Post Tagged with: "Bridge Academy"

Students Share Eye-Opening Experiences Serving on Missions Trips to Coatesville, the Bahamas, and South Africa Over Spring Break

Thirty-eight middle school and high school students served as the hands and feet of Jesus during three missions trips over Easter Break in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, the Bahamas, and South Africa. A number of the students and chaperones talked about their experiences and showed videos highlighting their trips during Upper School Chapel on May 25.

Several of the students who spoke described their experiences as “eye-opening,” including 7th grader Grace Lushina, who was one of 19 students who served in Coatesville. The team worked with underprivileged children who attend the Bridge Academy, an after-school program that meets in the Providence Church. They helped students with their homework, played with them, did some light cleaning, and helped cook dinner.

“The kids were so easy to work with and they always had smiles on their faces,” Lushina said. “I felt so blessed to be there and I hope to go back next year.”

A team of four high school students spent time in South Africa at an orphanage in Kwa Kwa founded by ACS parents Scott and Michelle Johnson. 12th graders Tommy Ellison, Moges Johnson, and Cruz Lewis went on the trip as part of their Senior Project, and also took with them 27 bags of clothes and supplies that they had collected for the orphans.

Tommy had the opportunity to play the guitar and lead worship with the children during daily chapel time at the orphanage’s school, including the song “Waymaker,” which he said was a favorite with the children, who joyously sang along with him. The team also performed skits about different Bible stories, including about Jesus’ death and resurrection. His parents, Tom and Polly Ellison, also traveled with the team to South Africa, serving as chaperones.

Cruz enjoyed playing with the children. “All they wanted was to be loved and it really touched my heart,” Cruz said. “I really encourage all of you to go on any missions trip that ACS offers — it will change your life.” Cruz admitted that being on stage to act in the skits pushed him out of his comfort zone, “but I did it because I wanted them to see Jesus through us.”

10th grader Sophia Johnson, who also went on the South Africa trip, shared the good news that during the trip 48 men, women, and children were baptized in a nearby river and that 200 children at the orphanage gave their life to Christ. Sophia also said her family is now allowing children to be adopted from the orphanage and that her family is adopting a five-year-old girl that will hopefully be coming to ACS next year.

12th grader Hunter Jorgenson was one of 19 students who served in the Bahamas, supporting the efforts of missionary Bob Mastin of the Caribbean Youth Network. Some of the team’s activities included helping with a youth soccer clinic, reading books and doing crafts with residents at a camp for the handicapped, picking up litter on a beach, and leading a Vacation Bible School at a Haitian church.

“I was really impacted by the people at the handicapped camp — seeing their joy in God alone when they had nothing else,” Hunter said. 11th grader Haven Sanchez talked about how the experience taught her an important lesson about contentment. “I saw people living in shacks with no air conditioning or plumbing, and yet everyone had a smile on their face even though they had very little,” Haven said. “I want to be as content in my life as they were and keep my focus on walking closer with the Lord.”

Missions Club Advisor Dave Genter closed out the chapel and encouraged ACS students to consider going on a missions trip next year. “As Christians, we are told to go into the world and preach the gospel and show God’s love to everyone we meet,” Genter said. “That’s what missions is all about.”

Since 2008, close to 390 students have now gone on ACS missions trips and learned first-hand about the joy of serving God by serving others.

 

 

Middle School, High School Students to Share God’s Love With Children in Coatesville During Easter Break Missions Trip

Fifteen middle school students and five high school students will spend part of Easter break in Coatesville, Pennsylvania doing volunteer service for the Bridge Academy, a non-profit that works with inner-city children from preschool to the 8th grade. The ACS missions team will work with the young people in the Academy’s after-school program and also help with cooking, upkeep of the facility, and other hands-on projects at the Camp at Old Mill, which the Academy uses for summer youth camp programs.

Leading the team as chaperones during the April 10-13 missions trip will be faculty member and ACS parents Daniel Vasquez, his wife, Erin, and school nurse and ACS parent Carrie Jorgenson. Vasquez said the high school students on the trip will be assisting as team leaders, giving them an excellent opportunity to serve and learn valuable leadership skills.

“The goal of this missions trip is to help develop a heart to serve within our students and to understand what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus,” Vasquez said.

The middle school students participating in the trip are: Liam Aspenberg, Ethan Brumble, Aiden Costantini, Christian Delacruz, Caelyn Domsic, Chase Hagel, Brandon Jorgenson, Greta Rebecca Kleinman, Liam Larkin, Grace Lushina, Malena Meyer, Julia Morris, Bezute Ngwabi, Lillian Porreca, and Lexi Wyckoff. The high school trip participants are: Gabriella Goodwin, Manny Johnson, Luke Mills, Kennedy Vasquez, and Malachi Vasquez.

This is the fourth year that an ACS missions team has served in Coatesville at the Bridge Academy, building on a relationship that began in 2017.

CLICK HERE if you would like to make a donation to support the ACS Middle School missions trip to Coatesville or go to: https://acseht.org/giving/online-donation-form. Under the gift category section, choose the Coatesville, PA missions trip. The per person cost is $400.

2020 Yearbooks to Arrive in July; Yearbook Dedicated to Veteran Teacher Lisa Dye

The 2020 Yearbook Cover was designed by 12th grader Lin Xiao, who plans to study art in the fall at Syracuse University.

The 2020 ACS Yearbooks are set to arrive in July, celebrating school events and students’ achievements in a school year significantly impacted and cut short by the coronavirus outbreak. Yearbook Advisor Tori Flath said that artwork designed by 12th grader Lin Xiao was chosen for the yearbook cover and that veteran teacher Lisa Dye was being honored with the yearbook dedication.

Flath said that yearbooks will be shipped in early to mid-July to the school and also directly to a purchaser’s home if the purchaser requested shipment to their home address when placing their order. Families will be notified by email when the yearbooks arrive and advised regarding the pick-up process. Flath said a limited number of yearbooks will be available for purchase from the school office. The cost of a yearbook is $45 and checks should be made payable to Atlantic Christian School, with the word “Yearbook” in the memo line.

Faculty member Lisa Dye, rear left, poses with fellow teachers Sarah Coates, George Dickson, Dena Johnson, and Shirlene Perini at the ACS Back-to-School BBQ in September 2018.

Flath said Dye was selected for the yearbook dedication for her long-standing service at ACS as an elementary and middle school teacher. She has also been active with the Middle School Missions Club, serving as a chaperone on three past missions trips.

The dedication located near the front of the yearbook reads in part — “Ms. Dye is a wonderful example of what it means to have one’s heart transformed into the image of Christ. She is brimming over with great love for each of her students, seeking to help them grow academically and, more importantly, spiritually. She truly is a light for Christ in the school.”

This year marked Dye’s 23rd year in Christian education at ACS. She started as a full-time 1st grade aide in April 1997 and then became a full-time 1st grade teacher that fall. Since then, she has also been a 4th grade and 5th grade teacher and taught Middle School math and Bible. Dye earned a BS in business from Eastern University and holds teaching certifications from the State of New Jersey and the Association of Christian Schools International.

This June, Dye decided to retire from teaching at ACS, but she is looking forward to continuing to be involved in various ways, including as a substitute teacher and as a volunteer with the Middle School Missions Club.

An 8th Grade Bible class, taught by faculty member Lisa Dye, did a chapel presentation for preschool and kindergarten students in October 2019 on the armor of God.
The Middle School Missions Team, with chaperone faculty member Lisa Dye (front far right), served in Philadelphia, PA in April 2019.