spanish teacher. Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, Gomez found her love of teaching at age 14 in her local church’s children’s ministry. After graduating from high school, she went on to earn her BA in Education from Dominico Americano University. Before moving to the U.S. last year, Mrs. Gomez taught EFL and ESL courses at three different elementary schools in the Dominican Republic.

Estefany, her husband Miguel, and their daughter Graciela Marie worship at Ciudad De Luz church in Atlantic City, where she teachers children’s Bible classes, serves in their theater ministry, and will become the Director of Children’s Ministries in 2019.

With a fun, practical approach to language learning, Gomez uses various hands-on activities like the “Octopus Numbers” craft pictured at right. Still settling into her new life here in the states, she said, “I am in a country that is not my own, but I have seen God’s hand working in my favor. He opened a door for me and I am so happy to be part of the ACS team. I feel at home, surrounded by people with the same beliefs, and by little students who make me smile each day, saying ‘Hola!’ in the hallways.”

 

Tickets on Sale Tomorrow for Legacy Gala 2019 — An Evening With Kirk Cameron

Tickets to the ACS Legacy Gala 2019 will go on sale tomorrow — Saturday, December 1. The 6th annual Gala will feature TV and film actor and producer Kirk Cameron as the keynote speaker. The Gala will be held on Friday, March 29, 2019 at the Sheraton Atlantic City Convention Center Hotel. Cameron was the memorable star of ABC’s hit show “Growing Pains” and is noted for his work in the family films “Saving Christmas” and “Mercy Rule,” the documentaries “Unstoppable” and “Connect,” and the inspirational film “Fireproof.”

“Mr. Cameron has been a leading voice advocating for our country to return to Biblical values and principles and he has a special passion for helping parents raise their children using the truth found in God’s Word,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen. “We are very excited to be bringing Mr. Cameron to our area and look forward to the inspiring message he will be sharing.  We hope that many of our parents and grandparents as well as church, business, and community leaders will make plans to attend the Gala or support the school through a donation.”

Individuals and businesses can support ACS through the Gala in a variety of ways — by being a Gala Sponsor; purchasing a Gala Program Book Ad or electronic Ad; purchasing individual tickets or a table of 10; or by purchasing a new “VIP Experience” ticket.  All Gala support is tax-deductible. Individual tickets for the Gala Dinner and Program are $160 per person and a table of 10 is $1,600. The new “VIP Experience” ticket includes admittance to a VIP Reception with Cameron, a commemorative photo with Cameron, and a seat at the dinner and Gala program, where Cameron will present the keynote address. Sponsorship levels range from $1,000-$20,000.  All sponsors will receive tickets to the VIP Reception with Cameron, at least one commemorative photo with Cameron, and tickets to a full-course Gala Dinner and Program. Sponsor benefits also include at least one valet parking pass, a listing or ad in the Gala Program Book, and an electronic ad on the Ballroom screen.

TO PURCHASE GALA TICKETS, SPONSORSHIPS, ADS

 

Christmas Love Offering to Bless ACS Teachers, Staff

As the Christmas season quickly approaches, it is easy for us to get caught up in our “to do” lists.” In the busy-ness of life, we can sometimes forget those who have greatly impacted the lives of our families and children the most, in particular the wonderful teachers and staff here at Atlantic Christian School. In the near future, we will have the opportunity to show them how much they mean to us and to our children through the “Christmas Love Offering” that we will take at each of the upcoming Christmas concerts on December 13 and 14. Through the Love Offering, we have the chance to bless our ACS teachers and staff and show them our deep appreciation for all they do to educate our children and train them up in the Lord.

Proverbs 11:25 tells us “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” I would ask that you prayerfully consider how you might bless our wonderful teachers and staff this season.  Whatever amount you are able to give, I guarantee that it will not only be a blessing to them, but to you as well. If you are unable to attend one of the concerts, you may also send your gift directly to the school office and please designate it for the Christmas Love Offering. Thank you for your continued faithfulness to our Lord and to ACS.

Blessings,

Doug Pearson
Chair, ACS Board of Directors

Coin Drop on Dec. 1 to Benefit ACS Athletics — at Zion Road, Ocean Heights Intersection

ACS basketball coaches and parents of players will be out in the Egg Harbor Township community on Saturday, December 1 for our winter 2018 Coin Drop fundraiser, asking for donations to support our middle school and high school athletics program. ACS representatives will be approaching drivers at the intersection of Zion Road and Ocean Heights Avenue from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please encourage your family members and friends to make a generous donation to support our student athletes. The rain date is Saturday, December 22 if needed. Athletic Director Pam Hitchner will notify coaches and parents if the coin drop needs to be rescheduled.

 

MS/HS Cheerleading and Intramural Cheerleading Now Underway

Thirteen middle school and high school students are part of this year’s cheerleading squad, coached by staff member Mrs. Kelly Flynn. Practices got underway this week to begin preparing for a busy season with plans to cheer at both home and away games to support our middle school and high school teams.

Intramural Cheerleading for students in K-5th grade will get underway this coming Monday, December 3. Registration forms have been sent home for this 8-session after-school class, which will conclude on February 11, 2019. The cost is $100. The class is being coached for the second year by ACS staff member Morgan Gibson. The intramural squad is planning to cheer at three home games in January.

Basketball Season Getting Underway — Home Opener on Friday With Varsity Girls Hosting Abundant Life

With the completion of tryouts this week, the basketball season for our middle school and high school girls’ and boys’ teams is now underway.  The first home game of the season will be this Friday, November 30, starting at 5 pm. The High School Varsity Girls’ team, under ACS alumnus Kaylee Breunig (’12) in her 2nd year as head coach, is hosting Abundant Life Academy from Nutley, NJ.  The Varsity Boys, under Dan Carney in his 3rd year as head coach, will be playing Friday and Saturday in a tournament at Doane Academy in Burlington.

The Middle School Girls’ basketball team, under new head coach and ACS alumnus Grant Miller (’07), will begin its season playing in a tournament hosted by the Atlantic County Institute of Technology in Mays Landing, with its first game on December 4 at ACIT starting at 7:30 p.m.  The Middle School Boys’ team, under new head coach and ACS staff member Lee Martin, will play its season opener on Tuesday, December 18, facing off against Cape Christian at 5:15 p.m., following the Girls’ game which will begin at 4 p.m.  Come on out and root for our Cougars! Information on all upcoming games can be found on the High School and Middle School Calendars posted on the ACS website under the Athletics tab.

School Nurse Conducting Health Screenings Next Week for K-12 Students

School nurse Carrie Jorgenson will be conducting NJ state-required health screenings from December 3-6 for students in kindergarten through the 12th grade.  All students will be screened for height, weight, and blood pressure. Students may also be screened for vision, hearing, and scoliosis, depending on their grade level. Mrs. Jorgenson will notify parents and guardians if their child is in need of a referral for further evaluation.  Students from ACIT’s Health Assistance program will assist with the screening process under the guidance and supervision of Mrs. Jorgenson. If you do not wish to have your child screened, you must notify Mrs. Jorgenson in writing at cjorgenson@acseht.org  or with a note sent into the school office. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the screenings, Mrs. Jorgenson can be reached at 609-653-1199, ext. 317.

Christmas Door Decorating Contest Begins Dec. 5 – Vote for Your Favorites on Facebook Dec. 10-17

ACS students and teachers will begin decorating their classroom doors next week for the Christmas season. Classes will compete for prizes with winners to be determined by on-line voting on Facebook.

Photographs of each classroom door will be posted on the ACS Facebook page. Voting will open at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, December 10 and will close at 8:00 p.m. on Monday, December 17.

The Early Ed classroom door, the Elementary classroom door, and the Middle School/High School classroom door with the most “likes” will each win a special prize to be shared by all the class members.

Make plans now to go to the ACS Facebook page between December 10 and 17 to cast your vote with a “like” for your favorite door. Winners will be announced at the December 21 all-school Christmas Chapel.

High School Students Attend Leadership Conference in Washington, DC; Focus on God-Honoring Ways to Respond to Human Suffering

Twelve ACS high school students attended a leadership conference November 18-20 in Washington, DC that focused on human suffering around the world and how to respond to that suffering through the lens of God’s Word. The annual conference was sponsored by the Association of Christian Schools International and drew over 400 students from Christian high schools in the Northeast.

The students participated in large and small group sessions that explored how humans are stripped of their inherent value and dignity through typical responses to issues such as poverty, human trafficking, physician assisted suicide, abortion, and other problems that plague our society.

Upper School Principal Meg McHale, who attended the conference with the students, said the speakers challenged the students to use the inspiration they felt from the conference to transform how they looked at and valued others within their world and to take action. McHale said that in the final session the students worked together to begin planning a response to one of the issues that each school group chose to address and that the ACS group chose to focus on the issue of human trafficking.

The conference activities also included worship, a presentation by comedian Keith Coast, and an afternoon guided tour of the Capitol Building, led by American Christian Tours, that incorporated interesting and inspiring facts about the role of Christian principles in the founding of our nation. The students who attended the trip were: Elizabeth Alford, Rudy Dalinger, Rebekah Darragh, Emily Elgersma, Solomon Griffith, Paige Hoover, Ashleigh Martin, Joshua Mizrahi, Lola Oguntuase, Sydney Pearson Imohimi Unuigbe, and Caraline Winkel.

 

 

 

 

 

ACS Hosting Family-Favorite Christmas Model Train Display, Open Saturdays in December, January

ACS is excited to host the Shoreline Model Railroad Club’s 2018 Christmas Train Display. The 55′ x 16′ Lionel-style model train layout includes over 300 feet of railway track as well as dozens of hand-crafted buildings, scenery and characters — not to mention the operating contemporary and vintage trains and accessories! Located in Annex Building #2, the display is open every Saturday through January 26, 2019, from 10 am to 2 pm, and admission is free.

CLICK HERE to read a November 8 Current newspaper article with more photos and interesting details about the train display at ACS.

Poinsettia Sale Provides Funds for Junior Class & Take Note Ensemble Carnegie Hall Trip

Thank you to the parents, faculty, staff, local businesses, and friends of ACS that purchased beautiful poinsettia plants for the Christmas season. The net proceeds from the poinsettia sale will support the Junior Class and the high school “Take Note” Choral ensemble’s exciting trip to New York in January, where they will be performing with Christian solo artist Lauren Daigle.  The poinsettias purchased will be decorating the ACS stage at our December 13 and 14 Christmas concerts. Anyone who purchased a plant will be able to pick them up after any one of those concerts. Thank you for your support.

Stockton Professor Holds Clarinet Workshop for 4th & 5th Grade Band Members

On Wednesday, November 28, Dr. Christopher DiSanto, Associate Professor at Stockton University’s School of Arts and Humanities, visited ACS to work with 4th and 5th grade band students in a clarinet workshop. DiSanto, who was invited to ACS by Music Director Jaron Beadle, teaches music appreciation, music theory, and conducting at Stockton. He is also the Principal Clarinetist of the Bay Atlantic Symphony and director of its Music Mentorship program. This initiative affords selected Stockton music students the opportunity to be paired with musicians from the Bay Atlantic Symphony who act as mentors in a unique setting as visiting instrumental specialists in local middle and high school music programs.

During his one-hour workshop with the ACS students, he taught several key concepts for beginning clarinetists, focusing especially on fingering techniques. Dr. DiSanto made the learning fun with games using the white board and ping pong balls. He concluded his session with an impressive demonstration of virtuosity on his instrument, playing an intricate, up-tempo piece that left the young band members oohing, aahing, and excited to play.

 

 

A Thanksgiving Message from Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen

Dear ACS Family,

This Thanksgiving, I am grateful for all of God’s extraordinary blessings in my life. With gratitude to our great God, I realize that everything I have that is good — and everything that I am — is a gift from God. God, the one from whom all blessings flow, lavishes on each of us His gifts freely and generously.

This past weekend, my heart was bursting with pride as I watched our students perform in our school production of “Elft the Musical, Jr.” I was filled with gratitude that this production gave so many students the opportunity to discover and develop their God-given gifts and talents.

This Thanksgiving, I am especially grateful to serve in a school where God is glorified in all that we do and where the name of Jesus Christ can be freely proclaimed. I thank God for each and every one of you. I pray you each have a blessed and joyful Thanksgiving!

Karen M. Oblen, M.Ed.
Chief School Administrator

  Philippians 1:3-4 — “I thank my God for you every time I think of you; and every time I pray for you all, I pray with joy.”

ACS Students Show Love, Appreciation to Grandparents on Special Day

Over 450 grandparents visited the ACS campus on Friday, November 16 for our annual Grandparents’ Appreciation Day. The PreK4 students warmly welcomed the grandparents as they sang “Happy Grandparents Day” to open the all-school chapel. The chapel program continued with students from elementary through high school praising God through musical presentations, scripture recitation, and prayer.  There were also some humorous highlights, including a student in a turkey gobbler costume running around the stage as the kindergartners sang “Turkey Time,” under the direction of Mrs. Shirlene Perini.

The keynote speaker, Mr. Greg Loomer, shared some light-hearted anecdotes about his four grandchildren who attend ACS — Cole, Cruz, Jayson, and Reyna Lewis — describing the joy he and his wife, Juanita, get from spending time with and investing in the lives their grandchildren. “Grandchildren are our crown and it is so important for us as grandparents to love them and support them at every opportunity we are given,” Loomer said. He also said he was grateful for a school like Atlantic Christian and its faculty and staff who are investing in each student and training them up in God’s Word.

The chapel program included several student musical groups performing for the first time in this school year. The high school “Take Note Choral Ensemble,” under the direction of Mr. Jaron Beadle, made its debut performing “What a Beautiful Name It Is,” and a new Middle School Worship Team sang “O Come to the Altar,” showcasing Tommy Ellison and Yariah Wilkins as soloists.  Before the close of the program, the grandparents got a sneak preview of that night’s upcoming show, “Elf the Musical, Jr.,” with the cast performing one of the lively numbers entitled “Sparklejollytwinklejingley.” Senior Class Vice-President Solomon Griffith closed the program in prayer.

After the chapel program, the grandparents visited various classrooms where their grandchildren proudly shared examples of their classroom projects and gave them hand-made gifts.  The grandparents also had the opportunity to visit the Scholastic Book Fair in the school library and see the Shoreline Model Railroad Club’s model train Christmas display.

CLICK FOR GRANDPARENTS DAY PHOTOS

 

 

Thank You for Supporting Our Scholastic Book Fair

Thank you to the many parents, grandparents, and other family members who supported the Scholastic Book Fair held last week in the school library. Our Book Fair sales exceeded $6,000 and helped ACS earn over $2,000 that can be used to purchase library books, projectors, and other technology, according to Diane Ash, Elementary Computers and Library Coordinator, who oversaw the Fair. Subscriptions to the Scholastic News magazine for our K-5 classrooms will also be purchased from the proceeds of the Fair.

 

Middle School Basketball Tryouts Next Week, Cheerleading Begins

Middle School Basketball try-outs will be held on Monday, November, 26.  The girls’ team, coached by Mr. Grant Miller, will have tryouts at Greentree Church located at 125 School House Road, Egg Harbor Township. The boys’ team, coached by Mr. Lee Martin, will have tryouts at Linwood Community Church located at 1838 Shore Road, Linwood. Transportation to practice will be provided, but students will need to be picked up from their practice location. The girls’ practice will end at 5:00 pm and the boys’ will end at 5:30 pm.

Cheerleading, coached by Mrs. Kelly Flynn, will have an orientation meeting and begin practice at 3:15 pm in the bus loop foyer.

Christmas Poinsettia Sale Kicks Off This Week – Orders Due by November 30

ACS is selling beautiful poinsettia plants for the Christmas season and the proceeds will support the ACS Junior Class and the ACS “Take Note Choral Ensemble,” which will be performing at Carnegie Hall with Christian artist Lauren Daigle in January. A poinsettia sale flyer with an order form was sent home with Early Ed-8th grade students this week.  All orders must be received in the school office by Friday, November 30.

The poinsettias are available in three colors — red,  pink, and white — and come in four different sizes — a 6.5-inch pot with 1 plant and 3-6 blooms; a 7.5-inch pot with 2 plants and 6-12 blooms; an 8.5-inch pot with 3 plants and 12-16 blooms; and a 10-inch pot with 4 plants and 16+ blooms. The prices for the poinsettias range from $12 to $40 each.  The poinsettias will be used to decorate the ACS stage in the gymnasium for our December Christmas concerts and the plants can be picked up after any one of the performances on December 13 and 14.

CLICK HERE to view or print out the flyer with the order form. Thank you for your support.

ACS Students Participate in State, National Recycle Bowl Contest, Also Create Art From Recycled Materials

ACS students participated in a month-long contest focused on promoting recycling that concluded on November 15. Middle school students, under the direction of science teacher Celine Melody, collected bags of recycling from elementary classrooms and administrative offices each week, and weighed and tallied the amount collected as the part of their school’s participation in the state and national Recycle Bowl contest. High school students also collected and tabulated the school’s recycling efforts carried out in classrooms and offices on the second floor of the school building. The Atlantic County Utilities Authority assisted ACS in organizing the contest, which has the goal of establishing and increasing recycling programs and awareness in schools.  Mrs. Melody will be submitting the school’s final tallies for the contest in mid-December.

In addition to the state and national contest, elementary level classes were paired with different middle school classes into four different teams that competed for an intra-school contest to see which team could collect the most recycled items. The combined team of the two kindergarten classes and the 6th grade classes came in first place, collecting a total of 179 pounds of recycling.  The team of Mrs. Coates’ 8B class , Mr. Tardif’s 4B class, and the 5th grade classes came in a close second place, collecting 171 pounds of recycling.

“We’re really proud of the effort and enthusiasm from all of our students during the contest and we want to keep encouraging recycling throughout the rest of the school year,” said Mrs. Melody. The winning classes were announced during chapel on November 30 and each class received an ACUA “Supercan” stuffed toy to keep in their classrooms until next year’s contest. In December, the kindergarten classes will also receive the prize of a movie and popcorn party and the 6th grade class will enjoy a movie and ice cream party.

The theme of recyling and finding ways to re-purpose recycled items carried over into Mrs. Mirakian’s art classes as well.  An 8th grade art class created 3-D tree sculptures made from recycled materials that were put on display in late October in the hallway outside the Art Room. To begin the recycled art project, the students first went outside to look at trees planted in different locations on the school campus. Mrs. Mirakian had the students create a 2-dimensional drawing of one of the trees they had seen, taking note of the tree’s trunk, branches, leaves, and other structural parts, and the surface area surrounding the tree trunk.  The students were then given the task of building a 3-D sculpture based on their drawing and using a variety of recycled materials, such as puzzles pieces, newspaper, bottle caps, old pennies, bubblewrap, and paper towel rolls.

 

 

Staff Spotlight — New Upper School English and History Teachers

ACS is excited to welcome three more new teachers to our Upper School this year. Catie Lee (left), our new Middle School English teacher, comes to ACS after three years of teaching in Pittsgrove Township and at Ambassador Christian Academy. She has a Bachelor’s in Education with a minor in Special Ed. from Liberty University. She is currently working on a Master’s from Liberty as well. Lee and her husband, Casey, attend Kingsway Church in Glassboro where she serves on the Events Team. “I feel so blessed to be at ACS this year,” Lee says. “It is awesome to be part of a team that truly is ‘all in’ for Jesus.”

Amy Whisman (center) teaches High School History, applying both her Master’s degree in History from Liberty University and her teaching experience in local church and home-school settings. The Whisman family worships at Milmay Christian Church where Amy serves in women’s, children’s, and worship ministries, while her husband David is the lead minister. Joining Mrs. Whisman at ACS is her daughter, Rachel, who is in 10th grade.

Katie Callahan (right), a 2009 ACS alumna, teaches High School English. She has a BS in Psychology from Messiah College and an MFA in Creative Writing from Rutgers-Camden. Before joining the ACS faculty, Callahan was an adjunct English instructor at Camden County College and Atlantic Cape Community College. She attends Fellowship Community Church in Collingswood, NJ and leads a young adult community group there. “I am excited to be working at my alma mater,” Callahan said, “because I had wonderful teachers who encouraged me in Christ yet also pushed me to think for myself, and I get to be that teacher for so many unique, spiritually hungry kids. I also get to expose my students daily to what I believe are some of God’s greatest gifts to us: the abilities to create and communicate through writing, and the appreciation of those abilities in others through reading.”

K-12 Picture Make-Up Day – December 3

School picture retakes for students in grades K-12 will be on Monday,  December 3. Students who missed the first Picture Day should pick up a form in the office.  Students who would like to have their picture retaken must return their original picture packet on Retake Day.  Please remember that the dress code for pictures requires an ACS polo shirt. Gym clothes, ACS hoodies and sports gear are not to be worn.

8th Graders Create 3-D Tree Sculptures From Recycled Materials

Students in Mrs. Mirakian’s 8A art class recently created 3-D tree sculptures made from recycled materials. The sculptures have been on display since late October in the first floor hallway outside the Art Room. To begin the recycled art project, the students first went outside to look at trees planted in different locations on the school campus. Mrs. Mirakian had the students create a 2-dimensional drawing of one of the trees they had seen, taking note of the tree’s trunk, branches, leaves, and other structural parts, and the surface area surrounding the tree trunk.  The students were then given the task of building a 3-D sculpture based on their drawing and using a variety of recycled materials, such as puzzles pieces, newspaper, bottle caps, old pennies, bubblewrap, and paper towel rolls.

Second Graders Learn All About Plants, Share Knowledge Through Poster Project

The students in Miss Williams’ 2nd grade class have been learning all about stems, leaves, roots, and other parts of plants during a recent science unit. The students created colorful and informative posters about the plants that they chose to study. The posters have been on display in the hallway outside their classroom for the past month and feature interesting facts about a variety of plants including sunflowers, tulips, tomatoes, buttercups, and primrose.

 

3rd Graders Set Sail for Learning with Mayflower Writing Project

The students in Mrs. McCarthy’s 3rd grade class recently took a trip back in time to write creative essays on the topic, “You have a ticket on the Mayflower…” The students first stained their paper with tea to make it look old then they started the writing process — brainstorming, first draft (a.k.a. “sloppy copy”), final draft. Writing from the point of view of a Pilgrim, they answered questions such as, “How are you feeling about the journey?” “Why are you leaving?” “What are you worried about?” and “What will you take with you?”

When the project was completed, students agreed, “We all were very thankful to God that we have the luxuries of this day and age and not the hardships that the Pilgrims faced in 1620.”

Students Make Eye-Catching Strawberry Shortcakes in Middle School Cooking Class

Middle school students learned how to assemble and create eye-catching strawberry shortcakes during their November 6 cooking class with chef instructor Dan Carney. The students made whipping cream from scratch and then iced the shortcakes with the whipping cream. They also learned how to cut and slice fresh strawberries in a variety of shapes and used the strawberries and  fresh mint to decorate the cakes.  “This class is a great way for students to get excited about cooking and to learn how to prepare healthy food that can taste good and look good too,” said Mr. Carney, who is in his second year teaching both middle school and high school cooking classes.

ACS Kicks Off the Christmas Season With a Sparkly, Jingly Production of Elf the Musical, Jr.

ACS ushered in the Christmas season with a sparkly, jingly production of “Elf the Musical, Jr.” on November 16 and 17 on the stage in the school gymnasium.  In his first-ever leading role in a musical, 13-year-old 8th grader Hunter Jorgenson gave a heart-warming performance as Buddy the Elf, along with the talented and seasoned young actress 11th grader Ashleigh Martin in the role of his love-interest Jovie.

One of Buddy’s most memorable lines — “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear” — was carried out throughout the musical as the cast of 42 students from the 1st to the 12th grades energetically and enthusiastically sang and danced in eleven musical numbers that even included a Broadway-style kick-line.  In addition to Jorgenson as Buddy, other standouts and newcomers to the stage included 10th grader Joshua “JJ” Jacoby, playing the role of Buddy’s real father and children’s book publisher, Walter Hobbs, and 5th grader Caden Kim, as Buddy’s younger brother, Michael Hobbs. Memorable and humorous cameo appearances were given by senior Imohimi Unuigbe as Santa, and senior Mikai Browne as fake Santa. 9th grader Destiny Brewer gave a solid performance as Mrs. Hobbs, along with two young actors from Sojourn Productions, Sean Walls as book publisher Mr. Greenway, and Michael Mercadante as the Macy’s store manager.

“This musical was a real crowd pleaser and we were thrilled to see over 700 people come out to see the production and give our students a well-deserved standing ovation at both performances,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen. Show Director and Producer Amy Culleny said she was so proud of the young and largely novice cast and how hard they worked to achieve a polished production in just 10 short weeks once rehearsals got underway in mid-September.

“Most of the cast had never been in a show before, but they worked hard in every rehearsal and it paid off with a great show,” Culleny said. “They had a lot of fun and now both the students in the cast and many who watched in the audience are asking about being part of a future production.” Culleny, who is director of the Sojourn Productions Theater Arts Academy in Galloway, said it has been seven years since the last ACS drama or musical production, which she directed, and with the success of this fall’s show she hopes to direct another show next fall.  Culleny also thanked ACS parents, friends, and businesses in the community who supported the effort by purchasing tickets and playbill and electronic ads, making it possible to meet and exceed all the production costs.

Culleny said the success of the “Elf the Musical, Jr.” production was a team effort, thanking a talented crew for their contributions and for ACS parents Kelly Flynn and Carrie Jorgenson for supporting the cast and production behind the scenes. Emily Perkins of Sojourn Productions served as choreographer. ACS staff member Lee Martin was the Music Director and Technical Director who used digital imagery on a large background screen to enhance the setting of each scene, from Buddy’s walk through the Lincoln Tunnel and the glittering lights of Times Square to creating snowfall in Central Park and images of Santa flying through the sky on his sleigh.  Thanks to creative set design and props overseen by Havilah Shorten, the story-line moved along seamlessly, with memorable scenes set in Santa’s workshop and Macy’s department store. Faculty member Shirlene Perini contributed her talents as a seamstress to create colorful costumes hand-made to size for each of the 20 elves, bringing the scenes in Santa’s workshop to life. The elves also brought the show to an exciting close as they came down into the audience, smiling and laughing as they handed out candy-canes.

After the curtain call and final bows by the cast and crew, the “Elf the Musical, Jr.” production concluded with a brief sermonette by Musical and Technical Director Lee Martin that focused on the true meaning of Christmas. He drew parallels between the fantastical story of Buddy the Elf, who left Santa and the North Pole to find his real father, Walter Hobbs, and the need that every person has to get to know their father in heaven. “Christmas is all about a God who loves his children unconditionally and who gave the gift of eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ,” Martin said. “This is the true spirit of Christmas that we hope you will carry with you throughout this season.”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE ELF, JR. PHOTOS