Post Tagged with: "High School"

Year-End Chapels Honor Students for Academic Excellence, Christian Conduct, and More

Year-end Awards Chapels on June 7 and 14 recognized students in grades 1-5 and in grades 6, 7, 9, 10, and 11 for their hard work and accomplishments in their academic subjects, as well as in the areas of physical fitness and demonstrating Christian character.

Elementary Principal Gail Alford and middle school faculty member Dan Vasquez both reflected in their chapel remarks on this year’s theme verse from 2 Timothy 3:16-17 — All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.  “God’s Word is given to each of us to equip up for every stage of our life,” Vasquez said. “This summer, allow God’s Word to come alive in your heart and impact how you live and act every day.”

At the Elementary Awards Chapel, 5th grader Maxdiel Ramos gave the opening prayer and the 5th Grade Worship Team led the students in two worship songs. After Alford’s chapel message, students were honored for making the Honor Roll and for significant achievement in physical fitness, music, art, Spanish, and technology. Each classroom teacher also recognized individual students for highest academic average, most improved, and exemplifying Christian character with their fellow classmates. 5th grader Knox Maxwell closed the chapel with prayer.

Athletic Director Pam Hitchner and PE teacher Josh Clark handed out the fitness awards.

Middle School/High School Awards Chapel

At the Middle School/High School Awards Chapel, the Middle School Worship Team opened the chapel with worship, singing “I Thank God” by Maverick City Music and Upperroom and “I Speak Jesus” by Here Be Lions. Upper School Principal Meg McHale then welcomed the students, noting that the program was a time to celebrate and receive awards for various achievements.

“But your true reward is knowing that you have poured yourself out and done the best that you could before the Lord,” McHale said. “God asks us to take the gifts He’s given us and give Him glory by using them and growing and learning so eventually we are able to impact the world for His kingdom.”

Students were then recognized for various achievements, including achieving the highest academic average in their grade and in individual subjects, the Presidential Fitness Awards, the Citizenship Award, and the COMPASS Award for exhibiting outstanding character and Christian testimony. Faculty member Vasquez closed the chapel with a devotional and prayer.

Both awards programs were live streamed and can be viewed on the ACS You Tube channel.

ACS Presents Rescue Mission With $1,517 from Bowls of Hope Benefit; Williams’ 5th Grade Class Wins Bowls of Hope Contest

ACS presented the Atlantic City Rescue Mission with a check for $1,517 on March 9 from the proceeds of the February 4 Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off to help fund the Mission’s important work meeting the needs of the homeless in Atlantic City and surrounding communities. Accepting the check on behalf of the Rescue Mission were Pastor Bill Warner, Vice President of Biblical Education and Policy, and Sara Franklin, Chair of the Mission’s Board of Trustees.

The high school students who helped present the check are members of the Student Council who volunteered at the Bowls of Hope fundraiser. Also participating in the check presentation were Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen, Upper School Principal Meg McHale, and Event Coordinator Christian Delacruz. The Student Council members pictured in the photo are: Isabell Alford, Sophia Costello, Rebecca DiMaio, Zachary Fosbenner, Noah Gibbs, Caden Kim, Evangelina Kim, Autumn Loo, Alli Lushina, Ryleigh Martin, David O’Donnell, Haven Sanchez, Allison Schlundt, Nathan Stein, and Noelle Thompson.

Ms. Williams’ 5th grade class won the Bowls of Hope Classroom Fundraising Contest.

In a separate presentation, Ms. Amy Williams’ 5th grade class was recognized for winning first place in the Bowls of Hope classroom fundraising contest, raising the most funds from ticket sales and sponsorships. The class received a pizza party as its prize.

Thank you to our students, school families, faculty and staff, and friends in the community for helping make our Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off a success.

Congratulations to Top Scholars on 2022-2023 First Semester Honor Roll

Congratulations to our top scholars who made the first semester Honor Roll of the 2022-2023 school year. The Honor Roll, finalized in mid-February, recognizes 331 students from the 1st through 12th grades who have excelled in their academic studies, receiving Highest Honors or Honors designation.

“We are very proud of these students from elementary through high school who have distinguished themselves as top-notch scholars  and earned a place on the Honor Roll,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen. “We are also thankful for our dedicated and highly qualified faculty who encourage our students to excel academically and to seek to honor God with their lives.”

Elementary students in grades 1-5 who earned a 95% average or higher in every major subject received the Highest Honors designation and students who received an 85%-94% average in every major subject received the Honors designation. Middle School and High School students in grades 6-12 who earned a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.8 or higher at the end of the school year received the Highest Honors designation. Students in grades 6-12 who earned a cumulative GPA of 3.5-3.79 received the Honors designation.

CLICK HERE for a complete list of the students from the 1st to 12th grades who achieved Highest Honors or High Honors.

ACS Cheer Team Wins First Place in First Competition of 2023 Season, Seeking to Advance Again to The One Finals in April

The ACS Cheer Team, which earned the prestigious title of National Grand Champion last year in The ONE Finals Junior High Intermediate Division, has earned a first place win in this 2023 season and is setting its sights on advancing to compete again in The One Finals in April. The 20-member team, which is comprised of both middle school and high school students, has also moved up to compete this year in the Varsity Division.

At the January 14 ImpACT Cheer and Dance Challenge held at Brookdale Community College, the ACS Cheer Team earned first place in the Varsity Division, based on points. With this win, the team earned a partial bid to compete again in The ONE Finals in Virginia Beach on April 1-2.

The team is now preparing for its second ImpACT Cheer and Dance Challenge competition on February 5 at the RWJ Barnabas Arena in Toms River and will compete again on March 4 at Brookdale Community College. The goal is to gain additional wins and points to receive a full bid to The ONE Finals.

Head coach Morgan Gibson and assistant coach Michelle Wheeler have been working with the team on a regular basis since September to sharpen their skills and to learn a new competition routine. That new routine was performed for the first time for ACS fans during half-time at the January 20 home basketball games against Gloucester County Christian School.

Fans cheered and clapped as they watched the cheerleaders display their skills in building, tumbling, dance, and creativity. The team will continue to lead cheers and perform its half-time routine at upcoming Friday night Varsity home basketball games.

The 20 students who are participating on the competition cheer team this season are: Ashlee Alford, Ava Barberio, Annalena DiMaio, Rebecca DiMaio, April Eaves, Mackenzie Flynn, Makenzie Fresh, Kylie Jackson, Emily Johnson, Grace Johnson, Abigail Kelley, Ava Lombardi, Autumn Loo, Kiara Loo, Tara Mccorkle, Mia Morales, Madeline Neill, Chelsie Richards, Haven Sanchez, and Makayla Tomlinson.

 

 

ACS Students Competing in ACUA Recycled Art Contest

ACS high school students are competing in the 8th annual Recycled Art Contest sponsored by the Atlantic County Utilities Authority with unique artwork they created in October out of recyclable materials. The artwork will be on display at the ACUA’s America Recycles Day Event on November 19 and contest winners will be announced at the event.

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

The students who are competing in the contest are: Eddie Ireland, Lauren Kent, Alli Lushina, Evan Pearson, Alli Schlundt, Noelle Thompson, Eden Wilson, and Eve Wilson.

Some of the recyclable materials the students chose to create their artwork included aluminum cans, bottle caps, buttons, cardboard, cork, egg cartons, newspaper, plastic bottles, puzzle pieces, straws, wire, and yarn.

 

 

ACS to Hold High School Information Night on Nov. 1

ACS is holding its annual High School Information Night on Tuesday, November 1 to give interested parents and students a preview of the variety of academic courses, programs, and extra-curricular opportunities offered to students who attend high school at ACS.  Featured speakers will include Upper School Principal Meg McHale and Guidance Counselor Christina Ragland. Attendees will be able to meet various high school teachers and get a tour of the school building.  The Information Night will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and will include light refreshments.

“We encourage any family that is interested in choosing ACS for high school to attend this meeting,” McHale said. “What makes ACS a distinctive high school is that our strong academic program is Biblically integrated and every course is taught from a Christian worldview.” McHale also noted that ACS offers AP and dual-enrollment college classes and course concentrations that prepare students for careers in business, education, health and medicine, ministry, and technology.

For more information about the upcoming meeting, please contact Admissions Director Jessica Martin at 609-653-1199, ext. 314, or jmartin@acseht.org.

New Middle School Servant’s Heart Club Makes Sandwiches, Brownies to Bless Homeless Adults, Teens in Atlantic City

Serving others and showing the love of Jesus through acts of kindness is the motto of a new Middle School Servant’s Heart Club that this month has made some 50 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the Atlantic City Rescue Mission, baked brownies for teens at the Covenant House in Atlantic City, and created hand-made cards for gift bags for Angels in Motion. The club is one of 12 middle school clubs that are now meeting weekly during 8th period, a new time slot created this year for middle school and high school clubs to meet.

Other middle school clubs include crafts, chess, STEM, Bible and basketball, and National Junior Honor Society. There are also some 12 high school clubs that meet on Thursdays, including Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Missions, Hispanic Heritage, Student Ambassadors, National Honor Society, and several Bible studies. All the clubs are led by ACS faculty and staff.

“We wanted to set aside time during the school day for our students to get involved in groups focused on ministry, leadership, and service by being part of one or more clubs,” said Upper School Principal Meg McHale. “We’re excited to see the impact that these clubs will be having within our school and in our community.”

Faculty member Linda Stiteler, who is the Middle School Servant’s Heart Club advisor, said she and the 12 students in her club have put together an ambitious list of service projects for this school year. Some of the upcoming projects include collecting scarves, gloves, and socks for the Atlantic City Rescue Mission, filling shoe boxes with children’s Christmas gifts for Samaritan’s Purse, and picking up trash at the Nature Reserve in Egg Harbor Township.

The members of the club are: Ashlee Alford, Annalena DiMaio, Natalia Flores, Mackenzie Flynn, Ava Lombardi, Ja’Niyah Martin, Josh Maxwell, Julia Morris, Nina Purdy, Chelsie Richards, Cyrus Seyf, and Haley Schnecker.

High School Students Encouraged to Unplug from World’s Distractions, Focus More on God’s Word at Spiritual Emphasis Retreat

By Robby Barberio

ACS high school students learned what it means to truly turn off from the world’s distractions, reset, take time to be silent, and look at the Lord’s Word with fresh eyes at a two-day Spiritual Emphasis Retreat on September 29 and 30 held at America’s Keswick in Whiting, New Jersey.

Retreat speaker Pastor Wil Del Valle led four chapel sessions in which he challenged the students to look at what God has to say with a new perspective and to really understand the meaning of the phrase “all Scripture is God breathed,” based on the ACS theme verse this year from 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Pastor Wil is the worship and youth pastor at Crossbridge Community Church in Woolrich Township, New Jersey. Worship during the chapels was led by Lee Martin, ACS parent and Director of Worship and Communication at the Ocean City Tabernacle, and Alyssa Griffith of Sojourn Community Church.

After each chapel, students had the opportunity to meet with other classmates and a faculty leader in COMPASS groups to reflect and discuss the message, often meeting in outdoor settings by a lake or sitting on a dock. Students also enjoyed free time to participate in recreational activities including ping-pong, basketball, canoeing, volleyball, swimming, and tennis and to compete in a scavenger hunt.

“The speaker was fabulous and I really liked how he emphasized silence,” said Urick Lewis, who teaches high school Bible at ACS and led the 9th grade boys COMPASS group. “There are so many distractions in the world, especially today with phones and social media, so it was kind of like hitting the reset button when Pastor Wil created those moments of silence for us to experience.”

On Thursday night, students gathered around a bonfire and enjoyed singing worship songs, led by 12th grader Tommy Ellison on his guitar and other students leading the singing. “The Holy Spirit works in me through music,” said 9th grader Ava Barberio. “I loved seeing students leading the worship session around the fire without being told. It showed that people were willing to engage and it was encouraging to see everyone participating.”

Students seemed to be especially moved by their COMPASS group discussions. They were encouraged by their peers’ willingness to speak up and talk about how they were feeling. “The speaker talking about making Jesus the Lord of my Life really got to me,” said 12th grader Sam Glancey. “It reminded me that Jesus should be an every day part of my life and not just something that is in the back of my mind. Everyone always gets on fire for the Lord on the retreat, and I want to bring the same spiritual energy back to ACS.”

A Middle School Spiritual Emphasis retreat will be held sometime later this fall.

 

Thirty-Three Students to Serve God on Missions Trips Over Easter Break

Thirty-three students will be serving as the hands and feet of Jesus when they participate in two short-term missions trips over the Easter vacation. One group of 21 high school students will be serving in North Carolina and a group of 12 middle school students will be serving in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Please pray that these missions teams will be salt and light as they serve God on these trips and thank you to the family members, friends, and churches who donated to support their volunteer efforts.

During the all-school Easter Chapel on April 14, the members of the two missions teams and their chaperones were introduced and high school Bible teacher Urick Lewis gave a prayer of blessing and commission.

Faculty member and Missions Club Advisor Dave Genter said the high school team will be serving in Columbus County, North Carolina from April 18 to 23.  The students will be building handicapped ramps for low-income families in an area where hurricanes cause flooding. The team is also donating close to 50 tool kits that were donated to the Missions Club for use by local churches in construction or renovation projects.  The trip was organized by Praying Pelican and the team is partnering with Cerro Gordo Baptist Church, the Columbus County Baptist Association, and Facts of Life Church of God.

Genter said that anyone interested in following and praying for the work of the missions team in North Carolina can monitor their efforts on a trip blog.  CLICK HERE to connect to the blog.

The student participants on the high school trip to North Carolina are: Isabell Alford, Destiny Brewer, Jacob DeNick, Maddie DeNick, Samuel Glancey, Emmanuel Johnson, Grace Johnson, Moges Johnson, Sophia Johnson, Hunter Jorgenson, Ryleigh Martin, Luke Mills, Nathan Mills, Paige Noble, Amber Ramos, Haven Sanchez, Jayden Sanchez, Adam Schlundt, Shane Schweppenheiser, Taylor Sutton, and Haley Whedbee. Four chaperones are accompanying the team: Grant and Minelva Miller and Brian and Laura Mills.

Faculty member Sara Coates is leading the middle school missions team that will be volunteering from April 19-22 at The Bridge Academy, an after-school community center, and at The Camp at Old Mill, both in Coatesville, PA. Coates said the team will be doing activities and building relationships with some 40 intercity children who attend The Bridge, including tutoring, arts and crafts,  games, and cooking and serving several meals. At The Camp at Old Mill, the students will serve outdoors doing mulching, landscaping and other tasks to help prepare the facility for its summer Christian youth camp programs.

“During our first day at the center, each student on our team will be sharing what their favorite Bible verse is and then we will do a craft with the children that reinforces the messages in those verses,” Coates said. “We want to reach the hearts of the children in that center and show them God’s love.”

The 6th-8th grade students participating in the trip to Coatesville are: Daniel Accardi-Gonzalez, Lily Boyle, Ethan Brumble, Sophia Capito, Matthew Coates, CJ Delacruz, Gabriella Goodwin, Kylie Jackson, Brandon Jorgenson, Julia Morris, Bezute Ngwabi, and Lexi Wyckoff. Three chaperones will be part of the team: Joe and Sara Coates and Lisa Dye.

 

Congratulations to Top Scholars on First Semester Honor Roll for 2021-2022 School Year

Congratulations to our top scholars who made the first semester Honor Roll for the 2021-2022 school year.  The Honor Roll, finalized in early February, recognizes 291 students from the 1st through 12th grades who distinguished themselves in their academic studies, receiving Highest Honors or Honors designation. The Honor Roll was also published online on March 3 in the Currents and Gazettes newspapers.

“We are very proud of these students from elementary through high school who have distinguished themselves in their academic studies and earned a place on the Honor Roll,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen. “We are also thankful for our dedicated and highly qualified faculty who encourage our students to excel academically and to seek to honor God with their lives.”

Elementary students in grades 1-5 who earned a 95% average or higher in every major subject received the Highest Honors designation and students who received an 85%-94% average in every major subject received the Honors designation. Middle School and High School students in grades 6-12 who earned a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.8 or higher at the end of the school year received the Highest Honors designation. Students in grades 6-12 who earned a cumulative GPA of 3.5-3.79 received the Honors designation.

CLICK HERE for a complete list of  the students from elementary through high school who achieved Highest Honors or High Honors.

Cheer Team Preparing for National Competition; Join Us at King Pin Bowling Cheer Fundraiser March 18

On the heels of its first place cheer competition win in February, the ACS Cheer Team is now preparing to compete for the first time in a national competition in early April — THE ONE FINALS in Virginia Beach, Virginia — and fundraising is underway to cover the cost of the trip. Help our cheer team get to Nationals by purchasing a bag of Chef Steve’s Popcorn or come out on March 18 for a family bowling event at King Pin Bowling in Egg Harbor Township.

The cheer team of 23 middle school and high school students received an invitation to THE ONE FINALS competition after winning first place on February 12 in Toms River at the ImpACT Competition, in the JV Intermediate Division.

“Our team is thrilled to have this exciting and first-ever opportunity to compete at the national level,” said Head Coach Morgan Gibson. “We know that we can count on the support from our school families and friends to help us raise the funds we need for the trip.”

Gibson said the fundraising goal is $10,000 to cover transportation, housing, food, registration fees, and other related expenses for the cheerleaders and coaches to attend the competition.

Large bags of Chef Steve’s Popcorn, in six different flavors, are being sold until March 24 for $10 per bag. CLICK HERE to purchase. The popcorn will be delivered to the school.

The bowling outing on March 18 will be from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at King Pin Bowling at 6622 E. Black Horse Pike in Egg Harbor Township. The cost is $20 per person and includes two games of bowling, shoe rental, and a slice of pizza or chicken nuggets.  CLICK HERE to register. Online registration is preferred, but not required to participate.

In addition to the popcorn sale and bowling outing, the cheer team will also be raising funds by holding two after-school intramural cheerleading clinics — one for PK3 to 1st grade students on Thursdays from April 7 to May 26, and one for 2nd to 5th grade students on Mondays from April 11 to May 23. The sign-up form for these classes will be sent home at the end of next week.

For any questions about these fundraisers, please contact Arzum Sanchez at asanchez@acseht.org.  Thank you for supporting the ACS Cheer Team!

 

 

Students, Staff Gather to Worship the Newborn King at All-School Christmas Chapel on Dec. 23

Students and staff gathered to worship and celebrate the birth of Jesus at an all-school Christmas Chapel on December 23. Students from preschool to the 12th grade participated in the chapel program with drama, vocal, and instrumental presentations. Event Coordinator and high school Bible teacher Christian Delacruz encouraged everyone in his chapel message to be thankful for the best Christmas gift of all — the gift of grace, love, and eternal life made possible through the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ.

Event Coordinator Christian Delacruz presented the chapel message.

Gail Alford, the Elementary Principal and Early Education Director, opened the chapel with prayer and then introduced Mrs. Meza’s 2nd grade class, who presented a dramatic skit about four words that embodied the Christmas story — sacrifice, seek, shout, and share. Mrs. Meza challenged everyone to take the opportunity during this Christmas season to share the salvation message rooted in the Christmas story with family and friends.

The PreK3 and PreK4 classes then took to the stage to joyously sing and dance to “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

The PreK3 and PreK4 classes sang and danced to “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

An Upper School Instrumental Worship Ensemble performed two Christmas songs, featuring 12th grade brothers Hyeonjin (Isaac) Choi and Hyeonbin (Joseph) Choi on violin, 8th grader Rowlee Murphy on cello, and 12th grader Haley Whedbee on flute.

CLICK HERE to view a video of the Upper School Instrumental Worship Ensemble’s performance.

The 5th grade Worship Team got everyone on their feet to sing and dance along with them as they performed “Feeling Like Christmas” and “Born is the King.” The Middle School and High School Worship Teams followed suit, as they encouraged the students and staff to sing along as they performed “Carol of the Bells” and several other Christmas carols.

CLICK HERE to view a video of the Middle School and High School Worship Teams performing  one of their carols during the Christmas Chapel.

There were several light-hearted moments during the chapel. The winners of the 6th-12th grade Christmas Door Decorating Contest and the K-5th grade Christmas Tree Decorating Contest were announced. Mrs. Flath’s 9th grade class won the Christmas Door Decorating contest, that included decorating several doors and adjacent walls with a Charlie Brown theme.  The elementary Christmas Tree Decorating Contest focused on a Christmas Around the World theme and Mrs. McCarthy’s 3rd grade class won with a tree decorated as Christmastime in the tropics.

A group of faculty and staff closed the chapel with a surprise song-and-dance routine.

The audience also participated in an Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest, cheering loudly as they voted for their favorite students to win first place. The winner from the 6th to 12th grade classes was 12th grader Mia Liggins and the K-5th grade winner was kindergartner Felicity Macpherson.  The chapel concluded with a surprise — a song-and-dance routine performed by an energetic group of faculty and staff.

 

 

12th Grader Sydney Pearson One of 25 Area Seniors to Receive Press of Atlantic City Young Leaders Award

Congratulations to 12th grader Sydney Pearson for recently being selected as a recipient of the 2021 Press of Atlantic City Young Leaders Award. She is one of 25 seniors that were selected among nominees from high schools in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, and southern Ocean counties for this special award that honors Southern New Jersey’s most community-minded seniors.

Sydney and the other award recipients were selected on the basis of their academic skills, diverse extracurricular activities, and service to their communities. Sydney is also receiving a small monetary scholarship.  She was interviewed by the Press for a full-page article on her that was part of a pull-out section published by The Press of Atlantic City on Thursday, June 10 and also posted on the newspaper’s website.

In the article, Sydney talks about how her faith inspires her to help others. “In the Bible, we are taught to be servants of Christ, and I believe that by following Jesus’ example, we’re able to do that for others,” Sydney said.

Sydney was the Valedictorian of the ACS Class of 2021, with a 4.28 GPA, was President of the Student Council, and team captain of the Varsity Girls’ soccer, basketball, and softball teams. During her high school career Sydney also participated in community service activities in her neighborhood, as well as serving communities in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas as part of ACS missions trips. Sydney will be attending Stockton University in the fall, where she will major in nursing.

We’re proud of you, Sydney! Keep using your gifts as a leader to be a world-changer.

CLICK HERE to read the Young Leaders Press article on Sydney.

ACS Middle School, High School Athletes Sweep TSCAC Track Meet

Congratulations to the 60 ACS middle school and high school students who competed in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference Track Meet on Thursday, May 6 and earned medals and top team honors. All four ACS teams — the High School Boys’ and Girls’ teams and the Middle School Boys’ and Girls’ teams — finished in first place with the highest number of points earned among the teams from six other regional Christian schools who participated.

Overall, ACS received 34 first place medals — with the Middle School Girls’ earning 10, the Middle School Boys’ earning 8, the High School Girls with 7, and the High School Boys had 9.

“I’m very grateful for the outstanding efforts of the entire ACS family that all worked together, using their various gifts and talents, to make this track meet a success,” said Athletic Director Pam Hitchner, who organized the meet. This is the 14th year that ACS has hosted the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference track at its campus.  The other schools participating in the meet were: Abundant Life Academy, Ambassador Christian Academy, Cumberland Christian School, Gloucester County Christian School, King’s Christian School, and The Pilgrim Academy.

The day-long event, held under sunny, blue skies, saw several middle school and high school athletes set school and meet records. The track and field athletes and their individual accomplishments will be recognized at the year-end sports awards ceremonies.

Hitchner said that the ACS runners shined particularly bright during the meet, taking first place in all 12 relay races held. Several middle school and high school athletes also made significant contributions to their teams. 7th grader Sophia Costello scored 14 points for her Middle School Girls’ team and 8th grader Isabell Alford scored 12. For the Middle School Boys’ team, 8th grader Jayden Sanchez led all teammates, scoring 13 points. On the High School Girls’ team, 10th graders Paige Noble and Reyna Lewis led their team with 12 and 10 points, respectively.  For the High School Boys, 10th grader Cruz Lewis scored 15 points and his 11th grade brother, Cole, scored 7. Collectively, the three Lewis siblings scored 32 points over the course of the meet.

A large volunteer team of students, alumni, and parents helped manage the 20 track and field events in the meet, serving as timers, working at the scorer’s table, and cooking and serving at the concessions stand. In particular, Hitchner recognized and thanked several individuals for their efforts: PE teacher Ben Chapman, for field preparation of the meet competition areas;  PE teacher Kaylee Breunig, who served as Hitchner’s assistant;  alumni parent Larry Martin, who oversaw the scorer’s table; substitute teacher Mike Bohs, who served as the official starter of all the races; Jeff Wolf, who served as the “Clerk of Course,” assisted by his daughter, Renee; and PTF President Terry Vogel, who headed up the concessions stand that raised funds to support the ACS Athletic Department.

CLICK HERE to view a photo gallery of the Track Meet.

 

 

 

Open Enrollment for 2021-2022 School Year Now Underway for New Families, More Classrooms Being Added

Open enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year is now underway for new families seeking to enroll their children in Atlantic Christian School and several new elementary and middle school classrooms are being added for the coming school year to enable more families to be a part of the ACS Family.

“We’re very excited about our growth and the ability to welcome new students and their families to our school,” said Admissions Director Jessica Martin. “There have been many families on the waiting list this year and this new expansion will enable more parents to place their children in our school, where we are nurturing and equipping students with a Biblical worldview.”

There are openings available in preschool (for children from 12 months old to 4 years old) up through high school. ACS is also grateful for the support from various donors that makes it possible to continue offering needs-based Tuition Assistance Grants to new families as well as returning families.

Interested families should contact Mrs. Martin to set up a private tour or to discuss the online application process.  Please call Mrs. Martin at 609-653-1199, ext. 314 or email her at jmartin@acseht.org

 

Student Projects Focus on 3-D Printing, Website Design in Intro to Information Technology Class

The marvels of 3-D technology were on display during a field trip on March 23 to the Ocean City Free Public Library, where ACS high school students observed a 3-D printer as it created objects they had recently designed in their Intro to Information Technology Class, which is part of a high school Technology Concentration.

“Everyone was excited to watch as the printer created their unique designs,” said Rhapsody Hahn-Chaney, who is the K-12th grade computer teacher. Some of the items created by the students included a pencil case, a customized die for game play, a heart charm, a heart statuette, and a keychain with a student’s name on it.  Also along for the field trip to see the 3-D printer in action were students from her 8th grade computer class and volunteer media integration specialist Greg Louderback.

The five high school students in the Intro to Information Technology class, which meets four times a week, also recently completed a website design project.  The team of Gabriel Catusse-Martinella and Isaac Choi, pictured below right, created a website about a Mars Space Journey Project, which they named ISIEL. The team of Amber Ramos and Joseph Choi, pictured below left, built their website from scratch on the advancement of travel, and named their website TAOT. Their site included several infographs. The students presented their projects in class on March 30.

Hahn-Chaney said that this year-long class has been covering a wide range of IT topics to give students a foundation to explore a career in information technology. Some of the topics the class has covered include: digital footprints and user data and monitoring; an introduction to coding; hacking and digital security; vector art and pixel rendering as part of graphic design; and quantum computers and 4D.

 

 

 

 

 

Classroom Cameo: May I Take Your Blood Pressure? High School Students in Health and Medicine Class Demonstrate their Skills in Taking Vitals

High school students showed their competency and skills in taking vitals from faculty and staff volunteers as part of an assessment test on Friday, March 5 held in the Multi-Purpose Room.  The students are in a year-long “Practical Health and Medicine” class that is part of a Health and Medicine high school concentration.

Faculty member Celine Melody observed the students as they took temperatures and pulses, checked blood pressure, respiratory rates, and pulse-02.

Melody said the 14 students in the class all passed their assessment tests and have been showing steady progress since the class got underway in September. She said a number of the students are planning to pursue a career in the medical profession, especially nursing, and this class gives them insight and important hands-on experience into the field.

 

Classroom Cameo: Geometry Students Design Cities Using Parallel Lines

The high school students in Mrs. Wilson’s geometry class recently had the opportunity to combine their creativity with their math skills to design a city using parallel lines, with some students bringing their cities to life by creating a 3-D model.

“In geometry we’re learning all about angles and in this project the students had to correctly identify and use specific angles, such as the alternate interior angle, as they created their city designs,” Mrs. Wilson said. The students also had to name their city and place fire stations, hospitals, schools, and other public service buildings at the correct angles in their designs. The students worked in teams and completed their projects in mid-January.

The team of 10th grader Samuel Glancey, 10th grader Moges Johnson, and 12th grader Jacob Rosie created the most elaborate 3-D city (pictured below) ,which they named Soga City, and included streets and buildings named after family members and friends. “The students who created 3-D designs definitely had the most fun with their projects and they got extra credit points,” Mrs. Wilson said. She said the team even made a video of themselves as they were working on their project.

10th graders Eva Elgersma and Lauren Kent teamed up to create a 1-dimensional city (pictured below left), which they called Trump City, that included roads named Trump Road and Pence Avenue.  Pictured below right is the early stages of a 3D project designed by 10th grader Jason Herrera, who worked on his project remotely from home.

 

Application Period Now Open for Membership in National and National Junior Honor Societies

The application period is now open for students interested in being accepted into the National Honor Society and the National Junior Honor Society. The application packets can be downloaded from the ACS website under the “Academics” tab and also obtained from NHS advisor Mrs. Coates and Guidance Counselor Mrs. Ragland.

Students in the 7th and 8th grades may apply for admission into the National Junior Honor Society. The application packet, with four teacher recommendations, must be given directly to Mrs. Coates by 3 p.m. on Monday, March 1, 2021.

Students in the 10th and 11th grades may apply for membership in the National Honor Society and the application packet, with four character recommendations, is due to Mrs. Ragland by noon on Friday, March 5, 2021.

New candidates will be selected for membership by a Faculty Council and must demonstrate academic achievement as well as outstanding character, leadership, and service.

The Induction Ceremony into the National Junior Honor Society will be held on Wednesday, March 24, 2021 a 6 p.m. and the Induction Ceremony into the National Honor Society will be Tuesday, March 30, 2021 at 6 p.m. Both ceremonies will be held in the ACS gym.

ACS first established its National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society chapters in the fall of 2012.  Since that time, 43 high school students have been inducted into the National Honor Society and 75 middle school students have been inducted into the National Junior Honor Society.

CLICK HERE to download and view the National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society application packets from the ACS website.

2020-2021 Student Council Members Elected

Congratulations to the 17 middle school and high school students who were recently elected to the 2020-2021 Student Council. The election, overseen by faculty Advisor Dave Genter, was held on December 4 and council members will begin meeting in January to discuss their agenda for this school year.

Genter said the council members will help plan school and community service activities, strive to enrich the spiritual atmosphere of the school, and spearhead at least one all-school fundraiser to benefit a community organization or charity.

Following is a list of the officers and students who were elected to those positions:

12th Grade Officers –Sydney Pearson, President; Chloe Vogel, Vice President

10th Grade Officers — Cruz Lewis, President; Reyna Lewis, Vice President; Moges Johnson, Secretary/Treasurer (not pictured); Tommy Ellison, Chaplain

9th Grade Officers — Ryleigh Martin, President; Noelle Thompson, Vice President; Haven Sanchez, Secretary/Treasurer; Evangelina Kim, Chaplain

8th Grade Officers — Isabell Alford, President; Taylor Murphy, Secretary/Treasurer; Sophia Johnson, Chaplain

6th Grade Officers — Mackenzie Flynn, President; Isabella Santos, Vice President; Kiara Loo, Secretary/Treasurer; Annalena DiMaio, Chaplain

Christmas Chapels Feature Songs, Skits Presented by Middle School, High School Worship Teams

“A Campfire Christmas” was the theme of this year’s Christmas chapels on December 16 and 23, with students in the Middle School and High School Worship teams singing and dancing to favorite Christmas songs and presenting mini-skits while gathered on stage around a simulated campfire. Middle school faculty member Mrs. Celine Melody presented a skit about the true meaning of Christmas that featured 8th grader Joshua Kinch playing the role of the father.

The student-led chapels featured Christmas songs selected by the students in the worship teams because they had special significance in their lives, according to Mrs. Kelly Flynn, who directs the worship teams.  The chapel program opened with “Joy to the World,” followed by several upbeat songs including “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and “Jingle Bell Rock,” and the students and staff in the audience were encouraged to sing and clap along.

Several students were featured in solos at the December 16 elementary and middle school chapels, including 7th grader Ava Barberio singing “O Holy Night” and 6th grader Autumn Henson and 8th graders Autumn Loo and Jadelyn Maurer in “Mary Did You Know.”

“It was wonderful to see the students having fun singing and dancing to some of their favorite Christmas songs and then taking the time to dig deep and focus on the true meaning of Christmas and to share that salvation story with their fellow students,” Mrs. Flynn said. In the December 16 chapels, Mrs. Flynn closed the program with a moving solo performance of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

At the December 23 chapel, the High School Worship Team performed a stirring rendition of “Mary Did You Know”  and closed the chapel with “A Christmas Hallelujah.” Featured soloists in the two soulful songs were Elizabeth Alford (11th), Destiny Brewer (11th), Tommy Ellision (10th), Evangelina Kim (9th), and Rebekah Kimmerley (12th).

 

12th Grader Katherine Kong Wins Christmas Card Art Design Contest

Congratulations to 12th grader Katherine Kong for winning first place for the second year in a row in the ACS Christmas Card Art Design Contest. Her original art design is being featured on the cover of our school’s annual Christmas card that several thousand families and friends will receive in the mail by Christmas.

In addition to Katherine, four other students were recognized for their outstanding designs: 2nd place – Noelle Thompson (9th grade); 3rd place – Aine Dorsey (8th grade); 4th place – Summer Scott (10th grade); and 5th place – Shelby Einwechter (12th grade).

Thirty-seven students in Ms. Mirakian’s 8B Art Class and high school students in Art Appreciation and Art Workshop submitted cover art designs for the contest. A faculty-staff panel of judges selected the winners, who were recognized and presented with award ribbons during Upper School chapel on December 9.

 

Christmas Card Design Contest Winners Announced — From left: Art teacher Sherry Mirakian; 8th grader Aine Dorsey (3rd place); 12th grader Shelby Einwechter (5th place); 10th grader Summer Scott (4th place); 9th grader Noelle Thompson (2nd place); 12th grader Katherine Kong (1st place).

Katherine’s card design, done with markers, colored pencils, and metallic pen on card stock, captures a quiet night scene of the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus lying in the manger and incorporates the message spoken by the angel to Joseph in Matthew 1:21 — “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

“This is the fourth year we have held this Christmas card art contest and the designs just keep getting better and better,” Ms. Mirakian said. “This contest gives our students an opportunity to discover and develop their God-given artistic abilities and to understand how art can be a powerful medium to share the gospel message.” All of the Christmas card designs will be on display in December and January on a large school bulletin board in the main school hallway adjacent  next to the Multi-Purpose Room.

 

ACS Wins Cross Country Meet Vs. Kings Christian School

Ten middle school and high school athletes competed in a cross country meet with King’s Christian School on November 13 and the ACS team won the meet, with 10th grader Tommy Ellison coming in first place overall, finishing the 3.1 mile course in 19:42 minutes.

Ellison also came in 1st place in the category of High School Boys and 9th grader Alicia O’Donnell came in first place in the High School Girls category, with a time of 24:45 minutes (both pictured below left).  8th grader Jayden Sanchez came in 3rd place overall and second place in the category of Middle School Boys, with a time of 21:39 minutes, and 8th grader Taylor Murphy took second place in the category of Middle School Girls, and finished in 10th place with a time of 25:52 minutes (both picture below right).

“This was the first time we had the opportunity to compete against King’s Christian in cross country and our athletes did a great job,” said Athletic Director Pam Hitchner, who traveled with the team to the meet, which was held at Pennypacker Park in Haddonfield, NJ. “We have some strong long-distance runners and will be looking for more races to enter in the future to help our athletes improve their skills.” Hitchner said King’s Christian entered seven runners in the meet.

The six other ACS athletes who competed in the meet were:

8th grader Charlie Costello (4th overall, 3rd in MS Boys)
7th grader Calvin Costello  (5th overall, 4th in MS Boys)
8th grader Taylor Murphy (10th overall, 2nd in MS Girls)
8th grader Isabell Alford (11th overall, 3rd in MS Girls)
12th grader Gabriel Catusse-Martinella (13th overall, 3th in HS Boys)
7th grader Marley Odell (14th overall, 4th place in MS Girls)
7th grader Stephanie Valdes (16th overall)

 

 

 

 

ACS Students Learn Pickleball in New PE Unit Funded by Donations

ACS middle school and high school students were introduced to the game of Pickleball the week of October 5, thanks to recent donations to the ACS Athletic Department.

Six new, bright yellow pickleball nets, along with racquets, and balls were set up in the gym for game play during various PE classes.  Additional pickleball game sets purchased with grant funds from the AtlantiCare Healthy Schools, Healthy Children program will be used for elementary PE classes and will be set up outdoors on the new ACS basketball court.

Pickleball is a paddleball sport that combines the elements of badminton, table tennis, and tennis. “The students are having a lot of fun learning this new game, which has become a popular sport that is often seen played adjacent to larger tennis courts,” said Athletic Director Pam Hitchner. “Pickleball is a faster-paced game and it’s a recreational sport that can be played and enjoyed over your lifetime.”  Hitchner said she is very grateful for the donations and grant funds that made it possible to add a new unit to the ACS PE curriculum.

 

ACS Students, Staff Gather to Pray for See You at the Pole Event

Groups of ACS students and staff gathered throughout the day on September 23 near the school flagpoles to pray for our school, our community, and nation as part of the annual national “See You at the Pole” event.

Elementary students gathered for chapel near the flagpole and spent time praying and praising God in song, led by students in the 5th grade worship team.

Middle school and high school students gathered at the flagpole during their Bible classes, praying, reading Bible verses, and talking about the power of prayer.

The event, now in its 30th year, was usually held before the start of school and included participation from ACS families who could choose to attend. However, to ensure the health and safety of our students and families in light of the coronavirus, the event was modified to be held during the school day and involving smaller groups of students and staff gathering at different times.