A CLOSER LOOK
The Newsletter of Augusta Christian Schools
2018-19 Year in Review
The Newsletter of Augusta 2018-2019 Christian Year Schools in Review
Page - A CLOSER LOOK YEAR IN REVIEW 2018-2019
A CLOSER LOOK
The Newsletter of Augusta Christian Schools
2018-19 Year in Review
Table of Contents
From the Head of School ................................................ 3
From our School Divisions
High School..................................................................... 4
Middle School ................................................................. 6
Elementary ...................................................................... 7
Kindergarten Campus ..................................................... 9
Guidance ....................................................................... 10
Admissions .................................................................... 12
Athletics ........................................................................ 13
Fine Arts ........................................................................ 14
Around Campus
See You at the Pole ...................................................... 18
Grandparents Day ........................................................ 19
Homecoming ................................................................. 20
Fall Festival ................................................................... 22
Veterans Day ................................................................ 23
Names in the News ...................................................... 25
Seniors in the News ...................................................... 28
Class of 2019 ................................................................ 29
Alumni ........................................................................... 30
Congratulations to the ACS Class of 2019, our 41st graduating class!
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A Message from Les Walden, Head of School
“ Our mission
statement challenges
us to play a part in
developing each
student spiritually,
academically, socially,
and physically. ”
Amy Frietag was named SCISA High
School Teacher of the Year.
“How is your
enrollment?” is a
question that I
frequently get asked
from people in our area
and within our different
associations. As we
finished the 2018-2019
school year I have to report that our
enrollment was very strong and all
indications point to continued growth at
Augusta Christian Schools. The
inevitable follow up to that question is
very often “how are you maintaining
and even growing when so many
schools are moving in the opposite
direction?” There is no question that
the Lord has blessed Augusta Christian
and my belief and continued prayer is
that He does so in part due to our
obedience to the mission that He has
put before us.
Our mission statement challenges
us to play a part in developing each
student spiritually, academically,
socially, and physically. Our faculty
and staff are carefully chosen based on
their ability to reach students in each of
these areas and I believe we have as
fine a faculty as any school in the
CSRA. As a matter of fact, our own
Amy Freitag was named SCISA High
School Teacher of the Year in the high
school category. SCISA is made up of
over 120 schools and this is quite the
honor. We have had a finalist in one of
the three categories each year of my
four years as Head of School.
We continue to develop additional
academic opportunities with programs
such as Sports Medicine, JROTC, and
Media. Our Resource Teacher and
Barton Reading Program introduced in
our elementary this past year were both
very successful with increased test
scores to validate each of them.
This past school year we
experimented with student led small
group chapel in the middle and high
school with great success. It is
refreshing to see these students open up
with each other and pour into each
other spiritually. Additionally, we
heard from many great local pastors
and nationally recognized speakers
such as Adrian Despres and Reggie
Dabbs.
Our elementary students continued
with Inductive Bible Study and heard
from many great local speakers as well.
With our mission efforts and support of
those in need around us it is clear that
we live out our theme of Live Life, Give
Life taken from 1 John 5:12: “He who
has the Son has life; he who does not
have the Son of God does not have
life.”
With so much growth at Augusta
Christian the word that I hear most
from incoming families is “balance”.
Augusta Christian values balance in the
student and their families lives. It is
possible to offer top academics,
athletics, fine arts, and other
extracurricular activities to all of our
students without compromise and to do
it while maintaining our spiritual focus
as we Build Kingdom Leaders.
Augusta Christian is a very special
place. As an alumnus, the spouse of an
Augusta Christian teacher, a parent of
three Augusta Christian students (one
graduate), and an employee myself, I
have witnessed many changes and
much growth at our school. I am so
excited about the season that we are in
at this moment, the people that God has
put in place to serve with me, and the
families that are part of our school.
Please continue to pray for God to do
mighty things at Augusta Christian and
that we never lose focus of the mission
set before us.
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Live Life Give Life
By Wayne Marchant, High School Principal
1
John 5:12 “He who has the son has life. He who know each other better, and come back with an emphasis on
does not have the son of God does not have life.” leading our school spiritually. During these retreats, our
Our theme for the 2018-2019 school year can be teachers and church leaders from the community are able to
summarized at “Live Life, Give Life.” Our really impress upon our students what it means to follow
administrative team came up with the school’s theme over Christ and to grow in Him.
the summer when we expanded our previous theme from
Community service and volunteering opportunities
James which was called “Feet to Faith”. Our goal was to are of great importance for our high school students each
impress upon our students and community that without and every year and this year has been no exception. We had
Christ, our efforts are futile and if we do not have Him, we 5 students graduate with over 500 hours of community
are lost. Our first several chapel sessions expanded on this service each. Collectively, our high school students
theme centrally focusing on where our students were contributed over 4800 hours with most of our students going
spiritually.
above and beyond what we require as a school. Our seniors
The beginning of the 2018-2019 school year was a went on missions to Puerto Rico this past winter and
huge success spiritually with all of our high school students connected with another Christian school there pouring into
leaving campus for the first time to bond and grow. The the students and community in amazing ways. Another
seniors went to Blue Ridge, North Carolina for 4 days, our group of students went to the Bahamas on missions over the
juniors went to Camp Longridge, South Carolina for 3 days, spring break to work with refugee camps from Haiti. The
and our sophomores and freshmen going to Camp Gravatt in Connected Hearts ministry, in honor of Emily Roberson,
Aiken, South Carolina for 1 day. During these retreats, our saw some of its biggest successes this past year with the
students are able to come together and set goals, bond, get to school providing over 100 bags of essentials for foster
The seniors put “live life give life” into action in Puerto Rico with Praying
Pelican Ministries as they connected with another Christian school there.
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children and raised over $5000.00 to help “forever
families” bring home adopted children from overseas. The
Angel Tree ministry was able to provide gifts to many
families in need in our area during Christmas time. The
students also helped with Lights for Lydia campaign,
supporting the Ronald McDonald House, the Golden
Harvest Food Bank, and many other community members.
Academically, the high school has made great
strides in achieving higher standards, increased rigor in
our college preparatory classes, more class offerings, and
increased test scores across the board. Our AP department
has been working together to create an AP contract and
clearly spell out our expectations for the classes to
students and parents. Last year, we added French I and
Healthcare essentials to our high school curriculum. This
coming year, we will add French II, Sports Medicine,
Honors Biology, Environmental Science, and JROTC. Our
Learning Support program is as strong as ever with
increased academic expectations and strong support to
help all of our students achieve their goals after high
school.
As a result of the cumulative efforts mentioned
above, our school has the ability to help our students go
wherever they want to when they graduate. Our students
will attend a vast number of colleges, universities,
technical schools and enter the workforce straight out of
high school. We know that God designs each person
uniquely and each person has certain strengths and
weaknesses. We feel that Augusta Christian has the ability
for all students to achieve and be successful at whatever
career choice they may have.
Technology has continued to be a very successful
part of who we are and we are continuing to find ways to
keep our students engaged, organized, and trained for any
number of careers that require proficiencies in the use of
technology. That being said, we do see the need to
balance technology with basic skills such as reading,
writing, and the ability to take good notes based on good
listening skills. All of our curriculum tools are up to date
and are the latest versions of what we teach. We teach the
Georgia state standards, but do it from a Christian
perspective which is essential for our students to be
successful in a secular world.
Another important part of our school is our
athletic and fine arts departments. In the fall, we offer
football, volleyball, cross country, swimming,
cheerleading, tennis and golf. We have 8 basketball teams
in the winter and also have a top notch wrestling program.
In the spring, we have baseball, softball, soccer, track,
golf, and tennis. Our boys and girls basketball teams had
both the CSRA private school players of the year in Nate
Dunlap and Morgan Milhouse. Nate Dunlop also scored
his 2000th point during the course of his senior campaign.
Augusta Christian also had many athletes named All-
Region and others who represented us in various All-State
games.
Our fine arts departments continue to flourish and
shine in many ways. Our drama team competes on the
state level in their One Act performance, does a great job
for Encore Night, and blows us all away in their spring
musical “Shrek the Musical”. Our chorus department this
year was one of our best ever with close to 50 students
participating in various events and concerts. Our band
program increased in number this past year with over 50
band members, many of them participating in Augusta
Christian’s pep band who played at pep rallies and
basketball games. Our art program is continuing to
produce top notch artists who have won multiple awards in
competition.
As I always mention, perhaps our greatest shining
stars at Augusta Christian are our teachers. Our teachers
spend countless hours not only preparing our students for
careers and schooling beyond high school, but they
regularly pour into our students spiritually guiding them in
God’s word. We have had several Golden Apple Award
winners the past few years and also had the SCISA State
Teacher of the Year in Amy Freitag, a first in the rich
history of our school. Whenever parents visit and ask
what makes our school special, I answer the same way
every time: our teachers.
I know that the 2018-2019 school year was very
special, but I can’t wait to see where God takes us next
year!
Students collected hundreds of items for Connected Hearts Ministry in
memory of Emily Roberson. Around 100 “sweet cases” were filled with
personal care items for children taken suddenly into foster care. Just
one of many ways our students live life, give life.
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Middle Schoolers Live Life Give Life
By Keith Walton, Middle School Principal
Each year, after prayerful consideration, our Administrative Team
chooses a verse for the coming year. As we continue the mission of Building
Kingdom Leaders, our Administrative team selected a theme from Scripture
found in 1 John 5:12 “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have
the Son of God does not have life.” During the 2018-19 school year, our
students, faculty rallied around the theme of “Live life, Give Life.” We want
to challenge our students to live a life glorying to the Lord, but also share the
amazing word of Jesus Christ so that others may have a “life more
abundantly.”
Our middle school students have put their faith to action by partnering
with the Augusta Locally Grown and starting a school farm on the campus of
ACS. All produce grown on the farm will go to local homeless shelters. The
students have worked extremely hard to get this project to get this project off
the ground.
In order to accommodate the ever changing needs
of our students, we updated our chapel experience to be
more middle school friendly and interactive. We call
middle school chapel R.O.A.R. which stands for Reach
Out and Rejoice. Students are engaged and are challenged
to grow in their faith in practical ways. We have started
student led small groups. This will allow students to
develop spiritual leadership skills.
Beyond the classroom, Augusta Christian offers
ample opportunities for continued student development
and growth. This past year students participating in the
ever-growing “Cyber Patriot program” led by Susan
Werner. Our middle school Robotics program, which was
led by math teacher Michelle Brittingham, experienced
great success as well.
We have been blessed to offer these many ways that we can encourage students to use their gifts, and
to grow into the Kingdom Leaders God has called them to be.
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A Firm Foundation
by Liz Lowery, Elementary Principal
Our firm mission at Augusta Christian schools is to
prepare students to serve Jesus Christ as Lord,
partnering with family and church, instilling high
standards, spiritually, academically, socially and
physically. Our elementary division has the sacred trust
to lay a solid foundation, which will serve as the
bedrock for all future building. This is a high calling and
2 Timothy 3:14-15 clearly states that through this
foundation “wisdom that leads to salvation through faith
in Christ Jesus” is given and Kingdom leaders emerge. It
is our goal to equip the students that fill our classrooms
for every good work that God has prepared for them.
For this reason, our primary focus and one we feel is
essential to our mission is teaching and instilling the
Word of God in the hearts and lives of our students.
Students begin each day with Bible instruction and
prayer time. Lessons are designed to introduce our
students to their Creator and His purpose and plan for
their lives. Children are instructed that it is God’s plan to
rescue His people from their sin through the life, death
and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. Through
compelling Bible lessons and intentional Biblical
integration across the curriculum, our goal for them is to
discover how God’s plan of redemption connects with
them personally and to choose to join the mission of
God.
As our students navigate and establish their journey
of faith we feel that discipleship is also part of our
calling. We recognize that teaching them to read and
apply God’s word to their lives is an essential part of
growing in their faith and becoming a mature believer.
To help our students with this process we have
implemented the inductive Bible study method for
children through the D4Y series in 3rd through 5th
grades. As part of our curriculum, students will explore
the books of Jonah, John and Daniel through inductive
Bible study, giving them the tools to understand and
apply God’s word in a meaningful and practical way.
Instilling high academic standards is not secondary
but is part of our primary purpose. As Christians we are
given stewardship over all creation. To fulfill this
mandate found in Genesis 1:28 students must learn to
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maximize the usefulness of God’s world
for the glory of God and for the benefit
of their fellow man. This takes
knowledge and discipline. For this
reason, academics are crucial to joining
in God’s mission and are coupled with
spiritual growth to build Kingdom
Leaders. A combination of two solid,
Biblically integrated curriculums, Bob
Jones University and Abeka are utilized
in the classroom. Both curriculums
shape each subject area according to the
lens of scripture creating a Christian
worldview while providing the rigor
necessary for students to learn to think
critically and compete in the global
market. Lessons consist of hands on
activities, creative problem solving, and
other research proven strategies to
motivate students to take an active role
in learning.
Classrooms are equipped with iPads,
Apple TVs, Smart-boards and flat screen
TVs to enhance the curriculum and
provide our students opportunities to
practice, demonstrate, create and work
collaboratively. In developing the whole
child and teaching them that God has
purposefully designed them and instilled
in each of them gifts to be used for His
glory and to benefit others, it is
paramount that we help them discover
their gifts.
Through our physical education
program children encounter team sports
and learn to be good stewards of their
bodies. The fine arts program enables
students to explore and establish a love
for music and art. Through music and
chorus class students learn the
fundamentals in music. In band they
experience the excitement of learning to
play a musical instrument, and in art
class students discover their creative
gifts and learn elements of space,
texture, color and design.
Library class exposes students to the
wonder of good literature and the joy of
reading. Our computer classes expose
them to coding, keyboarding skills,
introduce them to basic Apple and
Google software, as well as teach them
how to safely navigate the Internet. In
Spanish class students are given the
opportunity to encounter and learn a
foreign language and learn about
different people groups and cultures.
Establishing in the hearts and minds
of our students the needs of people of
diverse cultures and joining God’s
mission to serve and reach all people
with the Gospel message of Christ Jesus,
is another key component in building
Kingdom Leaders. Each classroom
adopts, supports and prays for a
missionary throughout the year to further
foster the importance of making
disciples of all nations as mandated in
Matthew 28:18.
Cultivating each individual heart is
essential in building a Kingdom Leader.
Because all children are created in a
special way with a unique set of gifts
and talents, they learn and develop
differently as well. Our Learning
Support program is designed to address
learning challenges and various learning
styles through offering a smaller
environment, individualized instruction
and specialized curriculum. Teachers in
the learning support environment are
well trained in differentiated instruction
and follow each child’s individualized
learning support plan to meet the specific
needs of each student.
The leadership, teachers and staff
feel that it is an unbelievable privilege to
partner with parents, church and the
“Each classroom adopts,
supports and prays for a
missionary throughout the
year to further foster the importance
of making disciples
of all nations as mandated in
Matthew 28:18.”
Lord Jesus Christ to help raise up and
equip future leaders for the calling that
Christ has for each of them. Paul’s
encouragement to Timothy, his brother
in Christ, encourages each of us as we
move forward in this glorious endeavor:
“But as for you, continue in what you
have learned and have firmly believed,
knowing from whom you learned it and
how from childhood you have been
acquainted with the sacred
writings, which are able to make you
wise for salvation through faith in Christ
Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by
God and profitable for teaching, for
reproof, for correction, and for training
in righteousness and that the man of God
may be competent, equipped for every
good work.” 1Timothy 3:14-17
Our 5th grade students put our theme of “Live Life, Give Life” into action by
holding a bake sale to help out an ACS family touched by cancer.
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From Our Kindergarten Campus
The 2018-2019 school year was a wonderful year for
our kindergarten campus family. Many new families joined
us and we enjoyed getting to know each of them. The Lord
provided excellent additions to our faculty and staff and we
are thankful.
We enjoyed Chapel each month, celebrated
Grandparents Day, met together for See You at the Pole, and
had a Christmas program that reminded us the real reason of
the season. We have celebrated many academic goals being
met over the school year, and our school is truly blessed by
our dedicated teachers and assistants. They poured into our
students each and every day, and we have seen the fruits of
their labor!
We had wonderful parental support that helped us
live out our mission as a school in partnering with family
and church to instill high standards in every student. Jesus
was and always will be the center of what we do here at
ACS, and we will continue to do all things to honor Him.
For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to
who be glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:36
Courtney Hayes
Kindergarten Administrator
ACS Kindergarten Class of 2019 (future Class of 2031)
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Stand Firm With a Purpose
By Dr. Berish Strother, Director of Guidance
Decision Day 2019!
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves
fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians
15:58
The goal of the Guidance Office is to stand firm in our purpose of preparing students for the future
with engaging activities throughout the year. One of my favorite characters in the Bible is Daniel. Even
though he was surrounded by pagan influences in Babylon, and he obviously wanted to fit in and be
successful with the king, he refused to compromise his convictions and eat non-kosher food. He had every
reason to compromise—money, power, influence, status—but he decided ahead of time that his first loyalty
was to God: “But Daniel determined in his heart not to defile himself” (Daniel 1:8). If students want to have a
successful faith in college, in life, it begins by going into college already determined that they will follow the
Lord. This year the G-O is working to partner with families to stand firm with the purpose of serving Jesus
Christ as Lord, while preparing students for the future.
Looking back over the past year, we put our “Live Life Give Life” theme into action by hosting an
array of activities that put students on the path to have a successful year. In the Fall, we hosted our annual
Freshmen Orientation where they were able to meet their peers and engage in a scavenger hunt to learn the
layout of the campus. The PSAT was given to the 7 th – 11 th graders in October, and we had one student to earn
Page 10 - A CLOSER LOOK YEAR IN REVIEW 2018-2019
(continued on next page)
the status of a National Merit Scholar. During PSAT
testing the seniors and parents had a seminar with
speakers from FAFSA and area colleges. We held our
annual Christian College Fair at Warren Baptist Church
later that month.
The second semester we hosted a successful career
and college fair. We had over 30 participants, including
surrounding CSRA colleges and some local businesses.
The annual meetings with freshmen went well as we
provided parents and students with tools to be successful
for the upcoming year in high school. Several college
lunchroom and library visits were scheduled for upper
classmen and Decision Day for seniors. This year we
once again partnered with the Ronald McDonald House,
the Lydia Project, and Bridge ministry for Community
Service projects. Juniors were able to take the school day
SAT on the Fury’s Ferry campus in March.
That is just a small portion of our activities that
engage students for success after ACS. WHEW!!! We
stepped into the year confident and ready to make a
positive difference in the lives of our students and our
staff, and we feel like we met that goal.
What’s new you may be wondering? We are excited
to add AP Spanish back to our curriculum. We also
added Environmental Science to be aligned with the state
core Science standards and Sports Medicine to meet the
4 th science or elective requirement. ACS will offer
CJROTC for the first time in the school’s history. In
order for our office to provide more services to our
students and parents, Mrs. Wilson will be taking over as
the Testing Coordinator and middle school guidance. She
will provide monthly guidance lessons in the middle
school, small group and mental wellness activities. We
are excited about this new endeavor for our middle
school students.
The G-O is here and ready to take this journey with
you. Let's stand firm with the purpose of serving Christ
as our Lord and Savior as we partner with families to
prepare students for a bright future.
Congratulations to the
ACS Class of 2019!
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ACS—Home of the Lions!
By Lauren Banks, Director of Admissions
A
ugusta Christian Schools is “Home of the
Lions” for so many blessed families in the
CSRA! School life at ACS is Christ centered,
exciting, progressive, loving and family
oriented! School choice can be confusing to many
parents, but the benefits of Augusta Christian Schools
makes the selection clear! Not only does Augusta
Christian provide a strong spiritual atmosphere for all
those enrolled, the challenging academic programs as
well as the multifaceted extracurricular offerings give all
students a chance to succeed and prosper in their God
given gifts.
ACS offers students twelve challenging Advanced
Placement and Honors courses, the Cyber Patriot Team,
two Health Science Pathways, Junior ROTC, Apple Mac
Air laptops for 6 th -12 th grade students, Robotics, Chess
Club, many opportunities for community service, and a
fine arts program that is second to none! ACS also has an
effective Learning Support Program for students who
may have gaps in learning. The smaller classroom
environment, coupled with specialized instructional
attention, helps students succeed academically. Augusta
Christian provides the perfect avenue for every student to
find their niche in the school program.
In addition, ACS offers a full athletic program for
those students and families who enjoy physical
competitions. SCISA, South Carolina Independent
Schools Association, is the organization of which we are
a member school. Our students are eligible to participate
in athletic competitions beginning in Middle School. The
sports program includes multi level teams for the
following athletics: swimming, football, cheerleading,
cross country, tennis, basketball, wrestling, soccer,
volleyball, softball, baseball, track and many more! All
students are encouraged to participate in an
extracurricular program to get the full benefits of being an
ACS scholar athlete.
Augusta Christian Schools' Admission Office
is busy interviewing, testing and touring new families
every day. Our enrollment to date has surpassed
our projections as God has led an abundance of new
students and their families to ACS! Division principals,
Mrs. Liz Lowery, Mrs. Courtney Hayes, Mr. Keith
Walton, and Mr. Wayne Marchant are excited about all of
our new and returning students who will arrive on
campus in the fall. We are busy upgrading, painting,
planting and sprucing up for their arrival!
During the Admissions process, we partner with
each family to determine the correct academic selections
for their child. ACS has the perfect class offerings for
all students at many different academic levels. An
entrance test and a compilation of all school records, help
to determine the perfect placement for all students who
apply. In addition, the ACS International Student
Program continues to be a blessing to so many children
who otherwise would not hear the Word of God in their
home countries. Our Christian educators minister to
all of our students to build Kingdom Leaders for Christ.
Financial assistance can be a temporary help for
many families. The Goal Scholarship Program continues
to offer Georgia public school students an opportunity to
receive financial assistance based on each family’s need.
This Georgia tax redirection initiative helps make the
privilege of attending Augusta Christian Schools a reality
for many families. We thank each family who has
graciously supported this program over the years.
Without your cooperation and generous spirit, ACS could
not provide aide to worthy families.
Thank you to all who have given so sacrificially
to the mission at Augusta Christian Schools. Jesus said in
Luke 6:38, “Give and it will be given to you. A good
measure, pressed down, shaken together and running
over, will be poured into your lap. For with what
measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Your
continued prayers and support of Augusta Christian
Schools are vital to the success of our school program.
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Working Together for a Common Purpose
By Charles Cooper, Athletic Director
“The mission of Augusta Christian School is to
prepare students to serve Jesus Christ as Lord,
partnering with family and church, instilling high
standards spiritually, academically, socially and
physically.”
For those of you not familiar with those
words, that is the mission statement of Augusta
Christian Schools. In the athletic department, our
goal is to instill high standards physically while not
ignoring the other components of a student’s journey
spiritually, academically and socially.
Our coaches, through the use of sports, strive
to create an atmosphere where students are
challenged spiritually, both on and off the playing
surface. While winning is important, we don't want
to sacrifice our integrity or our Christian walk just to
get a “W.” We want our students to learn how to
handle adversity and challenges in a Christ-like
manner. We believe that through this type of
approach the wins will come both on and off the
field.
Academically our coaches know that the title
is student athlete not the other way around. In a
world where kids and parents are striving for that
athletic scholarship, we recognize that a strong
academic background will open up many more doors
for those student athletes at the next level. In 2019,
an Augusta Christian football alumnus, who played
SEC football, graduated with honors with a
Bachelors degree in Neuroscience. Without the
strong curriculum and strong athletic program here at
ACS, this would not have been possible. The athletic
department is very pleased with the partnership that
has been forged with our guidance department to put
forth the best graduates possible.
Socially sports create bonds that are unlike
any other. The lessons learned in sports are those that
can last a lifetime. When a group of players create a
team, they will experience ups and downs, wins and
losses. It’s this roller coaster of emotions that forges
a bond. Time and time again we find that new
students who play sports at Augusta Christian adjust
quicker to their new surroundings than those who
don’t. Sports also help students with communication
skills, being a team player, and having an increase in
confidence.
It is for these reasons and many more that we
push our students to get involved in athletics. We
offer over 20 varsity sports on the girls and boys
side. This year we had 65% of our students in grades
8-12 participate in at least one sport. As we continue
to increase our offerings (like the addition of
bowling this year) we hope to see that number
increase.
The school’s mission statement is not an
isolated statement which only applies to school.
It is a statement that is interwoven into the fabric of
everything we do at ACS, including athletics. It is
our goal for our student athletes to learn life lessons
when engaging in competition. We want our athletes
to work together for a common purpose, to push
beyond whatever limits they have placed on
themselves, and to see sports as a way to grow as
young adults and, more importantly, to grow in
Christ.
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Equipped to be Creators, Leaders and Worshippers
By Chris Norris, Fine Arts Coordinator
T
he ACS Fine Arts Department trains and
equips some of the most talented students in
the area. We are grateful to have a school
where students are encouraged to participate
in Fine Arts education, developing the gifts God has
given to them. During the 2018-19 school year, our
students had many occasions to learn and become better
equipped to be creators, leaders and worshippers.
Mrs. Marynell Parker’s Art students were busy
creating masterpieces in many different mediums, and
won several awards at various festivals, as well as
displaying their pieces at various events on campus and
in the lobby of our Fine Arts Building. It is astounding
to watch students of all ages form beautiful works as
they reflect our glorious Creator God!
Our performing divisions had many
opportunities throughout the year: Grandparent’s Day,
ACS Veteran’s Day Celebration, Fall Festival,
Christmas at AC, Open House, CSRA Pastor’s
Breakfast, and Spring Concerts. We also appreciate the
churches that blessed us with the use of their facilities—
Journey Church, West Acres Baptist, Revivify Church,
Genesis Church, Harvest Pointe Fellowship, and First
Baptist Church of North Augusta. Without these local
church partnerships, performances would be much more
difficult.
Mrs. Kay Cooke led our Elementary music
classes in learning music fundamentals and skills, while
leading our Elementary Chorus to excellence in
performance, learning to sing parts. Several of our upper
elementary students participated in a local regional
music festival this year. Our comprehensive music
education in elementary builds a foundation that enables
students to identify the areas they enjoy, and in which
they are most talented.
Mr. Todd Jenkins continued building our Band
division at ACS. Our beginner 5 th grade elementary
band progressed rapidly, learning how to play their
instruments. Sixth grade and 7 th /8 th grade bands have
continued to grow and sound great! Members of our HS
group also are playing in several ensembles throughout
the region, as well as providing rousing music with the
growing Pep Band. As always, our band division was
well represented at the GMEA 10 th District Honor Band
events.
Mrs. Kristen Dykes, our Drama Division
Director, led the High School One Act play, “The
Wildcats of Ridgemont High: The Perfect (TV) Pitch”—
a great piece to showcase our talented students. Mrs.
Sherry Holiman, our Middle School Drama Club
Sponsor, directed “Grandma Remembers Something.”
Both plays were presented at our annual fall Red Carpet
Night and at the SCISA Regional Drama Festival.
Our 2019 Spring Musical was “Shrek: The
Musical” and was presented in April at the Jabez
Sanford Hardin Theater in the Columbia County
Library. Our actors, musicians and crew produced some
of the finest performances in several years. The
awesome choreography, beautiful costumes, and fun
music made the familiar characters of the animated
movie came alive on stage, entertaining crowds of all
ages.
Mr. Chris Norris led our MS/HS Chorus to
excellence in musicianship, fine-tuning the choral sound
of over 50 students. One of the strongest groups of
recent years, they sent 11 HS and 6 MS students to
represent ACS at the GMEA 10 th District Honor Chorus.
But the highlight of the year was the New York City trip
for HS Choral students, chaperones and alumni in
March. 47 individuals traveled together to open a new
world of arts and culture to our students with 3
Broadway shows, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 9/11
Museum, Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island, and
worshipping with the Grammy award winning Brooklyn
Tabernacle Choir.
Awarding the Encore Club Senior Scholarships
is one of the greatest things we are able to do, giving
back to those students who have given excellent
leadership to our program during their high school
career. This year’s recipients were Abram Coleman,
Benjamin Norris and Grace Steele. We wish them well,
along with our other Seniors, as they follow God’s plan
during the next chapter of life.
Every fall, we are given a new opportunity to
influence our students at ACS to become individuals
who will not only develop their talents with excellence
but learn to use them to bring glory to the name of our
Lord, leading and encouraging others. Colossians 3:16-
17- “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all
wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with
grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do
in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
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Fine Arts Moments—Chorus, Band, Drama
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Fine Arts Moments—Shrek the Musical
Page 16 - A CLOSER LOOK YEAR IN REVIEW 2018-2019
Fine Arts Moments—Art
Page 17 - A CLOSER LOOK YEAR IN REVIEW 2018-2019
See You at the Pole 2018
Page 18 - A CLOSER LOOK YEAR IN REVIEW 2018-2019
Grandparents Day 2018
Grandparents Day is one of our favorite days at ACS! Grandparents came from all over the US and beyond for
this year’s event, and what a blessing it was to have them here! Once again we held two Grandparents’ Day
programs—one at the kindergarten campus and one at the main campus. After enjoying refreshments and an
entertaining programs by our students, grandparents were able to visit in their grandchildren’s classrooms. May the
Lord continue to bless all of our Grandparents!
Page 19 - A CLOSER LOOK YEAR IN REVIEW 2018-2019
HOMECOMING 2018
Page 20 - A CLOSER LOOK YEAR IN REVIEW 2018-2019
HOMECOMING 2018
Mary Jenkins Baylee Roland
Brelyn Head Eli Claire Wingard
Alexis Bustillo Caitlin Corbin Savannah Campbell Michelle Gibson
Michelle Gibson
2018 Homecoming Queen
Isabella Moody
Eden Tapp
Photos Courtesy of Rick Milton Photography
Page 21 - A CLOSER LOOK YEAR IN REVIEW 2018-2019
Fall Festival and Silent Auction
What an incredible Fall Festival and Silent Auction
we had this past year! The weather was perfect and
the crowds were huge. We had a record number of people
and record breaking proceeds! Thank you to everyone
who helped make this a wonderful day for our
school and the entire community. Perhaps you baked
something for the Country Kitchen, or sent in prizes, or
donated something for the auction...each was significant
in putting all of the pieces of the puzzle together
for this great event.
We owe a debt of gratitude to Bonny
Baxley for spearheading the Fall Festival. Thanks for a
job well done! Thanks also to Connie Todd for coordinating
the games and parents for manning them,
to Vicki Lamar for coordinating the Country Kitchen,
and to Nicole Jenkins and Niki Milford for coordinating
the silent auction. Each of these ladies represent a
huge team of people who made the day successful. We
appreciate all of our volunteers!
FALL FESTIVAL SPONSORS
Augusta Christian Schools would like to give a huge
shout out to our Fall Festival Sponsors! Thank you
for helping us start our day in the black. We really
appreciate it. This year's sponsors:
Merry’s Trash and Treasures
Jeweler’s Loupe
Pediatric Dental Specialists
South State Bank
Harrison & Lamar Attorneys
Dr. Jason Lee, Dentist
Adaptive Driving Solutions
Caveirinha Jiu Jitsu
Sitemaster
Fulcher Hagler
Page 22 - A CLOSER LOOK YEAR IN REVIEW 2018-2019
2018 Veterans Day Celebration
The ACS Veterans’ Day Celebration was a heartwarming
experience for everyone who attended. ACS
provided breakfast for our school Veterans and their
families. The program included stirring patriotic music
from our band and choral students, Taps played by
our band director, Todd Jenkins, videos, and an
inspiring speech from Major Clint Mead. Two other
highlights included our seniors praying over the
Veterans and the Quilts of Valor presentation (see
next page for photos).
Thank you, Veterans, for your faithful service to
our country!
Page 23 - A CLOSER LOOK YEAR IN REVIEW 2018-2019
Quilts of Valor - Veterans Day
ACS was pleased to partner with the Quilts
of Valor organization for our ACS Veterans Day
Celebration and present two of our school
Veterans with these very special quilts. The
organization’s mission statement is “to cover
those service members and veterans wounded
physically or psychologically with comforting
and healing Quilts of Valor.” This was a
wonderful addition to our Veterans Day
Celebration and we were so pleased to honor
two of our very own ACS grandparents with
Quilts of Valor!
Page 24 - A CLOSER LOOK YEAR IN REVIEW 2018-2019
Names in the News
ACSI Spelling Bee
Several of our 1st-8th grade students participated
in the ACSI District Spelling Bee Friday, February
15 at Prince Avenue Christian School in Bogart,
GA. Our students did very well and Sophia Smits
and John Potter advanced to the Regional Bee in
Atlanta. Below are the winners:
First Grade - Mobley McNair, Second Place
Third Grade - Gloria Smits, First Place
Fourth Grade - Brock Bailey, First Place;
Taylor Briggs, Second Place; Riley Armstrong,
Third Place
Fifth Grade - Sophia Smits, First Place
Eighth Grade - John Potter, Fourth Place
Larry Sullivan Named WJBF Scholar Athlete
Last fall, Larry Sullivan was named as WJBF Scholar
Athlete. This is the article from their website:
Larry Sullivan II is one of the top all-around studentathletes
at Augusta Christian.
He’s ranked in the top ten in his class academically,
and he’s a three-sport star.
from his mother.
Sullivan plays football during the fall and runs track &
field during the spring, but his best sport is wrestling.
He won a state championship as a sophomore and
finished runner-up last year. He has his sights set on
another state title run this season, and he said his
motivation for success in all aspects of his life comes
“It’s just me, my three brothers [and her], and she takes care of all of us,” Sullivan II said. “Seeing how
hard she works for us, it means a lot. I know she’s trying and she cares. It pushes me because if she’s
out here working her hardest, I can too.”
“He has a loving spirit,” Larry’s mother, Berish Strother, said. “He loves people. He prays. His compassion
for other people is what I’m most proud of.”
Update: Larry graduated with honors from Augusta Christian Schools this past May and is a freshman at
Mercer University. Congratulations, Larry!
Page 25 - A CLOSER LOOK YEAR IN REVIEW 2018-2019
Names in the News
Freitag Earns Teacher of the Year Award
by Amanda King, Augusta Chronicle
Augusta Christian High School Principal Wayne Marchant has
seen the impact of math teacher Amy Freitag’s teaching.
From planning an escape room activity with her students to dressing
like a pirate and decorating her room as a ship with loaded
down treasure to teach math skills, as well as the way she pours
into her students’ spiritual lives, Marchant and the faculty at Augusta
Christian say she goes above and beyond to teach.
Freitag receives her award from
Dr. Spencer Jordan. SCISA
Executive Director.
Now, Freitag has been recognized by the South Carolina Independent
School Association (SCISA) as the 2019 Teacher of the
Year for high schools. Approximately 120 teachers in the association
are nominated for the distinction and after applications and
interviews, one winner is selected at each school level. Augusta
Christian is a member of SCISA due to its proximity to South Carolina
schools for athletic events.
“It’s an absolute joy to get that kind of award for doing what I love
to do,” Freitag said.
She has taught at Augusta Christian for six of her 21 years in education.
This is the first time a teacher from the school has earned a
state teacher of the year award according to Marchant. Freitag accredits
the win to spending time with and building a rapport with
her students, who are now celebrating in her victory and calling
her “the champ.”
Freitag pictured with Mr. Les Walden,
Head of School.
“It’s mind-boggling that she received this. She has that ‘it’ factor,”
Marchant said. “We are proud of her and it reflects on our community
and our students.”
First Place—Cyber City’s Best Private School
Mr. Marchant and Mrs. Lowery were on hand at the
Cyber City’s Best Awards Gala on July 18 to receive
the Cyber City’s Best Private School award on
Augusta Christian’s behalf. This is the second year
in a row that our school has been honored with this
award!
Thanks to everyone who voted for us!
Page 26 - A CLOSER LOOK YEAR IN REVIEW 2018-2019
Names in the News
Honors Programs Award Winners for Middle and High School Students
In addition to the many subject awards given out at our Honors Programs, ACS students received various special awards.
Top row, left to right: MS—Sunny Holberton, Outstanding Student, Grey Stickel and Victoria Henderson, Christian Character,
HS—Jenny Wang, Blanton E. Black Memorial Scholarship. Second row, left to right: HS—Joseph MeElmurray, Student of the
Year, Grace Perez and Will Moffatt, Christian Character, Khristopher Head, Outstanding Student, Larry Sullivan, Michelle
Gibson, Will Moffatt, SCISA Veritas in Unitate Award for Community Service. Third row, left to right: HS—Joseph McElmurray,
Grace Perez, Benjamin Norris, Larry Sullivan, Clark Oetting, Clay Nasworthy, Khristopher Head, Michelle Gibson, Jenny Wang,
Savannah Campbell—each of them won various awards, scholarship and certificates too numerous to list! Clay Nasworthy, Drew
Passmore Heart of a Lion Award presented by Parker Wiley on behalf of Jostens. Congratulations to all of our fine students!
Page 27 - A CLOSER LOOK YEAR IN REVIEW 2018-2019
Seniors in the News
College Signings
Congratulations to ACS Class of 2019 on
their College Acceptances
Congratulations to Brandon Byler who signed a letter of intent
to play baseball for USCA.
Congratulations to Jared Szabo who signed a letter of intent
to play baseball for Georgia Southern.
Congratulations to Savannah Campbell who signed a letter of
intent to run cross country at Truett McConnell, and to her twin
sister Montana who signed a letter of intent to be the manager
of the team.
Anderson University
Augusta Technical College
Augusta University
Berry College
Bowling Green State
University
Clark University
Charleston Southern
University
Colorado State University
College of Coastal Georgia
East Carolina University
East Georgia State College
Eastern Kentucky University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
University
Gardner Webb University
Georgia College
Georgia Institute of
Technology
Georgia Military College
Georgia Southern University
Georgia Southern University-
Honors Program
Georgia State University
Grand Canyon University
Houston Community College
Hampton University
Howard University
Kennesaw State University
Lander University
Liberty University
Lincoln Memorial University
Livingstone College
Louisiana State University
Jacksonville University
Mercer University
Miami University
Page 28 - A CLOSER LOOK YEAR IN REVIEW 2018-2019
Norfolk State University
North Carolina Central
University
Ouachita Baptist University
Point University
Rutgers University
Temple University
The Citadel
Tri-County Technical College
Truett McConnell University
Tuskegee University
United States Naval Academy
University of Alabama
University of Connecticut
University of Georgia
University of Iowa
University of Minnesota
University of Montevallo
University of North Carolina-
Charlotte
University of North Carolina-
Charlotte Honors Program
University of North Georgia
University of Pittsburgh
University of South Carolina-
Aiken
University of Southern
Mississippi
University of Toledo
University of West Alabama
Valdosta State University
Voorhees College
Wesleyan College
West Virginia State
University
Wingate University
Young Harris College
Congratulations to the ACS Class of 2019!
Page 29 - A CLOSER LOOK YEAR IN REVIEW 2018-2019
Alumni Names in the News
1
4
5
2
Congratulations to our ACS alumni!
Photo 1: Maggie Dillard, Class of 2013,
published in Woman’s World Magazine
Photo 2: Letice Bussiere, Class of 2016,
Interning at NASA this past summer
Photo 3: Sarah Harrison, Class of 2015,
earned Sun Belt Golfer of the Week honors
in March. She shot the lowest round in
school history and the 14th lowest in the
country this season.
Photo 4: Ashley Arbogast, Class of 2018,
named Top Freshman at Brewton
Parker College for her 4.0 GPA
Photos 5 and 6: Calvin Taylor, Class of
2015, senior at University of Kentucky
went on a recent mission service trip to
Ethiopia with fellow UK football team
members,
Photo 7: Madison Hester, Class of 2016,
earned the distinction of Faculty Honors
for Spring 2019 at the Georgia Institute of
Technology. This designation is awarded
to undergraduate students who have a 4.0
academic average for the semester.
6
7
3
More alumni names in the news:
•Hunter Miller graduated from Liberty University’s School of
Government in May. He is currently the Campaign Manager for a
Republican Candidate in Northern Virginia.
•Jabari Odom graduated from Kennesaw State University
•Suzanna LaMunion was named to the University of South Carolina
Aiken President's List for Spring 2019.
•Lindsey Kennedy and Gaige Gilbert both graduated from USC
Aiken.
•Isaiah Brown graduated from the University of Kentucky with a
Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience.
See these and other alumni updates and news on the Augusta Christian Alumni Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/augustachristianschoolalumni/
Page 30 - A CLOSER LOOK YEAR IN REVIEW 2018-2019
Alumni Information Sheet
If you haven’t updated your information in a while, please visit www.augustachristian.org and click on the
Alumni Page—Alumni Information Update, or fill out form below and mail to the school.
__________________________________________________________________________________(______________)
NAME (PLEASE INCLUDE MAIDEN NAME)
YEAR GRADUATED
_____________________________________________
SPOUSE NAME (IF APPLICABLE)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
STREET ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP
_________________________________________________________________________________(_______________)
COLLEGE MAJOR YEAR GRADUATED
CHILDREN (NAMES AND AGES):_________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
FAMILY NEWS:_____________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
PROFESSIONAL NEWS: _______________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Return to: Lynn Wilkerson, Augusta Christian Schools, 313 Baston Road, Martinez, GA 30907
JOIN US FOR
Pre-game activities: 7:00 pm
Game time: 7:30 pm
It’s time for the classes of 2009, 2004, 1999, 1994, 1989, 1984, 1979 to have Class Reunions!
Contact Mrs. Wilkerson if you want to plan a reunion for your class:
lynnwilkerson@augustachristian.org.
Page 31 - A CLOSER LOOK YEAR IN REVIEW 2018-2019
Augusta Christian
Schools
313 Baston Road
Martinez, GA 30907
www.augustachristian.org
Non-Profit
U.S. Postage
PAID
Augusta, GA
Permit No. 189
Our Mission
The mission of Augusta
Christian Schools is to
prepare students to serve
Jesus Christ as Lord,
partnering with family and
church, instilling high
standards spiritually,
academically, socially
and physically.
A Closer Look 2018-2019 Year in Review
2019-2020 School Year
September 20 Early Dismissal/Teacher Professional Dev. Day
October 9 End of 1st Quarter
October 14 School Holiday/Columbus Day
October 16 Report Card
November 1 Early Dismissal for Fall Festival Setup
November 2 Fall Festival (Required School Day)
November 7 Progress Reports
November 8 Student Holiday/Staff to SCISA
Convention
November 25-29 Thanksgiving Holidays
Dec 17-19 1st Semester Exams
December 18 Early Dismissal for All Students
December 19 Early Dismissal for All Students
End of 2nd Quarter/1st Semester
Dec 20-Jan 6 Christmas Holidays
January 6 Teacher Professional Learning Day
January 7 First Day of 2 nd Semester
January 13 Report Cards
January 20
February 7
February 14
February 17
March 11
March 13
March 17
April 6-13
April 21
May 14
May 16
May 19
May 18-20
May 20
May 21-22
May 25
May 29
School Holiday/MLK Day
Progress Reports
Early Dismissal/Teacher Professional Dev. Day
School Holiday/Presidents Day
End of 3rd Quarter
Early Dismissal/Teacher Professional Dev. Day
Report Cards
Spring Break
Progress Reports
K5 Graduation/Last Day for K3, K4, K5
Graduation
5th Grade Moving Up/Last Day for 5th Grade
Second Semester Exams
Early Dismissal for all Students
End of 4th Qtr/2nd Semester/Last Day
of School
Teacher Post Planning
Memorial Day—Offices Closed
Report Cards
Page 32 - A CLOSER LOOK YEAR IN REVIEW 2018-2019
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