Association

Social Entrepreneurship Award

Eastern Christian Receives Social Entrepreneurship Award

Eastern Christian School was awarded the 2011 Small Business Growth Success Award by the New Jersey Small Business Development Centers in a ceremony held on December 2 at Foresgate Country Club in Monroe Township, NJ.

Eastern Christian was recognized for its social entrepreneurship efforts in establishing its three supporting businesses, ditto Upscale Resale, Eagles Camps, and Eagle Solar, LLC. Eastern Christian's supporting businesses are expected to contribute approximately $300,000 to fund the school's core educational mission during the current academic year.

Eastern Christian was one of thirteen small businesses from across the state to be recognized at the event, out of a total of approximately 4000 small businesses that worked with the NJSDBC during the last year. Eastern Christian was nominated by the NJSBDC Center at William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ. The William Paterson SBDC Center provided business planning and marketing advice to Eastern Christian in the formation of ditto, Eagles Camps, and Eagle Solar.

As we accept this award, we gratefully acknowledge the fantastic support from within and outside of our school community that Eastern Christian has received in establishing its supporting businesses, including:

• The scores of community volunteers and Eastern Christian staff members who have given selflessly of their time and talents to make these businesses succeed. This award is testimony to their hard work, dedication and unfailing determination to sustain Christian education in Northern New Jersey for generations to come.

• The William Paterson University Center of NJSBDC which helped us to think through our business plans and provided expertise in areas such as marketing strategy and public relations.

• Business partners such as Atlantic Stewardship Bank, Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler, Sax Macy Fromm, Sun Farm Network, Visbeen Construction Company, and many others who helped us turn our plans into a reality.

• And, especially, a faithful God who continues to provide for Eastern Christian School in amazing new ways with every passing day.

Beijing China Education Visit

Beijing China Education Delegation Visits Eastern Christian Schools

North Haledon, Midland Park, Wyckoff – Thursday, November 10, 2011

Xian Lianping, Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Education Commission, led a 5 person delegation visit to study Eastern Christian's innovative educational programs. Deputy Director Xian organized the visit after Eastern Christian's International Short Term Program Director James Anderson met with the Commission during Anderson's visit to Beijing in October. Anderson was in Beijing to introduce students to Eastern Christian's American Experience summer programs and full school year programs.

One of the functions of the Beijing Municipal Education Commission is to plan and manage international cooperation and exchanges for the benefit of the 1.09 million students in the 2,142 elementary, middle and high schools in Beijing. In 2010 approximately 300,000 Chinese students went abroad for studies and 43% of those went to the United States.

The delegation toured Eastern Christian's Middle School in Wyckoff and High School in North Haledon, visiting classrooms and speaking to students and teachers. Current Eastern Christian High School student Yuanqi (Kylie) Zhang, a 10th grader who came to Eastern Christian from China at the start of this school year, spoke to the delegation about her experience at Eastern Christian. The Beijing delegation expressed amazement that Zhang was able to make her presentation to the delegation in nearly flawless English after such a short time in a U.S. school. Zhang also answered a number of the delegation's questions in Chinese. During the High School classroom visits Deputy Director Xian asked several students to tell him about their personal goals and dreams for their lives.

The delegation met with Eastern Christian's Head of School Thomas Dykhouse, Director of Curriculum Richard Van Yperen, Director of Admissions Gerard Cantalupo, High School Principal Dr. Joel Uecker, Middle School Principal Andrew Culp, High School Vice Principal Ruth Kuder, High School Guidance Director Nathan Minchen and Short Term Program Director James Anderson.

At the meeting Principal Uecker told the delegation "At Eastern Christian, we hope for our students to become agents for change in their communities. In the 21st century, this includes a global community. Not only does technology help us accomplish this, but our international student program also brings students from around the globe to us. The result for our local students is the development of a global perspective and cultural sensitivities that are required to be people of influence." Eastern Christian School was founded in 1892 by Dutch immigrants and has had a successful international program for many years. The school, then and now, encourages students to use their heads, hearts and hands for God, to be transforming agents in a global society and to use discernment to create a worldview that is formed through the lens of faith.

According to Program Director Anderson "Eastern Christian believes there is a real demand and need for short term programs. I hope that our program will provide students with a quality cross-cultural experience, enhancing the skills needed for today's global citizen." Principal Uecker summed up the thoughts of all the Eastern Christian participants "It is exciting to consider the prospect of a global partnership that not only assists international students with their educational plans, but also enriches the lives and learning of our local students. I was honored to meet our new friends from Beijing."

Eastern Christian's website www.easternchristian.org has information about the school's regular school year programs and information about summer and afterschool programs is available by calling James Anderson at 973-427-6244 x300.

We Need Your Help!

What is it?

Eastern Christian's American Experience ESL Camp is an intensive English program that combines fundamental English skills with cultural experiences. Camp will operate from July 24th – August 15, at the Eastern Christian High School campus in North Haledon, New Jersey. The Camp will provide many opportunities for students to improve their English and experience American Culture. Participants can also build their confidence, make new friends and live the daily life of an American student.

Get Involved

Become a host family to an international student for our American Experience program! The Eagles Camps International Student Summer Program will take place from July 24 - August 15, 2011. Host families are needed to house these students. A stipend of $750 will be paid to host families per student. For more information please contact James Anderson @ 973-427-6244 ext. 300.

Eastern Christian Uses Van Houten Grant

In June 2010 Eastern Christian School received a $30,000.00 grant from The Edward W. and Stella C. Van Houten Memorial Fund to continue our Emergency Scholarship Aid Program.

ECSA Foundation Executive Director Garret G. Nieuwenhuis reports that the full amount of the grant has been utilized during the 2010-11 school year to provide additional assistance to those families directly affected by the adverse economic situation of the past few years through the loss of a job, reduced income, loss of benefits or all of the above, as well as those families suffering from tragedies of various kinds. In fact, the total amount of Emergency Scholarship Aid Scholarships that were granted for the 2010-11 school year was $62,059! "These meaningful funds from the Van Houten Memorial Fund have gone a long way to assist qualifying families who desire to continue a Christian education for their children at Eastern Christian." This is the 3rd time that the Van Houten Memorial Fund has supported EC with a grant.