ANNOUNCING
2023 AJC GABRIEL AWARD WINNERS! |
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Top-notch volunteers are an important ingredient in the 'secret sauce' here at AJC. On a weekly basis, nearly 80 volunteers walk through our doors to make a difference in the lives of students. They step up in a thousand different ways. Today we are honoring two very special volunteers who consistently go above and beyond. Congratulations to Wes Kaufman and Lauren Brown, this year's Gabriel Award Winners! |
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Wes Kaufman has been a devoted volunteer at AJC for a decade. He has worked faithfully with Mr. Mac and the 5th grade boys shooting hoops, modeling life lessons, hanging out, taking them on reward trips to bowling alleys, Cracker Barrel, and--always a favorite--the Dining Commons at U of R. Says Mr. Mac of him,
"The kids love Wes! He has a special ability with the kids. They have lots of fun together each time he's here and at the same time he teaches them valuable life lessons over and over. He has been a tremendous asset for the kids in my class over the last 10 years."
Wes's steady and loving presence is proof that one person can make a difference. He has stayed closely connected with one former 5th grader and his family, welcoming him into his own family, shepherding him to and through high school, and this year into his freshman year at college. |
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Lauren Brown is a “retired” educator who has not slowed down much. She is a faithful substitute whom teachers can trust.
This year she has focused large amounts of time helping our kids who struggle the most with reading. She’s getting training in a specialized reading program on her own time to help our students who struggle with dyslexia.
She’s an AJC board member who brings a first-hand understanding of what's happening in the classroom. She’s also helping with admissions. Frankly, there seems to be nothing Lauren isn’t willing and able to do.
She does all of this with a positive attitude, optimism, and an energy that is infectious. She is amazing with relationships, and she wants to get to know each of the students she works with on a deep level. |
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We are honored to recognize Wes and Lauren with the Gabriel Award! Anna Julia Cooper once said of herself, "She hath done what she could."
So have Wes and Lauren. Thank you! |
Ms. Mines, 6th Grade Math and Science Teacher |
Introducing Ms. Myrtle Mines, AJC's 6th Grade Science and Math Teacher. Ms. Mine's classroom is a hub for hands-on activities - one of the many reasons her students love her. She recently shared what inspired her to become a teacher, what drew her to AJC, and what she believes are the greatest challenges AJC students face:
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WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO TEACH?
Being a teacher has been a dream of mine ever since I was a young child. I remember playing “school” with my friends, always wanting to be the teacher. While middle school was a time that I really enjoyed, I quickly realized that it was also a time when many peers began to lose interest in school and the desire to learn. The excitement that I had as a student in middle school did not exist for them. It was then that I knew I wanted to teach middle school, so that I could help students foster a love for learning, learn to value their education, and develop a dream that they could pursue.
WAS THERE ANYTHING SPECIFIC THAT DREW YOU TO AJC?
What drew me to AJC was the student demographics, the access to free education in a private school setting, and God! As a teacher, it is important that I teach students who look like me and share some of the same experiences as me. I do truly believe that there are certain things that only experience can teach. WHAT ARE THE GREATEST CHALLENGES YOU BELIEVE AJC STUDENTS FACE AND HOW DO YOU WORK TO ADDRESS THEM?
I believe one of the greatest challenges that AJC students face is relationships. Not only do our students struggle with making good relationships with their peers, but with adults as well. While this challenge has various contributing factors, I do believe that if students have good, consistent mentorship in their lives, it can help influence them in positive ways. The effects of mentorship changed my life, so I believe that it can change our students' lives as well. To address this, I build relationships with my students in the classroom by tapping into their interest and ideas, thinking like a student, and letting them know that “they” are more important than the subjects that I teach. I often say, “I teach students math and science” - not, “I teach math and science to students.”
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Students model mitosis with play-doh in Ms. Mine's Science Class |
With over 300 people in attendance, the AJC Christmas Celebration was the most well-attended yet, complete with a Christmas Play, musical performances, and a surprise dance number by our Head of School, Mike Maruca (check out the video below)!
We hope you'll join us next year! Who knows what Mr. Maurca will have up his sleeve?! |
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Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. |
AJC students have always come to school on Martin Luther King Day. On this day of service and discovery, we embrace the opportunity to learn about Dr. King's values. This year, Middle School Students spent time answering the question "What is your life's blueprint?" Dr. King asked this question of students at a Philadelphia Middle School, just 6 months before his assassination. Among several Lower School activities was a service project in Ms. Fritz's 2nd grade class where students worked together to make blankets and get-well cards for VCU Children's Hospital.
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Peter, Jace and Marchae show off their cozy creation! |
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Meet Christionna France, AJC Class of 2019, Highland Springs Class of 2023. Christionna is currently in her second semester at Old Dominion University. A first-generation college student, Christionna discovered her dream career in an unlikely place - the popular TV show, Grey's Anatomy. Intrigued by the medical field, she chose to major in Nursing because she "has always wanted to help others."
Christionna finished her Freshman fall semester with an impressive 3.8 GPA and she is already proactively seeking a summer internship. She is open to anything, but would love to work in a hospital setting to gain experience in a healthcare environment. Let's connect Christionna to her first real-world medical experience. If you know of an internship opportunity, please contact our Director of Graduate Support, Lorin Johnson, at johnsonl@ajcschool.org. Thank you! |
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ODU Class of 2027 Nursing Student, Christionna |
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First and Second graders tried their hands at knitting last week, with the help of Mr. Crane, Lower School Principal, and several encouraging volunteers. Hands-on activities build hand-eye coordination and confidence. (Oh yeah, and they're fun too!) |
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Celebrating School Choice Week |
AJC was among several schools Virginia's First Lady Suzanne Youngkin and Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera visited during School Choice Week. After a tour and over an hour speaking with AJC's Head of School, Mike Maruca, they left with a glimpse of many of the good things happening here on 29th Street. They were impressed by our mission and most especially, by our students! |
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Mr. Maruca and several excited Kindergarteners proudly display our School Choice Certificate of Recognition presented by Virginia Secretary of Education, Aimee Guidera and First Lady of Virginia, Suzanne Youngkin.
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First Lady of Virginia, Suzanne Youngkin and AJC Kindergarten Teacher, Mrs. Julisa Robinson
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Basketball playoffs are here!
Please join us to cheer on our Lions! |
As a remarkably bright child, Anna Julia Cooper's math and language abilities earned her the position of student teacher to cover her tuition at the St. Augustine Normal School and Collegiate Institute in Raleigh, NC at just eight years old. She went on to attend Oberlin College in Ohio where she earned a M.S. in Mathematics. At the age of 67 she earned a Ph.D. from The Sorbonne in Paris, after defending her thesis entirely in French. She was the fourth African American woman to earn a Ph.D.
Stay tuned in the coming months for more about the life of amazing Anna Julia Cooper! |
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Want to get involved? There are many ways to support AJC! |
From the entire AJC Family, thank you for your support!
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