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Congratulations, Class of 2022!

ACS marked its 29th Commencement on June 10 with various speakers challenging the 20 students in the Class of 2022 to trust God’s plan for their lives, to be bold and courageous in their faith, and to seek to honor God in everything they say and do as they move on to the next chapter of their lives.

“It is my prayer that God would continue to guide and direct you as you walk into your future and that the Lord will fill you with faith, hope, love, and wisdom as you serve Him with the gifts and talents that He has given each of you,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen, who welcomed the parents, faculty, staff, and friends to the ceremony held in the school gym that was also live-streamed on the ACS YouTube channel. Oblen then introduced 2015 alumnus Samuel Karabashian, who encouraged the graduates to be bold and speak up for what is right, even though you may not be in the majority.

Commencement keynote speaker Pastor Tony Montemurro of Calvary Chapel Gateway urged the graduates to exercise courage to do the right thing, drawing his message from chapter one in the book of Joshua, where God speaks wisdom and encouragement to help Joshua as he moved forward into a leadership role over the Israelites. “Like Joshua, you will be faced with difficult challenges ahead and will be tempted to turn away from God’s Truth,” Montemurro said. “That’s why you must resolve to let God’s Word be the sovereign authority over your life.” In a prayer of blessing over the graduates, Pastor Montemurro proclaimed — “May you become the next generation of Daniels and Esthers.”

Salutatorian Andres Cores

Salutatorian Andres Cores, 18, of Egg Harbor Township, noted that it took determination, perseverance, patience, hard work, and even sacrifice for he and his fellow classmates to make it to graduation day, and thanked ACS teachers and families for the important role that they played. “I have no doubt that every graduate here will find a way to succeed in their life, and I encourage you to pursue what is most dear to you, what you feel can make a difference.” Cores, who finished with a 4.18 GPA, will be attending Stockton University to major in physical therapy.

Valedictorian Elizabeth Alford

Valedictorian Elizabeth Alford, 18, of Egg Harbor Township, also thanked the teachers at ACS for the positive impact they had on each graduate. “Every teacher here has been such a blessing to all of our lives,” Alford said. “They have laughed with us, cried with us, prayed with us, and shaped who we are as children today.” Alford noted that she and her fellow classmates have “big dreams” to become future pro athletes, doctors, teachers, lawyers, engineers, and to have families of their own. “We want the best for our lives, but that begins when we start putting our faith and trust in God and relying on Him through anything that may come our way,” Alford said. Alford, who achieved a 4.20 GPA, will be attending Cedarville University in the fall to pursue a nursing degree.

Alford, and two other graduates, Caeli Barbour and Destiny Brewer, shared their musical talents during the program singing “The Commission.”  The three had been members of the High School Praise and Worship Team that led worship at weekly chapel.

Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen, Upper School Principal Meg McHale, and Board of Directors’ Chair Les Tomlinson participated in the presentation of the diplomas to the graduates. After receiving their diplomas, the graduates stepped out into the audience to present their parents and guardians with long stemmed roses as a gesture of gratitude.

As each graduate was introduced, McHale announced the various awards and scholarships that students had received. She noted that the Class of 2022 was collectively receiving over $405,000 in college scholarships, after being offered some $825,000 from the schools they applied to. Four graduates plan to serve in the U.S. military. Board Chair Les Tomlinson gave the benediction to close the program.

CLICK HERE to watch the Commencement ceremony on the ACS YouTube channel.

CLICK HERE for an online photo gallery of the Commencement ceremony on the ACS website. Photo credits: John Loreaux.

 

Class of 2022 Blessed by Special Scholarships from Local Church, Community Supporters, and School Staff

Eight senior boys receive scholarships from Calvary Chapel Gateway church for completing a church-sponsored mentoring program for young men.

A number of seniors in the Class of 2022 were blessed with special scholarships donated by a local church, supporters in the community, and school faculty and staff.  These scholarships were presented at Baccalaureate and at two other events and will go towards the students’ college or other educational or vocational expenses.

On May 21, Pastor Tony Montemurro of Calvary Chapel Gateway church presented $1,000 scholarships to eight senior boys who completed a mentoring program sponsored by the church. The program, called BASIC, focused on helping each young man develop Biblically-based character traits to prepare them to “Man-Up” as they transition into adult life as men of God.

The eight boys met with Pastor Montemurro twice a month on Tuesday mornings before school from October 2021 to April 2022 to receive lessons on a variety of topics, such as discipline, decision-making, stewardship, sacrifice, and humility.

“We viewed this course to be like basic training to equip these young men with God’s idea of manhood and to help them be able to defend against self-destructive ways,” Pastor Montemurro said. “I was honored to have had the time to share Biblical truths and life lessons with them and invest into their lives so they can be armed with wisdom and become solid and stable godly men.”

The recipients of this new scholarship, who completed all 12 sessions, were: Hyeonbin (Joseph) Choi, Hyeonjin (Isaac) Choi, Andres Cores, Joshua Guevara, Minjun (David) Kim, Cole Lewis, Joshua Schlundt, and Quinn Schrag.

Elizabeth Alford receives the 2022 Jonathan B. DeMario Memorial Science Award.

During chapel on May 26, senior Elizabeth Alford was presented with the 2022 Jonathan B. DeMario Memorial Science Award by Helen DeMario. The $1,000 award was established by John and Helen DeMario to preserve the memory of their son, Jonathan, and to reward students interested in pursuing a vocation in science. Jonathan DeMario was a physicist and environmental engineer whose life was cut short in 2012 at the age of 34 after a battle with cancer. Alford will be attending Cedarville University in the fall of 2022 to pursue a degree in nursing.

Elizabeth Alford and Destiny Brewer receive the Parent-Teacher Fellowship Christian Service Scholarship.

Several other scholarships were presented to seniors at Baccalaureate on June 7. Those scholarships and their recipients were:

  • The Academic Achievement Awards for the Valedictorian and Salutatorian, sponsored by ACS — Elizabeth Alford (valedictorian) and Andres Cores (Salutatorian)
  • The Mayor Paul Hodson Community Service Award, sponsored by Egg Harbor Township Mayor Hodson — Elizabeth Alford and Amber Ramos
  • The Garrett-Freeman Memorial Music and Art Scholarship, sponsored by alumni parent Barbara Freeman — Shermia Liggins, who will be pursuing a degree in photography at the Academy of Art University
  • The 5:14 Award, based on 1 Thessalonians 5:14, sponsored by ACS in memory of past ACS staff member Kim Ordile, who had an encouraging spirit — Caeli Barbour
  • The Senior Art Award, sponsored by ACS art teacher Sherry Mirakian — Joshua Guevara
  • The COMPASS Award, sponsored by ACS faculty and staff for a student seeking to pursue a career in education or Christian ministry — Caeli Barbour
  • The Egg Harbor Township Volunteer Fire Department’s Chief Anthony “Tony” Canale Scholarship in memory of Tony Canale — Elizabeth Alford
  • The American Red Cross Blood Drive Recruitment Award — Elizabeth Alford
  • The Parent-Teacher Fellowship Christian Service Scholarships — Destiny Brewer and Elizabeth Alford

 

 

New Teacher Spotlight: Welcome to Mrs. Gomez, Mr. Rosie, and Miss Whisman


ACS is pleased to welcome and spotlight several faculty members who are new to the ACS staff this fall or have moved into new positions — Mrs. Estefany Gomez, Mr. Tim Rosie, and Miss Megan Whisman. Please pray with us that God will bless and guide them as they teach, mentor, and serve as Christian role models for our students.
Estefany Gomez is a new face in our Upper School for the 2020-2021 school year. She is teaching Middle School and High School Spanish, as well as 4th and 5th grade Spanish. Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, Estefany enjoys teaching her native language to her students and also sharing with them how following God’s plan for her life led her to ACS. She was planning to be an engineer when she started college at the Dominico Americano University, but God had a different plan and she eventually changed direction and earned a BA in education.

After getting married and moving to the United States, Estefany and her husband Miguel made their home in Atlantic City. They have two children, Graciela and Miguel Andres, and they are active in the Ciudad De Luz church, where Estefany leads the Children’s Ministry. Estefany started out part-time at ACS in 2018 teaching elementary Spanish. “I love working at ACS — I feel very much at home,” Estefany said.
A pivotal Bible verse that first impacted Estefany when she heard the gospel preached at the age of 14 is Jeremiah 1:5, which says: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Please give Estefany a warm ACS welcome as she follows her calling to be a light for Christ as she teaches Spanish to our 4th-12th grade students.
Tim Rosie is our new Director of K-12 Choral and Instrumental Music, which includes leading our Elementary and Middle School Bands and our Middle School and High School Choirs. Tim and his wife Stephanie live in Egg Harbor Township and met at Cedarville University, where they were both music majors. Tim is an accomplished trombone player, an instrument he first took up in the 5th grade.
Born and raised in Somers Point, he played in Mainland High School’s Jazz Band, Wind Ensemble, and Marching Band, and is now also serving as the brass tech for the band. Tim has been sharing his love of music, and especially brass instruments, with budding young musicians for over 11 years as a private teacher in Texas and New Jersey.
You can also find Tim in church on Sundays leading praise and worship at Faith Bible Baptist Church in Egg Harbor Township. Please join us in welcoming Tim to ACS.
 
Megan Whisman is starting her first full school year at ACS, having joined the faculty last spring just a few weeks before the coronavirus outbreak closed the campus and moved classroom learning online. Megan is excited to be sharing her love of reading and American and British literature with her students in the 8th to 12th grades.
“The books we’re reading, even though they were written many years ago, are full of universal themes and truths that apply to everyone and are still relevant today,” Megan said. “We’re still wrestling with the same thoughts and ideas and some of these ideas have transformed the world.”  Some of her favorite books include The Hobbit, Pride and Prejudice, Crime and Punishment, and A Christmas Carol.  Megan earned her BA in humanities from Cincinnati Christian University and is now working on a Master’s degree in teaching with a concentration in English from Liberty University.
Born in North Carolina, Megan and her family relocated to New Jersey when she was seven. She is the second of four children and has been active in her father’s church, Milmay Christian Church. She enjoys working as a fellow teacher at ACS with her mother, Amy, who teaches high school history, and likes being able to wave an occasional hello in the hallway to her sister, Rachel, who is an ACS senior. In her spare time, Megan enjoys reading, writing, baking, and hiking.