Year End Milestones and Celebrations
The end of each school year brings with it many milestones for students and parents alike. From PCAP students who are moving into Kindergarten to our seniors who are graduating and moving on to colleges and universities around the world, these milestones mark significant development and achievement on the part of each student. Congratulations! We are so proud of you.
The Class of 2017
Portsmouth Christian Academy proudly celebrates the accomplishments of the Class of 2017, whose graduation ceremony recently took place at the Bethany Congregational Church in Greenland, NH. The new graduates received over $11 million in merit awards and were collectively accepted at 158 different colleges and universities.
This year’s top seniors include Valedictorian Rebecca Hotz*, Salutatorian, William Scire*, Ben Abraham*, Amanda Bartley*, Danielle Brackett*, Marielle Carpentier*, Katherine Engalichev*, Matthew Esters*, David Harju*, Elizabeth Henry, Gunwoo (Gunnar) Lee*, Jack Longo, Zachariah Martin, Riley Andrew Sipp*, Jungwhan (David) Song*, Ashley Vining, Dengbo (Beverly) Yang*, Yilin (Aliene) Zhang, Yang (Will) Zhou, Keyu (Benjamin) Zhang. A commitment to excellence has earned each High or Highest Honors for every quarter throughout their high school career. READ MORE
This year, there is a record-number of seniors who have attended PCA for the past thirteen years together– 16 seniors in total! These students began in kindergarten when they were approximately five years old and have attended our Primary, Elementary, Junior High, and Upper School grade levels. Ten of these students have attended PCA since preschool (another record!) Thank you to their parents for allowing them to attend PCA and for their commitment to our school for so many years!
L to R: Amanda Bartley, Liam Belcher, Danielle Brackett, Heather Chick, Matthew Esters, Zach Hartman, Rebecca Hotz, Cyann Karnes, Nick Lauer, Kyle Lewis, Dom Mancuso, Molly McKenney, Olivia Moore, Amy Ponchak, Riley Sipp, and Ashley Vining
The 2017 Golden Eagle Award
The symbol of a majestic Eagle is coveted by many schools, including Portsmouth Christian.
In Scripture, the prophet Isaiah tells us: “… those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
The Golden Eagle award is given to a graduating senior who, in the opinion of the faculty and staff, demonstrates a triad of assets and virtues. Academically, he or she will have been an honors or better student her entire career, and will have demonstrated a strong desire for diligent study and a thirst for knowledge.
In the realm of good citizenship the recipient will have been a mainstay in the life of the school. The student will have been fully engaged in the life of the school and have carried him or herself with dignity, respect for teachers, staff and fellow students and will have set an example for others to follow.
Lastly, the perhaps most importantly, the graduating senior will be a strong Christian whose life and Christian walk testify to his or her faith in God and his or her desire to follow Him in all that he or she does. The student will demonstrate humility, love, caring, compassion and a keen interest in the welfare of others.
The recipient of this year’s Golden Eagle award is a student who has demonstrated academic excellence, strength of character, integrity, discernment, leadership among his peers, and humility in all his dealings. He has maintained highest honors status throughout his high school career. Impressive as that accomplishment is, it is his unshakable faith and his consistent willingness to share and model that faith that truly set him apart. Whether leading small groups or speaking at student-led chapels, he proclaims the name of Christ in a way that is at once bold and welcoming.
He has been fully invested in the PCA community through Quiz Club, Debate Club, the new Model UN Club, Bible Study, and as the captain of our varsity tennis team. He and his family regularly attend church right here, at Bethany. In the fall, he will be attending Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts as a member of the Gordon Global Honors Program and will pursue a major in business administration.
At this point, you’ve probably figured out who he is, but just in case, here’s one more hint: if you want to know what a joy-filled Christian life looks like, spend five minutes with him.
The 2017 recipient of the Golden Eagle Award is Matthew Esters.
Eighth Grade Milestone
Congratulations to the Class of 2021!
Golden Eagle Award
Congratulations to Lily Kjendal for being awarded the Lower School’s Golden Eagle Award during the Eighth Grade Milestone ceremony last night! She has attended PCA since she was in third grade and was chosen by the Lower School faculty and staff because she exemplifies PCA’s standard for achieving and sustaining academic, social, athletic, and spiritual excellence. Lily will continue to attend PCA next year for high school.