Over 200 family members, faculty, and staff gathered for a time of prayer, worship, and presentation of awards and scholarships for the 29 seniors in the Class of 2023 at the Baccalaureate Service held at the Flanders Hotel in Ocean City on June 7. Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen welcomed everyone to the service and senior Reyna Lewis gave the opening prayer.

Seniors Tommy Ellison, Jr. and Jada Logan led a time of worship and three faculty members — science teacher Dave Genter, Bible teacher Urick Lewis, and writing teacher Laura Mills — gave parting words of advice from scripture, encouraging the seniors to continue growing in their knowledge of God and to surrender to God’s will and purpose for their lives.

“We will all be praying for each one of you and we know that there is nothing this world can do to change the beautiful masterpiece God is making of you,” Mills said. “Remember that if God is for us, who can be against us?” Genter charged the seniors to go out as light in the world — as Christ’s ambassadors. “Don’t be ashamed of the things of Christ — be bold, but with a deep sense of love,” Genter said. Lewis encouraged the seniors to be confident that “God has everything in control so if you’re in Him, you have everything you need.”

The class posed for a group photo after each senior received a commendation certificate from the New Jersey State Assembly. The program concluded with Board of Directors’ vice chair Robert Barberio, whose son, Robby, was in the senior class, offering a prayer for God’s blessing on the Class of 2023.

A variety of scholarships and awards were presented during the program. Valedictorian Paige Noble and Salutatorian Reyna Lewis were recognized and received the Academic Achievement Scholarships. Fifteen students received certificates for Highest Honors, for earning a GPA of 3.8 or higher, and four students received a certificate for High Honors, for earning a GPA of 3.5-3.79.

Ten students who attended ACS continuously since kindergarten received a $100 gift from the Parent-Teacher Fellowship, presented by PTF President Terry Vogel, who encouraged the students to take their parents out to dinner to thank them for making the financial sacrifice to send them to ACS.

Following is a list of the special scholarship and award recipients:

• Academic Achievement Scholarship: Reyna Lewis and Paige Noble
• The 5:14 Award, based on 1 Thessalonians 5:14 (in honor of former faculty member Kim Ordile, to the senior who has shown themselves to be the most encouraging): Maddie DeNick
• Community Service Scholarship, sponsored by former Egg Harbor Township Mayor Paul Hodson: Paige Noble
• Garrett-Freeman Memorial Music and Art Scholarship (sponsored by ACS alumni parent Barbara Freeman): Tommy Ellison, Jr.
• Christian Ministry Scholarship (sponsored by David Hawthorne in honor of Pastor John Sheldon, who was retiring from First Presbyterian Church in Ocean City): Paige Noble
• COMPASS Award (for senior seeking to serve in education): Paige Noble
• American Red Cross Blood Drive Recruitment Award (for senior involved in planning/recruitment of school blood drives): Maddie DeNick
• Senior Art Award (for senior seeking to use their artistic gifts in further studies): Lauren Kent
• Parent-Teacher Fellowship Scholarship (best essay describing the impact ACS has had on their life, in particular noting the impact of specific teachers): Maddie DeNick (1st place); Tommy Ellison, Jr. and Reyna Lewis (tied for 2nd place)