Janiyah P. (Ndoto) Zyanae B. (Heshima) Zy’Quis W. (Tayari) Juelz N. (Bora) Congrats to our new Middle School House Presidents: Janiyah, Zyanae, Zy’Quis, and Juelz! These standout 8th grade students were elected by their peers to help steer student decisions—like Spirit Week themes—and lead their Houses during competitions and team challenges. Our four “Houses” are teams of K-8 students, teachers, and staff, whose names reflect our Pride motto using words borrowed from Swahili—Ndoto (I have a Dream), Heshima (I show Respect), Tayari (I am Prepared), and Bora (I will Excel). Our House system allows kids to earn points through shout-outs, perfect attendance, team competitions, and all the everyday ways they strengthen our school community.

At our recent annual Donuts and Grownups event, where Principal Gilliam invited students to give a ‘shout out’ for their parents, you could absolutely feel the pride and joy in our gym. What a beautiful thing. A couple weeks later, at our third Parent-Staff Social, a hilarious mock Family Feud hosted by our Outpatient Therapist, TaQuisha Bell, aka ‘Steve Harvey’, had us all cracking up. These moments remind us of what Father Greg Boyle, Founder of Homeboy Industries (the largest gang-intervention program in the world), calls ‘kinship’ — a community of belonging so mutually uplifting that “God might recognize it.” Kinship has a way of showing up with donuts and game nights, while cheering together at basketball games, or working together during student conferences — a reminder that there’s no secret recipe for the simple moments that bring us closer together. Family Feud in action! Parent-Staff Social crew

After earning her Master’s in Teaching at VCU in 2021, Scout Boynton was eager to bring her passion for history and language to the classroom.She spent four years teaching history at Petersburg High School before joining AJC as our 6th-grade English and History teacher.  “Ms. Boynton is a good teacher because she always makes sure we’ve got it before she moves on,” shared sixth grader Jaceon, summing up the care and energy she brings to each lesson.  Below, Ms. Boynton shares what inspired her to become a teacher, what drew her to AJC, and a little about her teaching style. What inspired you to become a teacher? The reason I became a teacher is a combination of two things. First, I had a few really awesome teachers myself who made a big impact on me, so I was inspired by them. And second, I took a few classes in college that really opened

Last Friday we hosted our most well-attended Fish Fry yet — bringing together hundreds of students, graduates, families, and neighbors. Guests enjoyed good food, fun music, and gathered around our cheerleaders as they showed their team spirit. Adding a little friendly competition to the mix, Mr. Maruca challenged a couple students to a pull-up contest (we’ll let you guess who won). We were grateful to be joined by several community partners, including SCAN, Family Lifeline, Virginia Credit Union, Richmond Health Department, and Youth Corporation, Inc., all of whom helped connect families with valuable resources. The Fish Fry continues to grow alongside our school, and this year’s event was a beautiful reflection of our mission to be a place where people find and experience joy.