Association News

Does Christian Education Make a Difference?

Tuesday, 13 March 2012 10:39

In my capacity as Head of School at Eastern Christian School, I have the opportunity to talk to a lot of people about Christian education. People occasionally ask me whether Christian education makes a difference. After all, we have some excellent public schools in our area, and many of our kids are actively involved in church, Sunday school and youth groups, and we have the opportunity to influence them at home.

Predictably, my answer is that Christian education absolutely makes a difference and places an indelible mark on the lives of the students who are entrusted to us. We have lots of anecdotal evidence of the impact of Christian education on our students and alumni in the form of numerous stories of the ways that they are providing leadership in responding to critical needs in their communities and around the world.

But some other people are starting to notice as well - people who have no vested interest in Eastern Christian, or any other Christian school. Last year, a group of sociologists at some of the leading universities around the U.S. and Canada authored a ground-breaking study entitled the "Cardus Education Survey" which studied the attitudes and life decisions of young adults 6 to 21 years after their graduation from high school. The study compared graduates of public schools, home schools, non-religious private schools, Catholic schools, and Protestant Christian schools, like Eastern Christian. The study found that, " Protestant Christian school graduates ...[are]...uniquely compliant, generous individuals who stabilize their communities by their uncommon and distinctive commitment to their families, their churches, and their communities, and by their unique hope and optimism about their lives and the future....Protestant Christian school graduates are committed to progress in their communities even while they feel outside of the cultural mainstream. In many ways, the average Protestant Christian school graduate is a foundational member of society."

The study confirms that schools like Eastern Christian have a massive impact on faith formation and continued active involvement in communities of faith, in stability of marriages and families, in community engagement, in choice of vocation, in the level of volunteerism, in the level of generosity, and in creating a sense of hope and optimism that is rooted in faith in a Sovereign God.

Does Christian education make a difference? You bet it does!

Eastern Christian Celebrates Arrival of Teacher

Friday, 23 December 2011 14:05

The entire Eastern Christian School community gathered in ceremonies on all three campuses this week to celebrate the arrival of our leading Master Teacher. An educational prodigy, this teacher demonstrated remarkable insight and commanding pedagogical technique already by the age of twelve. His early teaching amazed the leading theologians and seminary professors of the day with his depth of knowledge and insight regarding complex issues such as the relationship between God and people, issues of the law, and complex matters of interpersonal relationships.

Through All Generations...

Monday, 21 November 2011 16:07

Eastern Christian recently received a thick envelope containing a letter from the mother of a student who graduated from our school a number of years ago. In the letter, this kindly lady expressed her thankfulness for the education that her daughter received at Eastern Christian. She went on to say that she wished that she could support Eastern Christian monetarily, but was unable to do so. She did remember, however, that when her daughter had been a student at Eastern Christian Elementary School, the PTO collected cereal box tops, which were then redeemed for equipment for classrooms and the playground. Included in her letter was a large number of cereal box tops which she had been collecting for months.

September 11 Scholarship Grant

Wednesday, 07 September 2011 16:15

Eastern Christian School Receives 10th Anniversary September 11 Scholarship Grant

Eastern Christian School has received a substantial anonymous grant to support the award of two September 11th Academic Honor Scholarships. The scholarship grant was given to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. The scholarships will be awarded to one student enrolled in Eastern Christian High School and to one student enrolled in Eastern Christian Middle School. This is the second year that Eastern Christian School has received a grant to enable the award of these scholarships.

The inspiration for the September 11th Academic Honor Scholarship comes directly from the Biblical account of Joseph's reunification with his brothers found in Genesis 50 which includes Joseph's statement, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good..." What was devised as an evil plan to bring destruction of lives and human spirit on 9/11, God will take and use to bring restoration. The announcement of the scholarship just before September 11 is a reminder that God restores and turns something that evil intended to be harmful into a true blessing.

Eastern Christian School is grateful for this generous gift which will support our mission of providing an excellent Christian education to the children and young people of Northern New Jersey. The message of transforming an act intended for evil into a blessing is the very essence of the Biblical message of transformation and hope taught to our 750 students on a daily basis.

The September 11th Academic Honor Scholarship is intended to encourage students who demonstrate excellence and innovation in the classroom, leadership, community participation, faith, integrity and character. Recipients will be selected on the basis of these attributes and family financial need.

ditto Enjoys Banner Inaugural Year

Tuesday, 06 September 2011 22:21

ditto_blog

September marks the first anniversary of the opening of ditto, Eastern Christian's "Upscale Resale" store, and what a first year it has been! In its first year of operation, ditto donated an amazing $75,000 to support the cause of Christian education at EC!

ditto started off with a blast, selling nearly 20,000 items in its first month alone. The momentum continued throughout the year as ditto sold 73,657 pieces of clothing, 1,479 pieces of furniture, and 62,658 household goods, sporting goods, and books for total sales of $369,671.

Throughout the year, ditto was staffed by an amazing group of well over 150 volunteers who gave generously of their time, energy and talents to support Eastern Christian School. With many volunteers working several days per week, the store's ambitious schedule of operations, and even more ambitious fund raising goal, was achieved.

Led by store manager, Eric Hawn, and Advisory Board members Donna Chrinian, Henry Kuiken, Bernie Tolsma, and David Visbeen, ditto has also fulfilled an important community service goal by donating hundreds of serviceable goods to local charities and non-profits.

Eastern Christian School thanks all of the dedicated volunteers, generous donors, and faithful customers who have made ditto the tremendous success story that it is. Above all, we thank our supremely generous Heavenly Father who has continued to provide for Christian education in Northern New Jersey through the business success enjoyed by this new venture!