Post Tagged with: "South Jersey"

ACS Students Present Soaring Production of Peter Pan JR. Musical on Nov. 19, 20

The 46-member cast of our Peter Pan JR. musical production whisked the audience away to Neverland in their performances on November 19 and 20, where they came face to face with Tiger Lily and her Indian tribe, the Lost Boys, a band of bungling pirates, and, of course, the treacherous Captain Hook. There was laughter, enthusiastic applause and cheers, and even some tears among the hundreds of  parents, family members, and friends who attended the two action-packed shows.

The show featured creative choreography and strong vocal performances by the students playing the lead roles of Peter Pan, Wendy, Captain Hook, Smee, Tiger Lily, and the Darling Family, including their St. Bernard, Nana, as well as by those in the ensemble groups of the Pirates, Lost Boys, and Brave Girls.

10th grader Kaia Barbour played the role of Peter Pan, who was able to fly, to the surprise and delight of the audience, thanks to the creativity of the backstage crew. The role of Wendy was played by 7th grader Rowynn Shevlin on November 19 and by 8th grader Chloe Weyman on November 20. Captain Hook was dual cast as well, with 10th grader Vera Huff playing the role on November 19 and 11th grader Evan Power on November 20. 12th grader Destiny Brewer played the part of Captain Hook’s loyal first mate, Smee, and 4th grader Megan Connolly was Tiger Lily. For the Darling Family, 12th grader Asher Dawkins played Mr. Darling and Mrs. Darling was played by 12th grader Caeli Barbour on November 19 and by 11th grader Jada Logan on November 20. Wendy’s three siblings — John, Liza, and Michael — were played by 4th grader Anthem Correa, 5th grader Emily Kinch, and 5th grader Brantley Haltom, respectively. 7th grader David Barker played the role of Nana, the Darling family’s dog.

The musical was directed by ACS faculty member Genevieve Huff, who had led rehearsals since early September. She was joined by a talented production team that included ACS Choral and Instrumental Music Director Tim Rosie as Musical Director, ACS faculty member Amy Parker as Choreographer, ACS parent Lee Martin as Technical Director, and ACS parent Mark Huff as Technical Assistant.

Costumes were created by faculty members Rhapsody Hahn-Chaney and Bethany Kiefer. Art Teacher Sherry Mirakian and 7th grader Lucy Huff did make-up for each performance. Mirakian also led a skilled team of eight students who hand-painted all the scenery — Gabe Capito, Sophia Capito, Rebecca DiMaio, Aine Dorsey, Gabriella Goodwin, Lucy Huff, Ryleigh Martin, and Heather Milstead. Set construction of the children’s bedroom of the Darling family, Captain Hook’s pirate ship, and much more was expertly built by ACS parents Tony Boules, Mike Capito, and Mark Huff, assisted by William Cornelius and Travis Shafer. Marilyn Harris assisted with props.

Working hard behind the scenes as backstage managers during both performances were ACS faculty and staff members — Dara Kimmerley, Lauren McCartney, Abby Meza, and Amy Williams. Two ACS students were part of the stage crew — Gabrielle Goodwin and John Smith.

 

 

 

Peter Pan JR. Musical Debuts Friday, Nov. 19, Second Matinee on Saturday, Nov. 20

The 46 students in our Peter Pan JR. cast whisked away the audience to Neverland in their debut performance on Friday, November 19, where they came face to face with Tiger Lily and her Indian tribe, the Lost Boys, a band of bungling pirates, and, of course, the treacherous Captain Hook.  There was laughter, enthusiastic applause and cheers, and even some tears among the audience of some 500 parents, family members, and friends who attended the action-packed show, which will be presented again on Saturday, November 20 at 2 p.m. in the ACS gym. Online ticket sales are now closed, but tickets can be purchased at the door.  Seating is first come, first served.

The show features creative choreography and strong vocal performances by the students playing the lead roles of Peter Pan, Wendy, Captain Hook, Tiger Lily, and the Darling Family, as well as by those in the ensemble groups of the Pirates, Lost Boys, and Brave Girls.

Tickets prices at the door are $8 for students and $10 for general admission, and proceeds will benefit the ACS Drama Program. Gail Crafton, of AC Photo in Linwood, attended dress rehearsals this week to take professional photos of the show. Digital images of those photos will be available for purchase on Monday, November 22. Mrs. Crafton, an ACS grandparent, is donating her services and all proceeds from the sale of the photos will also benefit the Drama Program. CLICK HERE to purchase photos.

The musical is directed by ACS faculty member Genevieve Huff, who led rehearsals since early September. She is joined by a talented production team that includes ACS Choral and Instrumental Music Director Tim Rosie as Musical Director, ACS faculty member Amy Parker as Choreographer, ACS parent Lee Martin as Technical Director, and ACS parent Mark Huff as Technical Assistant.

Costumes were created by faculty members Rhapsody Hahn-Chaney and Bethany Kiefer. Art Teacher Sherry Mirakian and 7th grader Lucy Huff are doing make-up for each performance. Mirakian also led a skilled team of eight students who hand-painted all the scenery — Gabe Capito, Sophia Capito, Rebecca DiMaio, Aine Dorsey, Gabriella Goodwin, Lucy Huff, Ryleigh Martin, and Heather Milstead. Set construction of the children’s bedroom of the Darling family, Captain Hook’s pirate ship, and much more has been expertly built by ACS parents Tony Boules, Mike Capito, and Mark Huff, assisted by William Cornelius and Travis Shafer. Marilyn Harris assisted with props. The set crew also managed to build a device that allowed Wendy to fly, to the surprise and delight of the audience.

Working hard behind the scenes as backstage managers during both performances are ACS faculty and staff members — Dara Kimmerley, Lauren McCartney, Abby Meza, and Amy Williams. Two ACS students are part of the stage crew — Gabrielle Goodwin and John Smith.

 

 

 

 

ACS Families, Friends Invited to New One Christmas Night Event – Friday, Dec. 3

Our new “One Christmas Night” event for ACS Families and Friends is just a few days away — on Friday, December 3 — from 6:00-9:00 p.m.  Mark your calendar to attend this special event to celebrate the joy and hope of Christmas — with fun indoor and outdoor activities for children and adults, craft and food vendors, and musical performances by our students.  A flyer with a ticket order form was sent home with preschool and elementary students over the past week.

Tickets are not required to attend the event, but will be needed for some activities, including two inflatables, the hayride, the pony ride, a petting zoo, face painting, and Christmas crafts. Tickets can be purchased in the school office or at the event. Tickets options are $2 per ticket and $12 for a pack of 7 tickets.

The Elementary Band, Middle School Band, High School Instrumental Ensemble, Middle School and High School Praise Teams will be performing Christmas music throughout the evening at various locations. Other free activities to enjoy at the event will include a live nativity, a photo booth, fire pits and s’mores, Christmas story time, and Christmas movies shown outdoors under the stars. There will also be several food trucks and vendors selling Christmas crafts and other holiday items.

“We are looking forward to seeing all of our parents, students, and staff come together to celebrate the birth of our Savior and participate in various fun activities, do some Christmas shopping, take a family Christmas photo, enjoy some s’mores and hot chocolate near our fire pits, and much more,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen. “This is an event you won’t want to miss.”

 

ACS Holding Hat Drive and Toy Drive to Bless Area Children at Christmas

ACS is holding two community service projects to bless the youth in our community during this Christmas season — a Hat Drive for children impacted by cancer and a children’s Toy Drive.  Families with students in kindergarten to the 12th grade are being asked to participate in the Hat Drive and Early Education families are being asked to donate for the toy drive. Both drives will run concurrently for three weeks — from Monday, November 29 to Monday, December 20.  Collection boxes will be located in classrooms and in various school hallways.

The Student Council is overseeing the K-12th grade Hat Drive to benefit the nonprofit, Ellie’s Hats.  Donated hats should be new, with the tag still attached, in sizes ranging from babies to teenagers (infant to 19).

The Early Education Toy Drive is supporting the outreach efforts of the Hispanic Association of Atlantic County, who will distribute the toys to children in the Atlantic City area during a “Three Kings Day” event on January 8.  The toys should be new and unwrapped, for children from infants to 17 years old.  The family of ACS 5th grade teacher, Nadya Lorick,  is involved with the Hispanic Association and asked ACS to support the event.

Student Council Advisor Dave Genter said the student officers chose the Hat Drive as its winter community-service project after learning about ACS kindergarten student Emma Beltran, who underwent cancer treatment for a tumor in her kidney in 2018 and received hats to wear from the Maryland-based Ellie’s Hats, during her treatment.

“The treatments for cancer can be harsh and usually result in the loss of hair, which can be hard for an adult and even more traumatizing for a child,” Genter said. “We hope families will respond to this appeal and help make our Hat Drive a success.”

Emma’s mother, Shanice Beltran, who is also an ACS Early Education teacher’s aide, is now an ambassador for Ellie’s Hats, and will be overseeing the distribution of the hats collected during the Hat Drive.

“Our family has been blessed by Ellie’s Hats and we wanted to find a way to give back,” said Mrs. Beltran. “We’re so happy that the Student Council decided to lead a hat drive to benefit Ellie’s Hats and the important work that they do to help put a smile on the faces of children being treated for cancer.”  Mrs. Beltran said the hats collected by the ACS drive will be given to children undergoing cancer treatment at southern New Jersey clinics and hospitals.

 

 

 

ACS Honors, Thanks Area Veterans with Special Breakfast, Chapel on November 11

ACS celebrated Veterans Day 2021 by treating some 40 area veterans to a special breakfast on Friday, November 15, followed by a chapel program that honored and thanked them for their service and sacrifice. Student Council officers welcomed and joined the veterans for breakfast, spending time in conversation learning about their experiences serving in the military. Special hand-made thank-you cards made by the Servant’s Heart Committee and 7th grade students were also presented to the veterans during the breakfast.

After breakfast, several hundred students from the 6th-12th grades filled the gym for the Veterans Appreciation Chapel, which was also livestreamed to the kindergarten to 5th grade classrooms.  Upper School Principal Meg McHale opened the chapel with prayer.  Members of the ACS Boy Scout Troop and Cub Pack 389 then presented the colors and led the salutes to the American flag and the Christian flag.

7th grader Josiah Christmon was invited to the podium to share his essay that thanked veterans for the important sacrifices that they make to defend our freedoms. His essay was chosen out of dozens that were written by Middle School students as a class assignment at the beginning of November.  Following Christmon, the Middle School Band, directed by faculty member Tim Rosie, presented a medley of patriotic songs entitled “The Freedom Finale” and the 2nd grade students, dressed in red, white, and blue, sang “God Bless America,”  directed by faculty member Julie Zimmer.

A favorite part of the program featured the playing of an “Armed Forces Medley” video. The students cheered and clapped as each service anthem was played and the veterans from each branch stood for their anthem.

U.S. Air Force Technical Sergeant Tim Richvalsky, who is also an ACS 2003 alumnus, was the keynote speaker. He has served for 18 years in the U.S. Air Force and is stationed with the 177th Air National Guard Base in Egg Harbor Township. Richvalsky enlisted in the Air Force just two years after the 9-11 attack. “From an early age I felt called to protect and defend those around me,” Richvalsky said. “That terrorist act on 9-11 galvanized my desire to join the military; I wanted to make a difference and help ensure that it would never happen again.”

The chapel program concluded with the 5th Grade Worship Team bringing everyone to their feet to join in singing the lively worship songs “Faithful” and “This Little Light.”  After chapel, students from elementary to high school placed American flags outdoors along the sidewalk on Zion Road in honor of our veterans.

Varsity Soccer Teams Lose Close Matches in TSCAC Championship Tournament; Nine Players Named Conference All-Stars

The ACS Varsity Soccer Teams fought hard in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference Championship tournament on Saturday, November 6, but fell just shy of victory. The Varsity Boys lost 2-1 to Pilgrim Academy in the Boys’ Championship Final, finishing the season in 2nd place. It was the first time since 2012 that the Varsity Boys’ team had advanced to the Championship Game. The Varsity Girls lost their Consolation Game 3-2 to King’s Christian School, ending the season in 4th place.

In the Boys’ Championship game, Pilgrim Academy took an early lead, scoring its two goals in the first 13 minutes of the game. ACS answered in the first half with a goal by 12th grader Aaron Glancey, off an assist from 9th grader Chase Leach. The ACS defense fought hard in the second half, stopping any further goals by Pilgrim. On offense in the second half,  ACS took the upper hand and had numerous shots on goal, but failed to score.

In the Girls’ Consolation Game, ACS was down 3-0 to King’s Christian School at half-time, but came back in the second half to score two goals, by 10th grader Alicia O’Donnell and 11th grader Eden Wilson. Strong defense by ACS in the second half prevented King’s Christian from scoring again, but ACS was unable to score as well.

A large group of enthusiastic fans cheered for our Cougars and showed their appreciation for the hard-working athletes during the tournament closing ceremony. Nine ACS players were named TSCAC All-Stars and received medals for their achievement — Aaron Glancey and Manny Johnson (1st team); Devin Tridente and Chase Leach (2nd team); Maddie DeNick, Paige Noble, and Eden Wilson (1st team); Reyna Lewis and Alicia O’Donnell (2nd team).

We’re proud of every ACS Varsity athlete who competed this fall and for the great memories of an exciting season. Thank you also to Coach Carly Witherow and Coach Andres Tortola for encouraging and training our athletes to do their best and to honor God both on and off the field.

Photo credits: Sue DeNick, Ruby Lewis.

Student Council Officers Recently Elected; Organize Christmas Hat Drive Service Project

Thirty-one students from the 6th-12th grades were recently elected to serve on the 2021-2022 Student Council and the week of November 15 they visited various classrooms to launch their first service project — a Christmas hat drive to collect and donate children’s hats to raise awareness for childhood cancer and benefit the nonprofit, Ellie’s Hats.

Elections for the Student Council were held on September 17 and the officers began meeting with Student Council Advisor Dave Genter on October 8 to plan their community service activities and to identify ways they can enrich the spiritual life of the school.

One leadership activity includes Student Council members offering the prayer during the daily morning announcements. Student Council officers also represented their fellow students at the Veterans Appreciation Breakfast on November 11, welcoming and engaging with the veterans as they sat at various tables and shared breakfast together before the Veterans Chapel.

Genter said the students also plan to lead a school-wide community service project in the spring that will benefit the school. Congratulations to the following Student Council officers:

12th Grade Officers –Angela Eggie, President; Amber Ramos, Vice President; Mia Liggins, Secrectary/Treasurer; Quinn Schrag, Chaplin

11th Grade Officers — Reyna Lewis, President; Allison Schlundt, Vice President; Daniella Ajayi, Secretary/Treasurer; Tommy Ellison, Chaplin

10th Grade Officers — Haven Sanchez, President; Rebecca Kelley, Vice President; Vera Huff, Secretary/Treasurer; Evangelina Kim, Chaplin; Ryleigh Martin, Alicia O’Donnell, Noelle Thompson, Representatives

9th Grade Officers — Autumn Loo, President; Rebecca DiMaio, Vice President; Isabell Alford, Secretary/Treasurer; Sophia Johnson, Chaplin

8th Grade Officers — David O’Donnell, President; Sophia Costello, Vice President; Caden Kim, Secretary/Treasurer; Ava Barberio, Chaplin

7th Grade Officers — Mackenzie Flynn, President; Annalena DiMaio, Vice President; Gerliana Merette, Secretary/Treasurer; Kiara Loo, Chaplin; Lucy Huff, Representative

6th Grade Officers — Matthew Coates, President; Grace Lushina, Vice President; Bezute Ngwabi, Secretary/Treasurer

Instrument Donations Bless ACS Band Program

The ACS Band Program has a received the blessing of a number of instrument donations this fall in response to a recent appeal from Tim Rosie, Director of Choral and Instrumental Music. “We’re very grateful for these donations which have helped ensure that every band student has their own instrument and raised the quality of our band program,”  Rosie said.

ACS experienced significant growth in enrollment this fall, which resulted in more students taking band and the need for additional instruments.  “While all current instrument needs have been met, we can always use additional donations of wind and string instruments to expand the variety of instruments available to our students,” Rosie said. All students in the 4th and 5th grades take Band as their music class.  Band class is also offered to students in middle school and high school.

A number of the newly-donated instruments were being played this week by 4th grade students in Band Class as they were rehearsing for their upcoming performance at the “One Christmas Night” event on December 3.  One of the electronic keyboards is also located in a separate room where students can take private piano lessons after school.

Rosie said the donated instruments included two flutes, two French horns, one trombone, two electronic keyboards, and an acoustic guitar.  Thank you to everyone who has donated — including Carole Karabashian, Sandy O’Brien, Nikki Odell, Tim Rosie, Ryan and Liz Stamm, and Eric Tardif.

 

Red Cross Blood Drive at ACS — Wednesday, Dec. 1 — Register to Donate

Give the gift of blood and help save a life. Make an appointment to donate blood at the American Red Cross Blood Drive on Wednesday, December 1 from 3:30-8:30 p.m. in the ACS Gym. As a special Christmas thank-you gift, all donors who come to give blood at the ACS drive will receive a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card by email from the American Red Cross.

All donors will have their temperature checked prior to admittance to the blood drive. Since 2008, ACS has hosted American Red Cross blood drives to help meet the urgent needs of patients at hospitals in our community. Our goal for the December 1 blood drive is to collect 40 or more donations.

CLICK HERE to make an appointment to donate blood on the Red Cross website — RedCrossBlood.org — and enter the sponsor code “atlanticchristiansch” OR call 1-800-REDCROSS.   You can also scan the QR Code on the flyer image below to make an appointment on the Red Cross website.

 

ACS Athletes Excel in Cross Country Competition, Finish Fall Season Undefeated

Thirteen ACS athletes in middle school and high school participated in several cross country meets this fall and finished the season undefeated, in a club program that has been expanding for several years.  The ACS team took first place in two 5K meets against King’s Christian School in October and in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference meet on November 6.

“We are building a cross country program in the hopes of making it a full-fledged team sport in the near future,” said Athletic Director Pam Hitchner. “We are very pleased with the success of our athletes this season and look forward to seeing more students participate next year.”  Hitchner said King’s Christian School was the only other school in the TSCAC with a cross country program and hopes to see more schools field teams in the future.

At the TSCAC meet on November 6 held at Pilgrim Academy, 12th grader Shane Schweppenheiser took first place in the high school boys’ division, with a time of 24:01, 9th grader Isabel Alford placed first in the high school girls’ division, with a time of 24:03, and 12th grader Caeli Barbour came in a close second, with a time of 24:18. At the middle school level, 7th grader Kalee Tardif won first place in the girls’ division, with a time of 25:48, and 7th grader Ethan Costello placed third in the boys’ division, with a time of 23:15.

Other top runners on the ACS team included 11th grader Cruz Lewis, who took first place in the 5K meet on October 6 against King’s Christian, with a time of  18:23; 9th grader Jayden Sanchez, who finished second in that race, with a time of 20:17; 7th grader Justice Settles, who placed second among middle school boys, with a time of 21:21; and 7th grader Ashlee Alford, who placed first among middle school girls, with a time of 25:26.

As part of Homecoming 2021, ACS also added a new 5K cross country race. PE Teacher Josh Clark, who helped oversee the club, created the course for the race, which can now be used for future meets.

Congratulations to all the athletes who participated in this memorable season:  Ashlee Alford, Isabell Alford, Liam Aspenberg, Caeli Barbour, Gabe Correa, Ethan Costello, Micah D’Anna, Cruz Lewis, Christian Pineo, Jayden Sanchez, Shane Schweppenheiser, Justice Settles, and Kalee Tardif.

 

 

ACS Families, Staff, Friends Asked to Subscribe to New ACS YouTube Channel

ACS has a new YouTube Channel and we are asking all ACS families, staff, and friends to subscribe to our channel.  ACS has had a YouTube Channel for several years, which was a vital tool used to provide livestreaming of ACS chapels and other events for students on virtual learning after the outbreak of COVID-19.  However, technical difficulties earlier this fall resulted in the loss of the channel and a new channel was recently created.

“We had over 300 subscribers to our first YouTube channel and we would like to reach and exceed that number of subscribers to our new channel,” said Carole Karabashian, Director of Development and Communication.

One of the popular broadcasts made possible via the ACS YouTube Channel last winter was livestreaming of ACS home middle school and basketball games.  “There is a lot of interest in being able to live-stream those games again this winter, but we need to get over 100 subscribers to have our own URL and make it easy for folks to get the link to those games,” Karabashian said. The new ACS channel currently has 30 subscribers.

To find ACS on YouTube, simply type in “Atlantic Christian School” and once on the page, click on the “SUBSCRIBE” button.  Thank you.

Race for Education, Harvest Day 2021 — Great Way to Celebrate Fall, Raise Funds for ACS

With sunny, blue skies overhead, some 600 students and teachers from preschool to high school ran, walked, and even navigated an obstacle course on our track to help raise funds for our school at our Race for Education on November 1.  Scores of family members came out to cheer from the sidelines and volunteer. To add to the fun, elementary students enjoyed a variety of fall-themed, Harvest Day activities in addition to participating in the Race.

“Thank you to our volunteers and our donors for helping make our fall fundraiser a big success,” said Event Coordinator Christian Delacruz, who oversaw the Race.  “We have received generous gifts from over 400 donors and we have now exceeded our $40,000 goal — what a blessing!”

Throughout Race Day, various classes posed with yard signs that recognized a record 20 Event Sponsors and 30 Classroom Sponsors. Two large banners recognizing our Event Sponsors also were hung near the track and at the front entrance of the main school building. Hundreds of sponsors gave $50 or more and the students they supported received large green-and-white Race sneaker posters that are on display in their classrooms and in the hallways.

According to Delacruz, donations are still coming in for the Race and a new Race fundraising record may be set. It’s not too late to make a donation to the Race. Our online donation site is still open — race4ed.com/aceht

Favorite Harvest Day activities held throughout the day included a visit to the pumpkin patch and decorating pumpkins, paper leaves, and cards for art. Thank you to Produce Junction in Northfield for providing over 400 pumpkins at a discounted price for our event. Students also enjoyed riding a tractor-pulled wagon around the school campus, driven by former ACS student Noah Pricskett, whose family owns the Sleepy Hollow Family Campground in Egg Harbor Township.  Other Harvest Day activities included story time, a scavenger hunt, jumping in a new Bounce House, playing gaga ball and 4-square, and an outdoor music class where students practiced their percussion and rhythmic skills.

Photo credits: Christian Delacruz, Carole Karabashian, Anna Linkins, Patty Rosie

 

Varsity Soccer Teams Heading Into League Finals on Saturday — Boys to Play in Championship Game, Girls in Consolation

We’re in the Soccer Tournament Finals! Congratulations to our Varsity Soccer Teams who will be competing in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference Finals on Saturday, November 6. The Varsity Boys will be playing in the Championship Game for the first time since 2012 and the Varsity Girls are playing in the Consolation Game. Both games will be held at Pinelands Regional High School. The Varsity Boys advanced to the championship game after beating King’s Christian School 2-1 in an exciting, double overtime semi-final playoff game on November 4.  The Varsity Girls had a tough 4-1 loss in their semi-final playoff game to Gloucester County Christian School.

The Varsity Boys’ team, seeded #2 at the end of the regular season, will face off against #1 seeded Pilgrim Academy in the TSCAC Championship Game at 7 p.m. on Saturday. The 24-member team is led by head coach Andres Tortola. The 14-member Varsity Girls’ team, also seeded #2 at the end of the regular season, will play King’s Christian School in the Consolation Game kicking off at 3 p.m.

Both games will be played at Pinelands Regional High School at 565 Nugentown Road in Little Egg Harbor, NJ. ACS families and friends are encouraged to come out and cheer on our teams to victory! The TSCAC will be charging a gate fee at the games.

In the Varsity Boys’ playoff game held Thursday on the ACS campus, 11th grader Luke Phillips kicked in the first goal, assisted by 10th grader Manny Johnson. The game was tied at half time and at the end of regulation play. The game then went into a double overtime, with 11th grader Moges Johnson kicking in the winning goal. 11th grader Jake DeNick also fought hard in the goal, making 12 saves.

In the Varsity Girls’ playoff game, 11th grader Paige Noble scored the lone goal for ACS, assisted by 11th grader Maddie DeNick.  The Lady Cougars, under head coach Carly Witherow, have made six consecutive appearances in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference (TSCAC) Tournament finals and won five consecutive TSCAC Championships since 2015.

The TSCAC All-Star Game will be held on Tuesday, November 9.  Photo credits: Sue DeNick, Mia Liggins, Ruby Lewis, and Karen Noble.

 

 

Worry Less, Pray More — Middle Schoolers Learn Strategies to Deal with Stress at Spiritual Emphasis Retreat on October 25

Who’s ever been worried or anxious?  Most Middle School students raised their hands in response to the question posed by High School Bible teacher Urick Lewis at the Middle School Spiritual Emphasis Retreat on October 25.  Lewis went on to provide the students with practical, Biblically-rooted strategies to deal with stress in their lives and pointed out that even powerful men of God, like the prophet Elijah, faced worry and stress and needed to turn to God for encouragement and strength. The one-day retreat began on the ACS campus and then students traveled to R & J Farm in Egg Harbor City to spend time together, building closer friendships and also to meet in small groups to further discuss the morning’s topic.

The Middle School retreat began in the morning with a time of worship led by the Wellspring Church praise team, followed by the keynote devotion by Mr. Lewis. The three strategies Lewis shared for how to respond to stress were: 1) to pray; 2) to examine your perspective and change it if needed; and 3) to have people in your life who can encourage you.

“Isolation is a tool that the devil uses to keep us worried and anxious,” Lewis said. “The prophet Elijah isolated himself, but God brought people to minister to him and that’s what he’ll do for you. Don’t try to deal with things all on your own.”

Students gathered in smaller COMPASS groups in the morning to dig deeper into what the Bible says about how to respond to anxiety and stress. One key Bible passage the students examined was Philippians 4:6-7 — “Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

At R & J Farm, the students enjoyed picking pumpkins, exploring the corn maze, jumping on a large inflatable, and playing various games. The students also met again in their small groups at the farm to further discuss questions related to dealing with worry and stress, concluding the day with a final wrap-up message from Mr. Lewis.

 

 

Excitement Building for Peter Pan Jr. Musical as Set Production Gets Underway; Purchase Tickets Online or at Door

Excitement is in the air for the upcoming production of Peter Pan Jr. as set construction got underway last week and students and teachers created bulletin boards to promote the exciting musical.  Captain Hook’s pirate ship is taking shape at the center of the ACS stage — built by ACS parent and former student Mark Huff and ACS parent Tony Boules and Travis Shafer, who are owners of Architectural Master Builders based in Parsipanny, NJ.

“It’s so exciting to see this giant pirate ship come to life on the stage that will create the illusion of the cast and the audience being on the ship and a part of the action,” said show director Genevieve Huff. Additional sections of the set, including Wendy’s nursery window, will continue to be built in time for tech week and dress rehearsals the week of November 15. Anyone interested in volunteering to help with set construction should contact Mrs. Huff at ghuff@acseht.org.

Mrs. Scardilli’s 7th grade mixed media art class recently finished designing a bulletin board outside the school library depicting a scene of Peter Pan with Wendy and her siblings flying in the air near the Tower of London.  Another bulletin board features the photos of all 46 cast members in the musical, with their names and the parts they will play in the show.

Tickets to “Peter Pan Jr.” are now available for purchase online for two performances of the show — on Friday, November 19 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 20 at 2:00 p.m.

Purchase your tickets online or at the door — $8 for students and $10 for general admission.  Seating will be first-come, first-served.

CLICK HERE to purchase tickets online.

 

 

Neverland-Themed Scholastic Book Fair Coming Nov. 15-24; Shopping Opens First Night of Peter Pan Jr. Musical; Sign Up Online to Volunteer

Our fall Scholastic Book Fair with a Neverland theme is two weeks away and will run from November 15-24. All students and their family members will have opportunities to visit the fair on select days and can shop in person or online for books and gift items. The Book Fair organizers are also in need of volunteers to help with setup and pack up and to serve as shopping assistants.

“Last year’s Book Fair raised some $8,500 for our school library and classroom educational needs and we hope to surpass that goal this year,” said K-12 Computer Teacher Rhapsody Hahn-Chaney, who is overseeing the fair with Library Media Specialist Patti Scardilli.  This year’s goal is to sell 1,250 books and raise $10,000, which will be used to buy teacher requested books for classrooms, books to lend students at the ACS Library, and a subscription to Scholastic News magazine for elementary students to enjoy at home.

Students will be visiting the school library from November 15-19 to preview the Book Fair items and create their “wish lists.” Product selection will include Scholastic books and stationery items, as well as Bibles, devotionals, and Christian books and gift items from the Truth That Rocks Bookstore in Northfield. A Scholastic Book Catalog will be sent home with PreK3-6th grade students. The Scholastic website also has the catalog of books and gift items to choose from.

CLICK HERE to order books on the Scholastic Book Web Page

CLICK HERE to be a Book Fair Volunteer

In-person family shopping will begin on Friday, November 19 — the opening night of the Peter Pan Jr. musical — with opportunities to shop both before and after the show, from 6:00-7:00 p.m. and from 8:00-9:00 p.m.  The fair will also be open on Saturday, November 20 before and after the second performance of Peter Pan Jr., from 1:00-2:00 p.m. and from 3:00-4:00 p.m.

Shopping will continue the following week, November 22-24, when students can purchase the items they have selected. Family members can visit the Book Fair after school on select days and times from November 22-23.  Parents, grandparents, and friends can also shop online from November 15-28. Book fair purchases can be paid by cash and check or by uploading funds to a digital eWallet (via the Book Fair website).

The in-person family shopping days and hours for November 22-23 are scheduled using the last name of the parent, as follows:

Last name beginning with A-L — Monday, Nov. 22, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Last name beginning with M-Z — Tuesday, Nov. 23, 3:30-6:30 p.m.

Winter Sports Season to Get Underway, Tryouts Start Week of Nov. 8

Our winter sports season is just around the corner and we are excited to see nearly 120 students signed up for tryouts for basketball and cheer. Tryouts for our High School Basketball Teams will be held next week and Middle School Basketball tryouts will be held after Thanksgiving. Pre-tryout practices for our combined Middle School/High School Cheer Team will also be held next week, prior to tryouts on November 16.

The Varsity Boys Basketball tryouts will be held on November 8 and 9 and the Varsity Girls Basketball tryouts will be held on November 11 and 12.  Tryouts will run from 3:15 to 5:00 p.m.

The Varsity Basketball coaches for this season, who will oversee the tryouts, will be: Drew Carney, Varsity Boys Basketball Head Coach; Dan Carney, Varsity Boys Basketball Assistant Coach; Ben Chapman, JV Boys Basketball Head Coach; Kaylee Breunig, Varsity Girls Basketball Head Coach; and Dara Kimmerley, JV Girls Basketball Head Coach.  The Middle School Basketball coaches will be Joshua Clark, MS Boys Basketball Head Coach; and Grant Miller, MS Girls Basketball Coach.

Students interested in trying out for the cheer team should attend the practices on November 9 and 10 from 3:15-4:15 p.m. to learn the routines that they will be asked to perform at the tryouts on November 16, which will be held from 3:30-5:00 p.m. The Cheer Team will once again be co-coached by staff members Kelly Flynn and Morgan Gibson. Not only will the team cheer at middle school and high school basketball home games, but plans are underway for the team to enter one or more cheer competitions.  Students in the after school intramural cheer program, led by Coach Gibson, will also have the opportunity to cheer at ACS home games.

The Varsity Boys’ and Girls’ teams are scheduled to kick off their season with non-league games at home in the ACS gym on Tuesday, December 7.  Information on all upcoming games can be found on the High School and Middle School Calendars posted on the ACS website under the Athletics tab and on the ACS App under Calendars.

Let’s get ready for a busy, action-packed season!

 

 

ACS Summer Cougar Camp Wins Best of the Press 2021 Silver Medal; Early Ed Center Places in Top 5 for Best Child Daycare Center

We’re in the Winner’s Circle! — Our Summer Cougar Camp and Early Education Center recently received special honors in The Press of Atlantic City’s 2021 Readers’ Choice Awards. Cougar Camp received a 2nd place Silver Medal for “Best Summer Camp” and our Early Education Center placed in the Top 5 of “Best Child Daycare Centers” in the region. The award winners were announced on October 31, 2021 and published in a special pull-out section in The Press of Atlantic City.

Thank you to our ACS families and the many friends in our community who voted online in two rounds of the contest from July-September.

We’re very proud of our Cougar Camp staff, led by faculty member Eric Tardif, and our Early Education teachers and aides, led by Early Ed Director and Elementary Principal Gail Alford, for their dedication and love for each of the students who are in these programs.

This past summer, children from grades 1 to 6 enjoyed a 10-week Cougar Camp program that included field trips to the Cape May Zoo, roller skating at Young’s Skating and other fun and educational destinations, movies days, water foam fun, STEM activities, working in the school garden, sports, Bible stories and worship, and much more.

Alumni, Students, Families Celebrate Homecoming 2021

Over 400 alumni, students, and their families gathered at the ACS campus on Saturday, October 23 for Homecoming 2021, which featured two exciting Varsity vs. Alumni Soccer games, the crowning of the Homecoming King and Queen and presentation of their court, and a new 5K Cross-Country Race.

Congratulations to our 2021 Homecoming Court — Homecoming King Quinn Schrag, Homecoming Queen Caeli Barbour, and Homecoming Princesses Elizabeth Alford and Amber Ramos. The King and Queen waved to the crowd as they took the traditional ride around the track in a converted jeep, driven by school parents Michael and Kelly Flynn.

The Homecoming events began in the morning with open volleyball and basketball and a 5K Cross-Country Race on a new course created on the ACS campus. Six ACS students competed in what Athletic Director Pam Hitchner hopes will become an annual Homecoming event. Senior Shane Schweeppenheiser won 1st place overall and senior Caeli Barbour placed second overall and in 1st place for the girls. Four middle school students competed in the race: Ashlee Alford, Liam Aspenberg, Christian Pineo, and Kalee Tardiff.

For the second year in a row, the ACS Varsity Soccer teams faced off in two very competitive and fast-paced games against an ACS Men’s Alumni Team and an ACS Women’s Alumni Team. The Alumni Men won their game against the ACS Varsity Boys by a score of 5-4. The game was tied 4-4 at the end of regulation and the game went into overtime, with the Alumni winning the penalty shoot-out by 1.

For the Alumni Men’s Team, Brendon Keller scored four goals, assisted by Varsity Boys’ coach Andres Tortola, and Tortola scored one goal. Scoring for the ACS Varsity Boys team were junior Manny Johnson with 2 goals, assisted by senior Aaron Glancey; sophomore Noah Gibbs with 1 goal, assisted by Johnson; and sophomore James Papanikolau with 1 goal.  The players on the ACS Men’s Alumni team were: Ben Chapman (’13), Billy Chapman (’10), Elijah Chapman (’19), Josh Clark, JJ Jacoby (’21), Luke Johnson (’19), Brandon Keller, Carl Phillips (’18), Dan Roland (’20), Jacob Rosie (’21), Mark Rosie (’20), Tommy Tillis (’10), Andres Tortola, and Nate Wallace (’07), who played in goal.

The ACS Women’s Alumni  Team beat the ACS Varsity Girls team 4-1, a reversal of last year’s Homecoming game where the Varsity team won 5-2.  For the Alumni Women’s Team, DJ Hitchner scored 2 goals, one assisted by Sydney Pearson; Chloe Vogel scored 1 goal; and Sarah Vogel Laury scored 1 goal, assisted by Carly Harper Witherow. Junior captain Paige Noble scored the one goal for the ACS Varsity Girls’ team.

The players on the ACS Women’s Alumni team were: Kaylee Breunig (’12), Olivia Chapman, Shelby Einwechter (’21), who played in goal,  Leah Vogel Glancey (’15), DJ Hitchner (’17), Casey Harper Hopwood, Naomi Glancey Johnson (’18), Sarah Vogel Laury (’11), Sydney Pearson (’21), Abigail Vogel Shivers (’18),  Jamie Zalman Tortola (’13), Chloe Vogel (’21), Cristen Winkel (’21), and Carly Harper Witherow (’08).

At half-time during both alumni games, family members and friends in the crowd had the opportunity to compete for Wawa gift cards by taking a 50-yard shot on goal.

 

Race for Education Rescheduled to Nov. 1; Students Show off their Sponsor Race Sneakers as Donations Exceed $37,000

Event Coordinator Christian Delacruz visited classrooms over the past two weeks, presenting dozens of students with green-and-white Race Sponsor Sneakers, given to those who have raised $50 or more from a sponsor. To date, ACS has received over $37,000 in Race donations and we are very grateful for the support. Due to inclement weather, the Race for Education has been rescheduled to Monday, November 1.

The Sponsor Sneakers are also on display on a bulletin board in the Multi-Purpose Room hallway. There is still room for more sneakers — so we encourage family, friends and area businesses to be a Race sponsor and help us reach or exceed our goal of $40,000. All proceeds will go into the ACS Annual Fund to support our educational programs in this school year.

Giving to the Race for Education is easy — just go to our Race website — www.race4ed.com/aceht or CLICK HERE.

Donors who make a gift of $200 will be recognized as a “Classroom Sponsor” and those give $400 will be designated as an “Event Sponsor.” Individual yard signs with the names of Classroom and Event sponsors are being placed around the edge of the track on Race Day to encourage all of our runners. Our Event Sponsors will be recognized on a banner hung at the school on Race Day and for the week after the Race. Classroom and Event Sponsors will also be thanked and recognized on our school’s website.

 

 

Students Enjoy New Picnic Tables Donated by New Life Assembly of God

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.

“These picnic tables are just what we needed to provide comfortable seating for our students in the new lunch and recess area we created this fall,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen.  “We truly appreciate the way New Life Assembly and many other churches in our community step forward to support our students and our school.”

Pictured here are students in Kaitlyn D’aquilante’s 5th grade class enjoying some fresh air and free play time during recess on October 27.

ACS to Hold High School Information Night on Nov. 9

ACS is holding its annual High School Information Night on Tuesday, November 9 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.

 

Nov. 19 Grandparents Appreciation Day Postponed to Spring 2022

To protect the health and safety of our ACS grandparents, the school administration has decided to postpone the Grandparents Appreciation Day event scheduled for Friday, November 19 to the spring of 2022.  ACS grandparents and school families will be informed of the new date, once it is determined.

Each fall, ACS students look forward to honoring their grandparents and welcoming them to a special Grandparents Day Chapel on the ACS campus. Last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Grandparents Day was not held as an in-person event. Unfortunately, a year later, the COVID-19 virus is still having a significant impact.

“We are all disappointed that we cannot be together on November 19, but we look forward to welcoming our grandparents to ACS for Grandparents Day next spring,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen. An email announcing the postponement of the event was sent to parents, faculty, and staff on October 29.

Race for Education, Harvest Day Rescheduled to Monday, Nov. 1– Keep Reaching Out to Family, Friends to be a Race Sponsor

Due to inclement weather forecasts, the Race for Education and Harvest Day have been rescheduled to this coming Monday, November 1. That means you have a few more days to get more sponsors and help us reach and exceed our $40,000 goal. Please find time over this weekend to send some emails or share the ACS Race flyer on Facebook and help us reach and exceed our $40,000 goal.

Thank you to the 355 sponsors who have already donated or reached out to prospective sponsors.  To date, ACS has received over $36,000 in Race donations.   Let’s keep pressing on over the next few days and encouraging others to come on board as sponsors.

Giving to the Race for Education is easy — just go to our Race website — www.race4ed.com/aceht.

Sponsors can give any amount, but if they donate $50 or more, a special Race sneaker sign with the sponsor’s name and the name of the student they are sponsoring will be posted on a school hallway wall or in a classroom as a sign of support. Donors can also be a “Classroom Sponsor” (for a gift of $200) or an “Event Sponsor” (for a gift of $400). Individual yard signs with the names/logos of Classroom and Event sponsors will be placed around the edge of the track on Race Day to encourage all of our runners. In addition, the names/logos of our “Event Sponsors” will go on a banner hung at the school for the week prior to and on Race Day.

CLICK ON the flyer below to go to the Race donation website.

Students Show off Their Sponsor Sneakers as Donations Exceed $30,000 with 9 Days Until Race for Education; Order Your Hot Diggity Dog Lunch for Race Day by Oct. 27

The Race for Education is just nine days away and sponsor donations and pledges now surpass $30,000 with just nine days to go until our Race for Education on Friday, October 29.  We’re getting closer to our goal of $40,000, so please keep emailing and calling family, friends, and local businesses to ask them to be a Race Sponsor.

Event Coordinator Christian Delacruz traveled around the school campus on Friday, October 22 to present 189 green-and-white Race for Ed Sponsor Sneakers to every student who had raised $50 or more from a sponsor.   The sneakers were also put on display on a bulletin board in the Multi-Purpose Room hallway. There is still room for more sneakers — so let’s keep reaching out to prospective sponsors. All proceeds will go into the ACS Annual Fund to support our educational programs in this school year.

The PTF is also sponsoring a Hot Diggity Dog Lunch for students on Race Day. Ordering must be done through RenWeb by Wednesday, October 27. A hot dog meal includes a hot dog, chips, and a drink for $4. Additional hot dogs can be purchased for $2 each.

Giving to the Race for Education is easy — just visit our Race website — www.race4ed.com/aceht.

Sponsors can give any amount, but if they donate $50 or more, the student they are sponsoring will receive a special Race sneaker sign with the sponsor’s name and the name of the student they are sponsoring. Donors can also be a “Classroom Sponsor” (for a gift of $200) or an “Event Sponsor” (for a gift of $400). Individual yard signs with the names/logos of Classroom and Event sponsors will be placed around the edge of the track on Race Day to encourage all of our runners. In addition, the names/logos of our “Event Sponsors” will go on a banner hung at the school for the week prior to and on Race Day.

CLICK ON the flyer at the bottom of this page to go to the Race donation website.