A new 4th Grade Worship Team has formed this week, joining three other talented student teams who are leading the singing in different weekly chapels. Seventeen enthusiastic 4th grade students turned out for the first after-school practice on December 1 and are being divided into two groups that will alternate leading worship in the Early Education/Kindergarten chapels on Fridays.
“We added additional chapels this year in response to the coronavirus pandemic so we would have smaller groups of students gathering together and that created new opportunities for additional worship teams to get involved,” said faculty member Teresa Bird, who is leading the new team. “We are thrilled to give our 4th grade students the opportunity to serve the Lord through the gift of music.”
The members of the new 4th grade team are: Amelia Crawford, Natalie Dickson, Eva Dimashi, Isabelle Edwards, Mia Gaffney, Hadassah Gonzalez, Chase Hagel, Peyton Hiller, Emily Johnson, Emily Kinch, Jennyfer Loaiza-Riveros, Novella Malave, John Mazahreh, Layla McCarthy, Alayna O’Donoghue, Kaila Smalls, and Dominic Zielinski.
Mrs. Bird is also excited to be in her eighth year directing the 5th Grade Worship Team, which leads worship that incorporates lively choreography at the two elementary chapels on Wednesday mornings. The team has also led worship at special events this year, including the Veterans Appreciation Chapel and the 50th Anniversary Celebration Chapel. 
The eight members of the 5th grade team are: Zoey Holmstrom, Reagan Lindsay, Raquel Mitchell, Isabella Patiag, Nina Purdy, Vanessa Rallo, Chelsie Richards, and Lexi Wyckoff. Both the 4th and 5th grade teams meet after school to practice each week.
Twenty-eight students in middle school and high school are also part of Worship Teams that meet in elective classes twice a week, under the direction of staff members Kelly Flynn and Bill Smallwood. Mrs. Flynn and Mr. Smallwood are in their second year leading the two teams and are experienced musicians who lead worship on Sundays at New Life Assembly Church in Egg Harbor Township. “We truly enjoy sharing our love of worshipping God through music and the spoken word with our students and seeing them be inspired to get involved in their own church worship teams,” Mrs. Flynn said.
The middle school and high school teams alternate leading worship each week in the Upper School Chapel on Wednesday mornings. The Middle School team recently led worship for the Grandparents’ Day chapel and Flynn said they are now excited to be preparing special music for the upcoming December 16 Middle School Christmas Chapel. The High School Worship team and the 5th Grade Worship Team are providing special music at the December 23 Elementary and High School Christmas Chapels.
The Middle School Worship team members are: Ashlee Alford, Isabel Alford, Ava Barberio, Leah Boyer, Annalena DiMaio, Rebecca DiMaio, Jayden Dixon, Gianna Flynn, Mackenzie Flynn, Autumn Henson, Caden Kim, Joshua Kinch, Autumn Loo, Kiara Loo, Jadelyn Maurer, Lydia McCarthy, Isabella Santos, Taylor Santos, Shelby Tomlinson, and Anyae Welch.
The High School Worship team members are: Elizabeth Alford, Destiny Brewer, Asher Dawkins, Tommy Ellison, Evangelina Kim, Rebekah Kimmerley, Haven Sanchez, and Quinn Schrag.
Five picnic tables recently donated by New Life Assembly of God Church in Egg Harbor Township are being put to good use by ACS 4th-6th grade students during recess and lunch. Four square metal tables and one rectangular table were put in place on October 5 in a grassy area next to the new modular buildings where the 4th-6th grade classrooms are now located.
