November 14, 2016     Visit Our Website      
PCA Wins First Place In Holiday Festival Of Lights Competition!!!
 
PCA's high school art classes collaborated on a Giant Greeting Card for the Holiday Festival of Lights at James Island County Park. At  Friday night's festival opening, Palmetto Christian Academy was named the 1st place winner of the high school division competition, bringing home a trophy and a $300 prize for the Fine Arts program. This year's theme for the contest was "Oh, what fun!", so the group came up with the idea of a giant advent calendar with working doors that looks like a baking sheet filled with holiday cookies. The Bible verse at the top is Psalm 34:8, " Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him".  The 25 hinged doors open to reveal a "treat" and truth painted inside. With 25 days of Christmas, the theme worked perfectly to highlight both the birth of Jesus and Palmetto Christian Academy's 25th anniversary. This contest is a great way to share the truth of Christ and glorify God during the holidays as thousands of people will visit the Festival of Lights from now till  January 1st. A special thanks to our very gifted Art Director Nicole Seitz and each PCA Eagle art student who put in overtime to meet the deadline.


   
 View the complete list of winners for the Greeting Card Competition
 
Walk For Life, Walk For Christ
Written by Selina Zubia

"Know that the LORD Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture" (Psalm 100:3, NASV).
 
How much more clear can scripture be? God designed each and every one of us for a purpose. This indisputable fact is not lost on the students of PCA.
 
On November 5th, PCA students of all ages, teachers, and members of ECBC took part in the 30th annual Walk for Life that took place at Wanamaker Park in North Charleston. According to Bill Schenkel, National Honor Society advisor, "Around 1,000 [volunteers] walked a two mile path through the woods on a beautiful day to raise awareness and funds for the Lowcountry Pregnancy Center. The amount raised was between 85 to 100 thousand dollars. NHS students were used in various capacities from setting up tables for goodies to directing traffic. The middle school was out in force as many participated in raising funds. The students saw a worthy project intended to bring attention to the plight of the unborn and the struggles that women encounter in making a very difficult life decision."
 
NHS seniors Luke Kasian, Lauren Swift, Eric Salem, and Maggie Hogan assisted with directing traffic. "It was a great and fun way to get community service hours for a good cause," commented Maggie. Lauren added, "It was really cool to see how many people came out to participate in the walk."
 
Sixth grader SarahAnne Horne created her own fundraising page and set a goal to raise 200 dollars. She was surprised to reach the goal in just two days! SarahAnne's sister in second grade, Laura, did her part by donating $1. As a whole, the sixth grade class raised over $1000 for the Lowcountry Pregnancy Center. "I look forward to walking every year, arriving early with my dad to help set up, and walking with those that support life. This year I felt more involved because we had a team that donated money together for LPC. It was a beautiful day to walk with my friends, family, and my dog Hope," shared SarahAnne.
 
Eva Andrus explained, "We raised money for the walk by doing little things around the house. Then we donated through the Walk for Life website.  For every $10 we raised, we got a prize for doing so.  If we raised $50 or over, we got a candy bar from Mrs. Olson." When asked about the experience Eva happily added, "It was so worth it to raise money to help mothers and their babies. It supports their decision to choose life. I had so much fun!"
 
Alex Hamilton, also in sixth grade said, "It was a great day to walk on a beautiful trail with friends to save lives of unborn babies. God loves unborn babies as much as he loves you and I."
 
This is only one of the opportunities PCA students has to impact the community for the Kingdom. Obtaining a well-rounded education isn't solely about having access to a strong academic program. It's about learning how to share Christ's love with others.
 
Best Selling Author Shares Valuable Writing Tips With 4th Graders  
Written by PCA Mom Cassy Andrus 

The PCA fourth grade class was taught creative writing tips by New York Times best-selling author, Bret Lott.  Gathered in Mrs. Amy Adkins classroom, the entire grade learned first hand how to grab the reader's attention by constructing a well-written paragraph.  Prior to teaching the young potential authors, Lott mentioned he first met Mrs. Adkins 22 years ago when he was her was Sunday School teacher.  From there, Lott mentioned he wasn't the best student in school.  Lott recalls his 2nd grade teacher telling his mother, "Bret talks too much and bothers the other students."  He admits never wanting to be an author; instead he wanted to grow up to be a park ranger.  It wasn't until Lott took a creative writing class in college that he realized he had a gift for storytelling.  Thankfully, his college professor discovered his talent of writing and encouraged him to pursue it.

Since that fateful day, Lott has written 14 books to date, including Jewel, an Oprah Book Club selection.  The story of Jewel is based upon the life of Lott's grandmother and her six children born in Mississippi, with focus on the youngest child with Downs Syndrome and their family challenges. Lott's book was also made into a movie. Lott's other successes include being appointed to the National Council of the Arts by President George W. Bush, and being invited by Laura Bush to speak at the White House as part of the White House Symposium on "Classic American Stories".  
Lott currently teaches at the College of Charleston and leads a study abroad program to Spoleto, Italy each summer.  Lott remains humble amidst his accolades, "It doesn't mean a whole lot if you don't live in Christ accordingly.  That is more important than writing a book or fame."
Kindergartners Are Thankful For The USA: Celebrating Our Freedoms And Our Veterans!  
Written by Kindergarten Teacher Caroline Graham

This past week, our class (the "nest") was extra full of patriotism and thankfulness! On Election Day, the "birds" and I read a book that talked through the basics of this year's presidential election, including whom the candidates were, the process of voting, and when the president-elect begins his or her presidency. We used our focal poetry piece for the week, "Our Presidents," to discuss many significant roles that the president is tasked to do, including giving many speeches, making tough decisions, helping the people of our country, and leading our troops to safety. We talked about the importance for us to pray for our president (and fellow leaders) to believe in Christ and to lead our country in His ways. The birds may be too young to vote, but they are not too little to pray and to stand for Truth! 

In tandem with Election Day, we also recognized Veterans Day this week, with extra thankfulness for the men and women who have served in our Armed Forces to protect and prosper our country! The birds and I celebrated the many freedoms that we are blessed to know in America, including the freedom to vote and the freedom to pray to God! We concluded our week with a special visit from Mr. Richard Twigg, a PCA dad and Veteran who served in the Navy for 27 years! He shared stories of courage and bravery while fighting for America and our freedoms. He even survived multiple parachuting jumps, a shark attack, and an octopus attack! 

Palmetto Christian Academy Hits The Radio Airwaves   
 
We believe PCA is an exceptional place and we want to get the word out!
If you're listening to Y102.5 this holiday season, you may hear one of  our new radio ads encouraging families to consider Palmetto Christian Academy for their child's education. We are excited about the great things happening here at PCA, and how God is at work within our school! 
Praising God's Faithfulness During Thanksgiving Chapel

What beautiful performances by our PCA students at last week's Thanksgiving Chapel!  From our Kindergartners reciting Psalm 100 to our High School Choir's deeply moving rendition of 
Jesus is a Rock in a Weary Land...  it was an evening of giving thanks to our Lord. 
We are grateful to our PCA faculty, our students, and to our families for sharing in this special program with us.  A huge thank you to PCA Mom Cassy Andrus for capturing the wonderful memories of the evening with these beautiful photographs. You'll find a variety of pictures from our Thanksgiving Chapel posted on our Eagles SmugMug site later this week.




Food, Fun, and Hoops... It's The BBQ Basketball Kickoff!!!

Mark your calendars for this incredible event!  We would love to see you at the Annual BBQ Basketball Kick-off on Thursday, November 17th starting at 5:30 pm. Be sure to reserve your spot by clicking here and purchasing your tickets today! Details on ticket prices above.
PCA Guidance Presents "How To Make Middle School And High School Count"
 
A meaningful education requires a thoughtful plan. What does your student need to do now to be prepared for middle and high school? 
If you are the parent of a 5th - 8th Grade student, please join us in the Annex on Thursday, November 17th from 7:45 am to 8:45 am to learn more about
"How to Make Middle School and High School Count" for your child.
Guidance Counselor Sally Pascutti will be presenting an informal, brief presentation regarding middle and high 
school academic tracks.  Please join us for a great morning of information and insight!
Preschool Parents:
You're Invited To Our Kindergarten Open House!
 
You are invited to attend Kindergarten Open House on Wednesday, November 16th.  It begins with Preschool Chapel starting at 9:10 am in the ECBC Worship Center .
You will hear from one of our Kindergarten teachers and see what K5 is all about. Tour the Kindergarten wing, visit a classroom, and discover why PCA offers an exceptional education.  
We're excited to share our Kindergarten program with all Preschool parents at PCA or from any other school, so please invite your friends and neighbors!  
For additional information, contact Lisa Shimakonis at 
lisas@palmettochristianacademy.org.  
The Annual PCA Book Fair Is Coming In December!

Mark your calendars for the Annual PCA Book Fair! This year's event takes place Tuesday, December 6th through Thursday, December 8th from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm in the ECBC Library. 
Get a jump start on your Christmas shopping, foster a love for reading, and support our school...   all at the same time!   Be sure to check our next Eagle Edition for more details including how you can sign up to volunteer!
Eagle Athletic News
PCA Welcomes Deitrick Sims As Head Coach Of The Boys Basketball Program

We are pleased to welcome Deitrick Sims as Head Coach of our Varsity Boys Basketball team. Coach Sims comes to PCA from Porter Gaud where he was an assistant coach for five seasons. During his tenure, Porter Gaud compiled a record of 90-36 and advanced to three semifinal appearances in the state tournament. Coach Sims was responsible for a smothering defense attack that consistently held opponents under forty percent field goal percentage.

Before coaching at Porter Gaud, Coach Sims coached and worked at Scott's Branch High School within the Clarendon County School District. Coach Sims was a lead assistant at Scott's Branch and helped the team post a 20-4 record in his only season on the staff. 

Coach Sims is excited to be a part of the PCA Athletic staff and is looking forward to building a successful program. Most importantly, Coach Sims will be mentoring the young men on his team both on and off the court. Coach Sims explains,  "When you are an adolescent, understanding the importance in morals and having a solid foundation in faith are critical".

Welcome Coach Sims! We look forward to a great season ahead!

College Signing Day For Ethan Willis

Congratulations to Senior Ethan Willis who signed a letter of intent last week to play golf for High Point University, an NCAA Division I school! 
Ethan has been a huge factor in PCA's success in varsity golf. He's also quite accomplished across the state. Ethan finished second in the SCISA state championships in each of the last two years. He was chosen to represent SCISA at the Southeastern Commission of Independent Schools tournament held in Alabama last year but he was unable to attend. Ethan also had scholarship offers from Coastal Carolina and CSU.
Great job Ethan! We're looking forward to seeing your athletic talent displayed on the college level.
Eric Salem Wins Moultrie News Player Of The Week

Senior Eric Salem wraps up his PCA football career with a sweet win in being named the Moultrie News Player of the Week.
In the Fighting Eagles final regular season game against Dorchester Academy, Eric accounted for 223 total yards and led Palmetto Christian in tackles. Eric has been a great leader both on and off the field. We are excited to celebrate this accomplishment with him!

Important Dates To Remember
  • November 16 - 2nd Quarter Progress Reports
  • November 16 - Kindergarten Open House
  • November 17 - "How To Make Middle School/High School Count"
  • November 18 - National Honor Society Induction
  • November 21-25 - Thanksgiving Break - No School
  • November 27-28 - 10th Grade Literary Field Trip
  • December 6-8 - PCA Book Fair
  • December 7 - Lower School Christmas Chapel
  • December 8 - FCA Breakfast
  • December 8 - Upper School Christmas Concert
  • December 9 - Preschool Christmas Program
STAY CONNECTED:
Follow us on Twitter