News

Students in the Engineering Fundamentals class visited the Sherwin-Williams Brighton Heights location for a special event that included visiting various stations to gain a better understanding of coating formulations and the scale-up process for production. They saw how cans are sprayed and tested for quality assurance. The experience ended with a Q&A session where employees that work in research, operations, and customer support explained their roles and career paths. 

The 40-Year Celebration Gala on November 10th was truly a night to remember as we celebrated and honored the milestones over 40 years of Christian education! It was a joy to look around the room and see faces from both Eden's past and present. Each face is imprinted on the heart of our school and the hallways of time. 

We are thrilled to share a gallery of GALA & LIVE AUCTION PHOTOS. We hope they give you a just glimpse at the joy that filled this evening with celebration and connection!

We also took an exciting look ahead at God's plans for a bright future as Head of School, Todd Aiken, presented the bold call on this ministry and launched the capital campaign BUILDING HIS KINGDOM, Now More Than Ever, to advance the vision that God has laid on the heart of our school. We are committed to raising the level of excellence in our students' education and equipping them to be leaders and world changers. Now More Than Ever, we must unite for our children.

You can read about the BUILDING HIS KINGDOM, Now More Than Ever Campaign and all that will be accomplished.

As you look through the material, we hope you will be as excited as we are and prayerfully consider a Donation to the Building His Kingdom Capital Campaign.

Our first-ever Legacy Warrior Alumni Soccer game was a great event! ECA alumni attended from recent classes and all the way back to before we had a high school. Most played in a game, but some came just to cheer. We even had two alumni who are now fathers of current students. It was an awesome time to reconnect with friends and to meet new friends as well. Thanks to all who participated! 

Academic Rigor. Faith. Service.

We are thrilled to celebrate each of our seniors and all they have accomplished individually and as a class. Here are a just a few highlights!

They were accepted to 163 colleges and universities and have received $2,124,464 in academic and outside scholarships.  

1 senior was named a National Merit Commended Student which represents the top 3% of the class of 2023 students in the U.S.

8 senior athletes signed to play in collegiate sports. 

17 seniors participated in our upper school musical, Beauty and The Beast, in the cast, crew, or through art. 

1 senior was nominated as a semi-finalist for Best Actor in the Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater.

2 seniors on the Mock Trial Team qualified for States all 4 years of their high school careers. 

1 senior completed 500 hours of volunteer work and training and is a Pennsylvania State Certified Firefighter. 

The senior class dedicated 2,500 hours to community service. 

Congratulations to our 2023 graduates who earned Summa Cum Laude (4.1 and greater), Magna Cum Laude (3.8-4.0999), or Cum Laude (3.5-3.7999) academic distinction.

Magna Cum Laude
Sean Aiken Jr.
Noah Geffel
Brian Feldman
Molly Gyergyo
Ava Heinricher
Camryn Kozik
Elijah Kuhlman
Sophia LoDico
Lauren Lomago
Emma Mathieu
Noah Reaoch
Kamryn Vilscek
Isaiah Zimmerman

Summa Cum Laude
Anthony D'Ippolito
Ellie Holt
David Kettel
Sarah Hudock
Malachi Manges
Morgan McFadden
Megan Lukitsch
Ryan Merrick
Chase Mizerak
Elijah Rogers
Alaina Steele
Abigail Stover
Dominic Talarico
Hannah Vance

We congratulate each student and family! We are excited to send these graduates off with blessings and prayers for all that God has for them as they begin this new chapter in their lives!

SUMMER MISSION TRIP

On June 3, 2023, a group of 47 people, including 35 students, several chaperones and parents, traveled from Pittsburgh to San Jose, Costa Rica with the goal of building three houses for Nicaraguan refugees in a community called Pavas. Arriving on Saturday, they visited a coffee farm! On Sunday, they had the great joy of worshiping with believers in a new church plant in the very community in which they planned to serve. ECA students held a mini-VBS with the children of the church and focused on the story of Jonah. For the next three days, the group worked constructing three separate houses. Each site began with a concrete pad and a pile of materials and by the end of the first day, all three houses had walls. The rooftops were put in place on the second day and just in time for a torrential tropical downpour. By the third day three families were presented with keys to a furnished dwelling place. This amazing three day experience taught us so much more than new construction skills. The group interacted with the families who would be living in the houses and spent time with the neighbors as well, particularly the children, laughing, playing, and teaching each other new words in English and Spanish.  On our final full day in Costa Rica, we enjoyed God's marvelous creation as we traveled through the rainforest and mountains to zipline and visit a waterfall.

For more than 30 years, Eden Christian Academy has set aside a week for specific focus on spiritual needs and deepening the faith of our students. This year, our campuses were full of energy and excitement about the special chapels, worship, prayer time, speakers, activities, and service opportunities – all rooted in the Word of God.

From the sidewalks to the classrooms and out into the community, students flourish in God's love and in the care of Christ-following faculty and staff.

We are grateful to present a snapshot of what your child experienced at ECA during Spiritual Enrichment Week.

Growth in their relationship with God as they learned parables, stories, and scripture in the Bible.

Experiencing worship by leading, participating, and giving glory to God.

Solidifying God's truth in their hearts by speaking and sharing testimony in chapel.

Showing God’s love to others by serving in food pantries, writing encouraging notes, supporting foster care children, making welcome bags for children in long-term medical treatment, sorting clothing to be sent to 31 countries, cleaning cabins for summer camp, stocking shelves in a co-op.
 

“Four of my students responded to the salvation message this morning to ask Jesus into their hearts … they have such pure and innocent faith. There is no greater privilege than to pray the prayer of salvation with them for the very first time and to remind others who already have prayed that NOTHING will ever separate them from HIs love. My heart is bursting, my spirit rejoicing, and I’m celebrating with all of heaven.” ~ ECA Elementary teacher
 

“Spiritual Enrichment Week at the upper school was an awesome time of dynamic worship. Throughout the week, students were challenged with what it truly means to be an authentic worshiper and enjoyer of Jesus Christ. We heard wisdom shared by our Worship Arts students and from the senior class of 2023. Mr. Guidroz and I both spoke about worship--what it was meant to be in the Garden of Eden and what it will be forever when we meet Jesus face to face. To summarize, true worship is a foretaste of the unending glory and joy we anticipate in the presence of our Great God and King Jesus! We pray that God continues to stir in the souls of every one of our students.” ~ Mr. Ben Potter
 

ENJOY PHOTOS FROM THE WEEK AT https://edenchristianacademy.smugmug.com/2023-Spiritual-Enrichment-Week

We're celebrating all the learning, discovering, praying, growing, singing, serving, laughing, (and much more) our students have experienced at ECA! Oh, how the time has flown by. We are excited about what the days ahead will bring.

We are excited to congratulate Mt. Nebo campus student, Carter Cropper, named to the Junior Achievement of Western PA’s list of #18UnderEighteen honorees! Carter’s entrepreneurial spirit founding Fisher’s Clothing Company earned him this prestigious recognition.

CP Chemistry students are classifying matter and determining if substances are pure or mixtures.  They were challenged to separate a heterogeneous mixture of sand, salt, iron, and seeds using their physical properties. Students had to create, discuss, and execute their own procedure and discovered that recovering 100% of each material was more difficult than initially anticipated. Great work!

Mrs. Larkin’s students worked in groups writing speeches for The Great Windmill Debate in Animal Farm by George Orwell. They practiced persuasive writing skills, public speaking skills, and debating techniques. Propaganda was also analyzed in the process of reading this incredible novel. These skills are strengthening important skills for these students' future success.

Wexford first grade classes filled backpacks for the Foster Love Project to be given to children in the foster care system in Pennsylvania. Many of these children arrive at their foster home with no belonging or just a few items in a bag. Foster Love provides placement packs filled with new items to reassure these children as they transition into new homes. ECA students also raised over $600 for the Foster Love Project. Serving others is a foundation for life and a valued part of learning at Eden Christian Academy.

Athletes from the upper school girls basketball team volunteered to assemble boxed Thanksgiving Meals for the Light of Life Rescue Mission in Pittsburgh. These meal boxes were distributed to families in need in our city and provided a wonderful meal and a Thanksgiving blessing. The girls were excited to serve those who are in difficult circumstances in our city.

Mrs. Rowland’s second grade class teamed up with their sixth-grade reading buddies to pack gift-filled shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. These boxes bring joy and the Good News of Jesus Christ to children in need around the world – some who have never received a gift before. What a great hands-on experience in working together, sharing their faith, and serving others.

Each month, Mrs. Faletti’s American Sign Language students visit the Western PA School for the Deaf where they eat lunch with students their age and converse with them using their skills in ASL. They also joined a drama class there. These opportunities broaden their experience academically and socially while providing life experiences that apply to what they are learning.

Berkeley Hills second grade students blessed patients at the VA Hospital by lovingly creating cards and artwork to thank them for their service. The class received a thank you note that stated, “Thanks to all of you for the cards and artwork for the Veterans here at the VA hospital. They were handed out to patients being discharged after surgery. Several of them cried, they were so grateful. A Vietnam veteran told me that every token of appreciation means so much to him because of how they were treated when they came home from Vietnam. Another veteran told me that he planned to have his card etched in glass so that he can always be reminded of the love and support. Thank you so much for blessing these service men and women.” 

Congratulations to our 2022 graduates who earned Summa Cum Laude (4.1 and greater), Magna Cum Laude (3.8-4.0999), or Cum Laude (3.5-3.7999) academic distinction.
 

Summa Cum Laude
Julia Ackerman, attending Anderson University
Rebecca Ackerman, attending Anderson University
Elena Arnold, attending Saint Francis University
Francesca Battaglia, attending Pennsylvania State University
Jared Bees, attending Marietta College
Alexandrew DeLeonardis, attending Liberty University
Shaia Faletti, attending Liberty University
Leah Gloster, attending Geneva College
Anna Haynes, attending Grove City College
Ellie Haynes, attending Liberty University
Collin Hicks, attending Pennsylvania State University Behrend
Emilia Johnson, attending St. John Fisher College
John Jones, attending Allegheny College
Emily Larson, attending Grove City College
Leah Lipinski, attending Liberty University
Brian McDonnell, attending Grove City College
Yudi Meng, attending University of California Davis
Nathan Moore, attending University of Pittsburgh
Zachary Queen, attending University of North Carolina
Maura Shernisky, attending California Polytechnic State University
Aneeta Sivaram, attending University of Pittsburgh
Abigail Stanley, attending Duquesne University
Isabel Stanley, attending Pennsylvania State University

Magna Cum Laude
Julia Balla, attending Liberty University
Ian Bilger, attending Cedarville University
Leia Davliakos, attending University of Pennsylvania
Roberto Farfan Jr., attending Pennsylvania State University
Trinity Festa, attending seminary
Sun Mi Jang, attending University of California Irvine
Calli Jennings, attending Baylor University
Nathan Lomago, attending Washington & Jefferson College
Lauren Medure, attending Liberty University
Madeline  Murdock, attending West Virginia Wesleyan College
Sangwoo Park, attending University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Abbey  Puckett, attending Casal Aveda Institute
Madison Rothacher, attending Union University
Raymond Stierer, attending Grove City College
Malaika Wankiiri-Hale, attending University of Pittsburgh
Isaac Wick, attending Grove City College

Cum Laude
Lynda Angarita, attending Duquesne University
Trudy Bovard, attending Grove City College
Leah Comstock, attending Lock Haven University
Joseph Deems, attending Ohio Northern University
Lindsay Hall, attending Liberty University
Lila Zadan, attending Samford University

We will celebrate the graduating Class of 2022 on May 27 at Christ Church at Grove Farm. We are so proud of these students! 
 

Our speaker will be Jordan Kolarik, ECA Alumnus Class of 2010, who pursued a career in full-time ministry. After receiving the Presidential Leadership Scholarship, he attended Central Bible College and received degrees in both Biblical Theology and Church Leadership. On his return to Pittsburgh, he became youth pastor at Allison Park Church, and then moved to his Alma Mater, Eden Christian Academy, to work as a Bible teacher and campus pastor. During that time he taught the gospels, the book of Acts, and New Testament courses as well as coached soccer and basketball. It was in that time that Jordan discovered his true passion - life-on-life mentorship and discipleship. 

After six wonderful years and so many amazing memories, Jordan felt called to take his passion for discipleship as well as evangelism to the most strategic mission field, the secular university. Jordan is now a missionary to the University of Pittsburgh, and an official chaplain of the school. Jordan and his wife Alicia are pioneering a new campus ministry on Pitt's Campus, Chi Alpha, which stands for "Christ's Ambassadors" (2 Cor 5:20). They are investing in those far from the Lord through intentional life-on-life discipleship. They believe that through making disciples who can make disciples, they will see the University of Pittsburgh, the nation, and the world changed for Jesus. 

Jordan is a man of high energy and many hobbies. In his free time, Jordan enjoys playing guitar, serving his church, traveling with his wife, getting far too competitive at board games, and entertaining a packed living room. 

Thank you and congratulations to the cast, crew, set designers, and directors on five fabulous performances of Hello, Dolly!

Upper school students in grades 7-12 contributed their creative talents in song, dance, sound, lighting, painting, and set design to make the musical a grand success.

Did you know? 28 of our seniors participated in the cast, crew, or in art/design!

The upper school musical is produced each year to encourage student engagement, as well as:

• promote creativity and problem solving

• strengthen leadership and communication skills

• develop team work and discipline

• build confidence and unity

Enjoy more photos at ECA's HELLO, DOLLY! SmugMug.

Students learned how to classify reactions and identify the forces driving them to completion. They applied their knowledge to a precipitation reaction, formed, filtered, and dried a solid and wrote a balanced chemical equation.

All in a day's work in the Chemistry lab!

Competing against more than 300 teams across Pennsylvania, ECA's Mock Trial team was one of only 14 teams who advanced to the State Finals. The team finished the season in 6th place.

• 2022 marked the 9th time ECA went to State Championships since founded in 2007. 

• Our seniors made history this year as the first class to go to States all 4 years of their high school careers.

Congratulations on another incredible season!

Upper school students participated in Westinghouse's annual 'Introduce a Girl to Engineering' event at the Cranberry Township Headquarters. The event included an overview of how a nuclear power plant functions and students traveled through educational stations, which included a control room simulation that is used to train reactor technicians. Our students also learned about various engineering disciplines and participated in a Q&A session with a career panel comprised of Westinghouse employees. It was an exciting opportunity as we continue to encourage students to discover their God-directed future.

In April, we were proud to welcome 34 students to National Honor Society and 13 students to National Junior Honor Society. The Honor Societies represent five pillars - Honor, Scholarship, Leadership, Citizenship, Service & Character. These are the identified attributes of inductees and existing members.The induction ceremony was held at the Mt. Nebo Campus Field House and included senior speakers and ECA alumnus, Mason Zadan.

Enjoy photos from the event at EDEN SMUGMUG.

Although ECA does not have a hockey or swim team, students with an interest in these sports were able to use their talents and compete! Through a cooperative agreement with Avonworth School District, we have four athletes competing on their ice hockey teams. And as allowable by the WPIAL for certain sports such as swimming, we have a student who competed in swimming this year.

READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT INCLUDING COACH QUOTES HERE

HOCKEY CO-OPERATIVE PUTS ECA STUDENTS ON THE ICE

ECA senior, Eli Szenyeri, and sophomore, Zach Nacey, have been competing on the Avonworth high school ice hockey team for the past two years. This year's team recently played in the high school play-offs. Hank Szenyeri, sophomore, is also a member of the high school team but was out with an injury this year.

Nello Torrerio, 7th grade, began playing goalie on the middle school ice hockey team this year. The team advanced to the play-offs.

INDEPENDENT SWIMMER COMPETES FOR ECA IN WPIAL

Marideth Hull, sophomore, competed in swimming for ECA the year. She qualified for the WPIAL championships in the 200 and 500 meter freestyle swim events early in March and competed at the University of Pittsburgh.

Teams from high schools across the state are currently competing in the 2022 Pennsylvania Mock Trial competition, all hoping to gain a spot at the State Finals.

ECA’s team has been working diligently and they’ve won their first series of trials! The prosecution team won (3-0) against West Mifflin in Round 1 and our defense team defeated Shaler (3-0) in Round 2. The team has advanced to the semifinals and the defense team competes on Tuesday, March 1.

Great work! We are praying and cheering for the team and coaches as they prepare for the semifinals!

Mock Trial team members are Leia Davliakos, Jonny Goetz, Davis Gray, Collin Hicks, Luke Kohler, Breanna Kolozie, Gavin McLean*, Nathan Moore, Zach Moore, Amelia Queen, Zach Queen, Noah Reaoch, Gabby Ricci, Eli Rogers, Dominic Talarico, Lydia Wisler, and Isaiah Zimmerman. *Not pictured in this photo.

The team’s teacher coach is Mrs. Nancy Bishop (upper school faculty member), and the attorney advisor is Mrs. Aubrey Hiskey (ECA alumna and board member).

Sixth grade is immersed in a Science unit, "Designing the Future" with Mr. Hale. Working in groups, they brainstormed a practical classroom invention. They will design a prototype on Tinkercad and create a presentation using Google Slides. Soon they will compose a biography about an inventor, which will tie into a future science unit. We're excited to see their creative inventions!

Working together, the Wexford PS3 and PK4 students collected money to buy sheep for families in need through World Vision. These families will be able to use the sheep's wool for blankets, clothing, or to sell. They will also use milk from the sheep for nutrition or for family income. Students added a cotton ball on the sheep poster for each dollar they brought for the collection. A sheep costs $150, which equals 150 cotton balls per lamb! This year, students collected enough to purchase 6 sheep and had an extra $119 for the World Vision emergency fund. Way to go, students and families! You brought hope and tangible help to families trapped in poverty and despair. Thank you for being a blessing!

We are thrilled to announce that one of our stand-out volleyball players, Elena Arnold, has accepted a scholarship offer from St. Francis University, a Division I volleyball program in Loretto, Pennsylvania. 

There is no doubt Elena was one of the main reasons ECA advanced to the playoffs the past two years. We are thankful for all her contributions to our volleyball program.

We wish Elena all the best as she takes on the challenge of competing at the highest level and pray God's blessing as she pursues her God-directed future while playing the game she loves!

Here's what St. Francis University's head coach, Sara McMullen, told us.

"We are so excited about Elena joining our volleyball team next year. One of the big reasons we recruited her was because of her fierce competitiveness on the court. We also love the fact that she has experience at all three positions on the front row. I have been at Saint Francis for five years now and Elena will be our first left-handed attacker during my time here. We are excited about her signing day!”

Four ECA sophomores participated in Westinghouse's annual 'Introduce a Girl to Engineering' event held at the Waltz Mill site.  While there, they were given an overview of how a nuclear power plant functions and rotated through training bays that had model steam generators, reactor heads, and fuel rods.  They also learned about various engineering disciplines and participated in a Q&A session with a career panel composed of Westinghouse employees.

What a great opportunity to encourage students to discover their God-directed future.

Please enjoy the day's details from Coach Kelly Gronbeck.

Our cross country team packed into an appropriately decorated ECA van and made the drive to Hershey, PA, for the PIAA State Championships. We arrived in Hershey shortly after noon the day before the competition and went straight to the course. This allowed us to check out the full course and get some strides in for our pre-race shake-out run. There was a definite feeling of excitement in the air on Friday as the State Championship meet returned to normal after last year’s COVID changes.  We were very grateful for that! Friday evening we enjoyed an awesome meal at Dafnos Italian Grille to get carb-loaded before the big race and then it was back to the hotel for a quick team meeting and hang-out before early bedtime.  

Lauren and Hope hit the course first thing Saturday morning, braving the coldest temperatures we had seen this season and a thick layer of frost covering the course, to complete the challenging Parkview XC 5K. Hope finished an impressive 34th in 21:13 (just ahead of the virtual meet predictor) and Lauren was not far behind in 49th (21:36). Both Hope and Lauren moved up significantly throughout the race and bested a number of runners who had beaten them the previous week at WPIAL's. Hope finished as the 5th WPIAL runner at PIAA’s (she was 9th at the WPIAL meet) and Lauren was the 8th WPIAL runner at PIAA’s (she was 13th at the WPIAL meet).  They also earned the distinction of passing the most runners between mile 1 and the finish of any of our ECA runners. Hope passed 28 runners and Lauren passed 21 runners between mile 1 and the finish line. Congratulations, ladies, on an excellent conclusion to your season! 

After all three girls' races, the Warrior boys set out next to tackle Parkview’s hills. As a team, they placed 7th in the strong field, representing the highest finish ever at the PIAA State Championship for an Eden XC team. This is truly an amazing accomplishment for a school the size of ECA which has only had a cross-country program since 2012! We are so very proud of each one of you for giving your all to make this happen!  

Junior Sean and sophomore Ethan led the way with two top ten finishes, which is another first for Eden XC.  Sean was 5th in 16:54 and Ethan was 8th in 17:06. Ethan’s performance was notable since he was also 8th at the WPIAL Championship meet the week before. 

Senior co-captains Ian and Collin finished their high school XC careers in an impressive way with finishes of 111th/18:45 (Ian) and 164th/19:15 (Collin).  This also marked the first time this season that Collin finished in our top 5. Way to leave it all on the course for your last high school XC race.

Rounding out Eden’s finishers were junior Noah (157th in 19:12), freshman Jacob (182nd in 19:29) and junior David (183rd in 19:29.1). Jacob also earned distinction as the only Warrior of the day to notch a career PR (by 2 seconds) on the Hershey hills. 

Course PR’s were earned by Collin (by 2:06), David (by 1:16), Ethan (by 1:07), Noah (by 1:02), Lauren (by 58 seconds) and Sean (by 48 seconds).

Congrats to all our PIAA qualifiers who had the opportunity to compete this weekend. Thank you to Coach Gronbeck’s husband, Jeff, for serving as our team bus driver for the weekend. A huge thank you to Anna Aiken for the wonderful lunches she coordinated for the team. Many, many thanks to our parents and friends who traveled to support our team! 

Eden Christian Academy recognizes and expresses our congratulations to:

• JARED and ZACHARY who have been named National Merit Semifinalists.
  National Merit Semifinalists represent the top 1% of students in the Class of 2022 from the United States.

• LEAH, NATHAN, and ANEETA who have been named Commended Students in the National Merit Scholar Program.
  National Merit Commended Students represent the top 3% of students in the Class of 2022 from the United States. 

Does hard or soft water impact soap's efficiency?

Chemistry students became familiar with lab equipment and procedures by examining the difference between hard and soft water. This experiment was designed to build a foundation for important definitions and concepts in their future studies about ion formation, solubility, the polarity of water, and precipitation reactions. 

On August 24, we joyfully welcomed over 720 students back on campus! It was truly inspiring to see the excitement of the returning students as they reacquainted with old friends and the enthusiasm of new students as they were welcomed to school.

One of our new-to-Eden families told us that their children are “loving it” and said, “Everyone is so kind and helpful”. The family is thankful to the staff and students for welcoming them to ECA!

A group of ECA teachers gathered for fellowship and connection before the start of the school year. While they talked, they made 150 lunches for Light of Life Ministries. These dedicated educators love to serve your children and our community!  Thank you to ECA graduates, Eli and Ben, who helped pack up the lunches for delivery to Light of Life. Better Together!

2021 Summer Art Camp is underway!

Students have been up to their elbows in imaginative projects during Summer Art Camp. You’ll love seeing the art they’ve been creating! From painting to working with clay, from drawing and ink palettes to tie-dyeing and more, campers are making friends, having fun, and learning!

Here’s what the students are saying:

• “I love art camp because we are learning a lot of new things. I am learning a new way to draw, so my pictures are in proportion (a new word I learned in camp).”

• “I am having fun in art camp! My favorite part of camp was tie-dyeing my own T-shirt. I also like to paint. I got to paint on a water bottle, a canvas and glass to make a matching vase.”

• “I am learning lots of new things in art camp! I learned what a silhouette is and how to transfer my drawing onto my painting.”

• “I liked working with clay and watercolors. I learned how to condition and cure clay - they were new words for me.”

• “I loved making my own "glass" paint palette using different kinds of inks.”

Enjoy Art Camp photos HERE.

Fifty-five students in the Class of 2021 faced challenges, worked hard, and, on May 28, graduated from ECA equipped to embrace their God-directed future. Congratulations to each student and family on all their accomplishments!

• The Class of 2021 gained acceptance in 90 colleges and universities.

• The class average score on SAT exams was 1223 which is above state and national averages. (35 of 55 seniors took at least one SAT.)

• Milaina Reaoch earned an SAT score of 1550. (A perfect score is 1600.)

• 23 seniors scored 1200 or above on their SAT. (A score of 1200 is in the top 76th percentile nationally out of the 1.7 million test takers of the SAT entrance exam.)

• 17 seniors graduated with Weighted Cumulative GPA's of 4.20 or higher.

• 23 seniors earned Weighted Cumulative GPA's of 4.0 or higher.

Katie Kirby and Elijah Manges each earned a Certificate of Appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. West Point is consistently ranked among the most selective colleges in the nation and attracts the nation’s best and brightest students. More than 14,000 students apply each year for approximately 1,000 spots. Students are not "accepted" into West Point but appointed following a rigorous application process involving academics, athletics, leadership, letters of recommendation, and a congressional nomination.

Sam Hogue received Grove City College's Trustee Fellows Scholarship. Grove City College awards 24 Trustee Scholarships each year. The top eight recipients are designated as Trustee Fellows and are awarded the college’s most generous merit-based scholarship. Recipients are selected based on leadership skills, community service, cultural maturity, initiative, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a strong academic profile.

Josiah Brazen earned his Eagle Scout rank.

Throughout their high school career (grades 7-12) these students completed more than 7,900 community service hours.

“In the face of challenges, by God’s grace, we managed to have more small groups to pour into the underclassmen, we hosted three separate worship nights which were all entirely student led, we organized service projects such as Angel Tree and helping Syrian refugees, we prayed during morning study halls as a class.” Sam Hogue, Senior.
 

The ECA Varsity Baseball team had an amazing season, advancing from the PIAA Class 1A State Playoffs, to the Quarterfinals, to the Semifinals, to the PIAA State Championships!

The team competed against Halifax on June 17. 

ECA played strong in the Semifinal round against Southern Fulton. The Warriors scored two runs in each of the first three innings to build a 6-2 lead going into the 4th. They added two insurance runs in the 6th inning before pitcher Christian Cropper shut the door in the 7th inning for an 8-3 win over Southern Fulton. 

Caleb Emswiler threw 6 strong innings on the mound to record the win. The offense was led by Raymond Stierer who went 2-3 with a double, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. Jared Bees added two doubles, a run scored and 1 RBI and Eli Szenyeri had two hits and an RBI. 

We're making some NOISE for our Warriors and are proud of the team and the coaches!

Congratulations to the team and coaches on an undefeated season for the second year in a row - a first in ECA history!

Here are some highlights about mock trial competition and this year's season.

• Pennsylvania has one of the largest high school mock trial competitions in the country; this year, 232 teams competed, and only 16 advanced to the State Championship Finals.
• Usually, those State Finals are held in Harrisburg, but this year they were held virtually.
• ECA was one of the 16 teams that advanced to the State Championship.
• After going undefeated all season, ECA’s mock trial team again won all their trials at the State Championship Finals.

This year's team members were Jonathan Cranston (10th), Leia Davliakos (11th), Collin Hicks (11th), Sam Hogue (12th), Luke Kohler (9th), Vivien Kohler (12th), Nathan Moore (11th), Zach Moore (9th), Holly Nassif (12th), Zach Queen (11th), Noah Reaoch (10th), Eli Rogers (10th), Dominic Talarico (10th), and Lydia Wisler (11th).

Congratulations to the team and coaches, Mrs. Nancy Bishop, and Eden Alumna and board member, Mrs. Aubrey Hiskey!

In April, upper school students presented a wonderful concert of music and song that filled the night with joy. Photos from the event will give you a glimpse.

Now, you can fill your home with the sounds of the beautiful evening.

CLICK to enjoy the video!
 

The Class of 2021 is poised to step into the next chapter of their lives following graduation ceremonies on May 28. We are proud of each of them!

Three seniors and their families are celebrating outstanding achievements and we want to share their news with you.

• Katie Kirby received her Certificate of Appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point 

• Sam Hogue received Grove City College's Trustee Fellows Scholarship

• Elijah Manges received his Certificate of Appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point 

Katie Kirby told us,

"Over the past year of searching for a college, West Point stood out to me for a few reasons. It provides a challenging schedule with academics and athletics, it is a good way to serve others and, most importantly, I could just tell that West Point is where God wants me next.

"Eden has helped me prepare for this next phase of my life by offering rigorous academics, opportunities to try lots of different sports, great teachers and friends to support me, overseas trips, and much more. Above all, it has helped me to establish a strong relationship with God.

"Next year will be very hard, but I have no doubt that God will be with me and help me as he has always done, and that He is up to something great."

Sam Hogue said,

"After attending a summer camp in 2016, I received my call into ministry as a seventh grader. Since then, God has blessed me with amazing mentors, Mr. Kolarik and Mr. Potter, and a great group of senior guys who, since 9th grade, have encouraged, challenged, and held me accountable. God’s greatest provision for me at Eden was definitely those guys who poured so much of their time into me and really helped me get to where I am today.

"I plan to major in Biblical and Religious Studies at Grove City and hopefully become a youth pastor as well. As I start this next chapter of my life, I’m incredibly thankful for the innumerable blessings God has given me especially over the past four years. My largest goal in life is to help raise up the next generation of Kingdom builders."

Elijah Manges shared,

"After talking with Mr. Frank Murphy, a former service member who was the head of security at ECA, I felt a strong call to pursue an appointment to the USMA at West Point. Due to its emphasis on leadership and its stress on honor, integrity, and academic rigor, I thought West Point would be the perfect place for me to grow as an individual, student, and leader.

"Eden helped prepare me to be a West Point cadet in numerous ways. First, the academic and leadership focus at Eden laid the foundation for my desire to grow in these areas. Second, the focus on godly character and ideals here has impressed on me the importance of continuing my education at an institution that puts an emphasis on ethics. Most importantly, the personal mentorship from coaches, teachers, and staff - their work, encouragement, prayers, and the opportunities they afforded me to explore leadership in various areas - was pivotal to my success in this endeavor.

"As I enter this next chapter, I do it with anticipation that God is leading me to be His light in this new arena."

Recently, ninth grade girls undertook a project to serve and help the homeless community in our city.

Each student had the opportunity to participate in the project in a variety of ways. Some collected and donated non-perishable grab-and-go foods, such as granola bars, nuts, etc., as well as socks, hand warmers, and hand sanitizer. Others made donations that were used to purchase these items. All the girls were invited to the Faletti’s home to pack all of the goodness for delivery. Those who weren’t able to come were asked to pray for the recipients of the packages.

The energetic group of girls formed an assembly line around the ping-pong table and packed 75 boxes and 40 bags! Each girl wrote personal notes to put in the boxes - uplifting messages, prayers, and Bible verses. They prayed that the recipients would experience God's love when they received their package.

You can see by their faces how glad they were to be involved in the project. And, their kind notes of encouragement and hope show that their hearts were truly in it. 

Later, two Community Engagement Officers for the City of Pittsburgh Police, John and Dom, came to pick up the boxes for distribution through their task force. They were invited to stay for lunch and shared great conversation. Before they left, they joined hands in the Faletti’s kitchen to be prayed for and to join in prayer! We hope that this connection will allow John and Dom to reach out any time there is a need so that we can continue to serve the community through them.

The boxes delivered a double blessing – first, blessing those who are homeless by sharing tangible help and evidence of God’s love for them and second, blessing the police officers and community engagement task force in our city.

Thank you to amazing ECA moms, Mrs. Dana Faletti and Mrs. Lillie Leonardi, and the Passages and Prose authors group for facilitating the project and connecting with the Pittsburgh Police so the boxes were given directly to people who need them!

Great work, girls! Thank you for serving those in need in our city.

Projects like these are intentional in the fabric of an ECA education designed to engage your child's heart and mind in service and provide opportunities for God's transformational love to move in their lives as they take daily steps to know Him more.

Mr. Paul Fisher, Head of School, shares just a few of the stories that unfolded during Spiritual Enrichment Week on our three campuses.

Take a minute to watch the VIDEO HERE 

SWEET SERVICE PROJECT
Benefited Butler County Child & Youth Services

Wexford 6th grade students' community service project made a difference for children in foster care!

It started with a Candy-Gram sale and over 300 orders received. Students went to work making and delivering these sweet treats for Valentine's Day. The sale and donations raised $445!

The funds from the sale were used to purchase fleece material to make 8 blankets as well as duffel bags and personal care items to go along with each blanket. The students gathered to pray over the blankets and the children who would receive them.

Last weekend, this special care package was delivered to Butler County Child & Youth Services for children in foster care who often have very few personal belongings. What a blessing!

Well done students! They embraced the chance to learn the value of serving others as they served those in need in our community.

Thank you to all the Wexford parents, students, and staff for supporting this project!

Amazing Milestone for Taylor Haring

It doesn't often happen but in last week's Varsity Girls Basketball game, Taylor Haring scored 13 points bringing her career total to 1,004 points! 

And, there's more to come. Taylor will play in two more regular season games and the play-offs. We have no doubt there will be many more points over the next few weeks.

Here are some details about Taylor's career at ECA.

• In 9th grade, she scored 266 points and averaged almost 12 points per game. Her high score game was 31 points.

• In 10th grade, she scored 299 points and averaged 14.45 points per game. That year, her high score game was 29 points.

• In 11th grade, she scored 288 points with a 14.4 point per game average. Her high score game was 25 points.

• In 12th grade, prior to Thursday night's game against Rochester, she had scored 138 points so far this year. 

Coach Ryan Brogdon tells us, “Scoring 1,000 career points is a great accomplishment. Taylor has had a phenomenal four year career at ECA, and in an addition to being a 1,000 point scorer she has been a great leader and teammate. I can speak for the entire team by saying that we are all very proud of her for reaching this milestone, and appreciate all that she has done for our Girls Basketball program.”

Please join us in congratulating Taylor for the hard work and talent that is represented by this achievement.

Update! 
 

Last week, ECA unanimously defeated Allderdice in the final trial and will be one of two teams from Allegheny County advancing to the State Championship.

This is a three-peat - the third year in a row the team will compete for the state title.

Since Mock Trial began at ECA, this is the 8th time the team advanced to the state championship. Over 300 schools across Pennsylvania compete in mock trial and only the top 14 advance to the state championship.

This year's team members are Jonathan Cranston (10th), Leia Davliakos (11th), Collin Hicks (11th), Sam Hogue (12th), Luke Kohler (9th), Vivien Kohler (12th), Nathan Moore (11th), Zach Moore (9th), Holly Nassif (12th), Zach Queen (11th), Noah Reaoch (10th), Eli Rogers (10th), Dominic Talarico (10th), and Lydia Wisler (11th).

Congratulations to the team and coaches, Mrs. Nancy Bishop and Eden Alumna and board member, Mrs. Aubrey Hiskey!

Following their wins in competition against Mt. Lebanon and Pine Richland 2, the Mock Trial Team advanced to the playoffs in February.

On February 8, the team unanimously defeated Thomas Jefferson and will compete again on February 9. The winner of this trial will advance to the State Championships!

Congratulations to the team and coaches!

Quiz Team members Milaina Reaoch, Elijah Manges, and Leah Howard represented our school in competition on the January 30 CBS Pittsburgh KDKA Hometown High Q Show.

Congratulations to the team on their great work as they advance to another round of competition.

“I'm really proud of these students and their performance!” Coach Brian Adey

We are thrilled to announce that two of our incredible soccer players will continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level.

Natalie Merrick signed her letter of intent and is headed to Grove City College to play Division III. Kyle King signed his scholarship offer and will be leaving the Keystone state and for Cornerstone University where he will be competing at the NAIA level. 

Natalie and Kyle are outstanding athletes, and we offer our congratulations to them and their families on this amazing achievement. We know they will be incredible examples as they live out their faith and values in front of their classmates and teammates! 

Enjoy MORE PHOTOS celebrating this milestone.

Natalie signed her Letter of Intent to play at Grove City College competing at the NCAA Division III level.

“Natalie personifies the qualities we desire in our student athletes - always seeking to grow as a player; always seeking to serve others as a teammate; always seeking to honor Christ in all things. I'm so proud of Natalie and the milestone she's reached today. She is deserving of this recognition, and we wish her well for what's to come in the next chapter of her soccer career.” ~ Head Coach Gary Laird

“It’s been a privilege to coach Natalie and be on the sideline admiring her willingness to constantly work on her priorities of competing with integrity and excellence to the end of glorifying God first and foremost! Her desire to do this has created a gracious leader in whom her teammates have found qualities worth emulating! I’m certain Natalie will always pursue God’s best for her life!” ~ Assistant Coach Amanda Frederick

Kyle signed his Letter of Intent to play at Cornerstone University competing at the NAIA level.

“Kyle has been an integral part of the growth and recent accomplishments of Eden's varsity soccer program. His love of the game, tireless work ethic, and leadership both on and off the field have been dynamic. I have truly enjoyed watching him help our team control the middle of the field through his skillful and confident play. His contributions to the team and our program will be difficult to replace, but we wish him the best of luck as he continues to play a great game at the next level.” ~ Coach Mike Hall

“When I think of Kyle King I think of a determined soccer player. He has been extremely consistent for us in his play over the past four years! During that time, Kyle earned the trust of the coaches by making good decisions and leading well. He played a crucial role in helping to lead us to the playoffs this past season.” ~ Assistant Coach Tom Barr  

We congratulate David Kelly, Andrew Prouty, and Luke Vittone as all three of these young men signed a letter of intent to play Baseball at the Division III level in the Warrior Field House on Friday, January 22. We are thrilled for them and excited to see what the future holds for each.

We wish David, Andrew, and Luke the very best as they finish at ECA and get ready for their respective schools. We are incredibly proud of these young men, and we are thrilled to acknowledge their hard work and exciting news. And, although we weren't able to gather together for this event, we are happy to SHARE PHOTOS to celebrate this milestone with them and their families.

David signed his Letter of Intent to play at Westminster College competing at the NCAA Division III level.

"David is an incredibly versatile player as well as a very good all-around player. He has a good bat, good arm and can contribute at multiple positions for the team."  ~ Head Coach Steve Good

Andrew signed his Letter of Intent to play at Muskingum University competing at the NCAA Division III level.

"There is no question that Andrew's strength is his work ethic on and off of the field. There are not many players who have worked as hard on improving their physical strength as much as Andrew. This has and will continue to impact every aspect of his game." ~ Head Coach Steve Good

Luke signed his Letter of Intent to play at Grove City College competing at the NCAA Division III level.

"Luke is a natural and a pure hitter. He will leave Eden as the top hitter in the history of the program. One of the great things about Luke is that he is not just an offensive player but a solid middle infielder as well." ~ Head Coach Steve Good

To serve those in need at Light of Life Rescue Mission in Pittsburgh, students collected warm gloves and mittens on the Berkeley Hills Campus Mitten Tree. Students celebrated the birth of Christ by helping others.

Although the traditional Christmas concert had to be cancelled, this group of students in grades 7-12 continued rehearsing their music in the field house, spaced 6 feet or more apart and wearing extra personal protective equipment to keep everyone safe.

While we are disappointed that we aren't able to be together for a live performance, CLICK THIS LINK to enjoy the Upper School Band performance of Psalm 42.

Learning Through Literature students delighted in reading and hands-on learning based on the book Snowballs by Lois Ehlert. Each child created their own snowman using found objects such as ribbon, twine, buttons, corn, sunflower seeds, and coffee beans. So creative! The scripture verse for this unit was Psalm 51:7 “Wash me and I will be whiter than snow.”

We are thrilled to announce that five of our teams - Varsity Boys and Girls Soccer, Varsity Boys and Girls Cross Country, and Varsity Girls Volleyball - advanced to the WPIAL play-offs.

This a first in Warrior history and it's happening during what has been a unique and challenging year for athletics. We express our congratulations to each of these athletes and their coaches on this accomplishment.

We are so proud of their hard work, dedication, and perseverance in training and competing safely throughout the season.

Visit the ECA athletics website for the latest news on recent competition.

We are proud to announce that ECA senior, Milaina, has been named a National Merit Scholarship Commended Student! A letter of commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program, has been presented to this scholastically gifted senior.

Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 scorers of more than 1.5 million students who entered the competition by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). This means that out of the 1.5 million students entering the program, Milaina is in the top 3%!

Eden Christian Academy's most recent commended students received full to significant academic scholarships to Syracuse University, the University of Pittsburgh, Robert Morris University, and Liberty University.

Join us in congratulating Milaina on achieving this honor.

Fifth and sixth grade students had a perfect day for curiosity and discovery at Lutherlyn Environmental Center!  From searching for crayfish to orienteering to making a fire, they asked great questions and engaged in hands-on learning in God's amazing creation. The day ended with outdoor chapel and a message reminding us all that God is our "true North".

Eden alumni and former varsity golf team standout Carter Ehms joined us at the 2020 Eden Warrior Classic partnering with current ECA students, two of them current members of the Eden Varsity Golf Team, to capture first place in the event posting a 19 under par final score of 53!

Carter Ehms also won the "Closest-to-the-Pin" award on a par 3 hole; and Brian McDonnell earned the award for "Longest Drive".

The winning team pictured in the photo (from left to right) is Brian McDonnell, Carter Ehms, Marshall Hood, and Luke Vittone.  

Julie Holt joined us as Wexford Campus Principal to lead our vibrant community of teachers, students, and families. She comes to us equipped with a 20+ year history in education and a genuine heart for the ministry of Christian education.

Julie and her husband, Eran, have been married for 23 years. Two of their children, Caleb and Emma, have graduated from high school, and their daughter, Ellie, will be a student at ECA’s Mt. Nebo Campus. Eran is the president of Lead the Generation, Inc., a non-profit ministry focused on training leaders in student ministry.

A heritage in Christian education began early as Julie attended Christian school in kindergarten through 12th grade and continued her education at the University of Valley Forge where she earned her B.A. Degree in Elementary Education.

Demonstrating ability and initiative, Julie developed remote learning plans for her elementary team during COVID at Faith Christian School. And, as lead teacher, reporting to the head of school, she skillfully directed and facilitated the professional growth of the faculty at King’s Academy. Her experience and knowledge in education, ministry, and as a parent of three children, speak to her proven strengths in servant leadership, organization and planning, cultivating genuine relationships with teachers, students, and parents, and developing a culture of inspiration and unity.

Julie shared her personal conviction about curriculum and instruction, “My theology is based on Colossians 1:16b-17 which tells us, “All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Christian education begins with recognizing a Holy God who created the universe and mankind. It’s foundational to understand God desires a relationship with every person. Christian curriculum serves as a tool that the Holy Spirit can use to bring students into a relationship with Jesus Christ, to nurture their spiritual growth, and to train them for godly living. Students must be taught from a solid biblical perspective founded on the truth of God’s Word, so that they understand who God is and that they were created in His image to bring glory to God. A foundation must be laid for students to learn to live for Christ and to make an impact on a lost and dying world.”

Julie joined us on campus in August.

M.J. Botula has joined the ECA administrative team as Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction. This new position at ECA reports directly to the head of school tasked with leading initiatives generated by the leadership team through the head of school's office, in service to the principals and teachers. Key focus areas for this position are curriculum review and development as well as professional development assuring a distinctively excellent Kingdom education at Eden. This role benefits the principals, faculty, students, and parents of Eden Christian Academy by providing the very best resources available to achieve our mission and vision together. 

While this is a new role for M.J., she has served students and families at Eden Christian Academy as a classroom teacher, STEAMS lab coordinator, curriculum coordinator, and private Math tutor. She is passionate about Christian education, excellence in curriculum, and implementation of exceptional teaching methods. Her robust 28+ years of experience in education have developed strengths in writing, research, and instruction.

These proven skills and experience have prepared her for research, review, and implementation processes pertaining to ECA curriculum; assisting principals in professional development for teachers; and leading in the development of Kingdom philosophy, mission, and program-wide goals for each academic discipline.

M.J. earned her B.S. in Accounting at The Pennsylvania State University and her M.S in Elementary Education at Duquesne University. She will complete her M.S. Education Administration degree at Duquesne University in 2021.

M.J. stepped into her new role at Eden in August.

For 36 years, education at ECA has impacted thousands of children in our region and we have experienced consistent growth in enrollment and expansion in programs. We know that the time is right to further develop our funding strategies to include grants, foundation giving, donor support, and other opportunities.

For more than a year, we have diligently researched highly qualified candidates looking for the exact right fit for Eden Christian Academy. After much prayer, God has faithfully provided just that and we are happy to announce that Anna Aiken has accepted the role of Director of Development.

Anna and Sean Aiken just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. Sean is the Superintendent of Shaler Area School District. They are blessed with five children; Sarah (2015 Eden graduate), Andrew (2017 Eden graduate), Sean Jr. (10th grade), Grace (7th grade), and Izzy (4th grade). The family also includes their golden retriever, Theodore Roosevelt aka Teddy!

Anna comes to us from Allison Park Church where she has served in a variety of roles for nearly nine years. Most recently, she was the Central Events Director and Connections Pastor at the Hampton Campus. Anna established herself as a self-starter with strong collaborative, team building and leadership skills, as well as proficiency for planning and vision casting. These are skills that God will use as she explores partnerships and opportunities to expand ECA’s development office.

A professed lifelong learner, Anna has her Masters in Christian Ministry and Leadership from Liberty University. She is a licensed pastor with the Assemblies of God, certified John Maxwell Team Member, and a certified Prepare and Enrich Couples Facilitator. Anna also created a podcast, Daring 2 Believe, founded on Luke 1:45. It is a platform for women to share their stories highlighting Jesus in every detail. 

Anna tells us, “I believe in the heart, mission, and vision of Eden Christian Academy. Our family has witnessed firsthand the impact and influence the school has on students and families. We love the relationships and the familial community that Eden encourages and fosters. From the care, prayers, and support of the Eden staff to the individual families that treat each other like one family. 

As the Development Director, I look forward to building relationships and helping advance the vision that God has for Eden Christian Academy. Eden was founded on a mustard seed of faith and I believe that Eden's legacy will flourish like that of a sequoia tree with deep roots that will show Christ's love. I am truly humbled and honored to be part of Eden's legacy. I am excited about the opportunity to support the work of the school and help Eden flourish for years to come.”

We welcomed Anna to the ECA staff in August.

Head of School Paul Fisher announced that after an intensive search and much prayer, Mark Ackerman has accepted the position of athletic director.

Mark and his wife, Jenny, have been married for 22 years and have twin daughters, Julia and Rebecca who will be juniors, and a son, David, who will be in ninth grade this year. Jenny is a licensed professional counselor and has been counseling children and families at Battlefield Ministries for the past five years in Rome, Georgia. Mark has been working in sports ministry for 25 years with 20 years dedicated to the role of athletic director and coach at private Christian schools. Most recently, Mark was the director of athletics and head football and track coach at Unity Christian School in Rome, GA.

Mark earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education from Gardner-Webb University and Master of Science in Sports Administration from St. Thomas University.

Mark tells us, "My years in private school interscholastic athletics have proven that very few student athletes go on to play at the collegiate level and hardly any will make it to the professional level. You may ask if this is the case, why even have a program?

The answer is both simple and profound! While ECA athletes may not go on to professional sports, they will be future husbands and wives, future moms and dads, future businessmen and businesswomen in our communities. With that in mind, the importance of every life lesson they learn about teamwork, encouraging and challenging their teammates to be their best, knowing how to win and lose with humility, modeling Christ-like behavior on and off of the field are all amplified. The goal is not to build professional athletes through the athletic program but to use the program to help build Godly men and women.

My primary mission as the athletic director at ECA will be to help all our students and student athletes understand this goal and to move our student athletes closer to Jesus Christ using the vehicle of athletics."

Mark and his family joined us in August. 

ECA student, Leia, Class of 2022, submitted her own artwork and placed third overall in the 2020 Congressional Art Competition District 16. Her painting "Chapel by the Sea" will hang in Congressman Kelly's office in the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. for a year. Outstanding work, Leia! We are proud of you!

Read more about the competition at https://kelly.house.gov/press-release/rep-kelly-announces-2020-congressional-art-competition-winners

REMOTE LEARNING ALLOWS CONTINUITY OF LEARNING

In response to announcements concerning the COVID-19 crisis from the President and the Governor of Pennsylvania, ECA's administration and faculty responding quickly and launched remote instruction for our students beginning the week of March 16.

We are thankful to be able to engage the hearts and minds or our students, and help them grow spiritually and intellectually through this unprecedented time. Synchronous classroom activities are allowing students and teachers to see each other "face-to-face" while asynchronous assignments give flexibility to families sharing technology at home.

While the classroom setting has changed, our dedication to ECA students and families is unwavering. Every day administration and faculty are working to provide remote learning that is accessible, developmentally appropriate, educationally meaningful, and a great experience for each student.

Here's what ECA parents are saying. 

"We have been thankful and impressed that the administration and teachers at Eden have made this transition in such an efficient, seamless, and caring way for our children. We love our kids’ enthusiastic dinner table stories about the virtual school day, and we are especially appreciative that they have a school environment that integrates faith and prayer during this challenging time."

"Our daughter's teacher has done a tremendous job of organizing all the class work needed in this time of quarantine in a moments notice. Other than not going to school physically, our daughter hasn’t missed a beat in her learning. I have seen a lot of complaints from parents whose children are in public schools and how poorly their schools have communicated with them and made online learning virtually impossible. This is not at all the case with Eden. I’m not sure how it is even possible, but we really do grow more and more thankful for Eden and the teachers every day."

2020 MOCK TRIAL TEAM STATE FINALISTS

ECA's Mock Trial team completed an undefeated season and was one of the top 14 teams from over 300 schools in Pennsylvania that qualified for the State Championship. Congratulations on a tremendous season!

Coach Aubrey Hiskey told the team, “Time and time again, you have shown that hard work, discipline and teamwork pay off. Throughout the long season, you have continued to encourage one another and sharpen each other to be more competitive. I am so proud of you. Congratulations on an undefeated season and another year qualifying for the State Championship!”

Coach Nancy Bishop said, “Congratulations to you all for another great Mock Trial season! You worked hard from November through March in order to accomplish you goal of qualifying for States. Veteran team members and rookies worked together to make our case strong and our performances great. Thank you to all of our veteran team members, especially our seniors, for coming alongside this year's new members to help them to compete to the best of their abilities. I am so proud of you all!”

MOCK TRIAL TEAM 2020 ADVANCED TO STATES
 

Earlier in March, ECA's Mock Trial Team defeated Pine-Richland High School in the semifinals and won their match against Upper St. Clair High School in the Region 1 Allegheny County finals!

Eden, who is undefeated, will represent Allegheny County in Harrisburg at the Pennsylvania State Championship on March 27-28. It is the seventh time Eden Christian Academy has advanced to the state championships since 2007 when the team was formed. 

UPDATE: DUE TO THE COVID-19 CRISIS, STATE COMPETITION HAS BEEN CANCELED.
 

MOCK TRIAL TEAM WINS IN SEMI-FINAL ROUND

ECA’s Mock Trial Team competed against Pine-Richland in the semifinal round of the PA Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Mock Trial Competition on March 2. We are excited to announce that Eden Christian Academy won the match!

The team advances to the final round competition on Wednesday, March 4, at the City-County Building at 5:15 pm. The winner of that trial will represent Region 1 (Allegheny County) at the State Championship in Harrisburg on March 27-28. Only the top 14 teams of the over 300 participating schools in Pennsylvania will compete for the state title.

Congratulations to the team, coaches, and attorney advisor! 
 

MOCK TRIAL TEAM ADVANCES TO SEMI-FINAL ROUND OF COMPETITION

On February 10, Eden’s mock trial team defeated Thomas Jefferson in the first round of playoffs. The team is now in the final four in Region 1 (Allegheny County). Eden will compete in the semi-final round on March 2 at 5:15 pm in the City-County Building. 

With 17 students participating, this is Eden’s largest team ever. Congratulations to the students, teacher coach, Mrs. Nancy Bishop, attorney advisor, Eden alumna Mrs. Aubrey Hiskey, and assistant coaches, Ms. Katelyn Gaston and Mr. Ben Rogers, Eden alumni and former competitors.

One of the largest in the nation, the Pennsylvania Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Mock Trial Competition gives more than 300 high school student teams from across the state the opportunity to act as lawyers and witnesses in simulated civil and criminal trials before actual judges and panels of juries. Lawyers volunteer to assist students as team advisors, scorekeepers and regional coordinators. Each year, the winning team goes on to represent Pennsylvania in the national competition.

BOYS BASKETBALL 2020
 

WPIAL QUARTERFINALS
The Varsity Boys Basketball team faced Nazareth Prep in the WPIAL Quarterfinals on February 20 at Northgate High School. After falling behind by as many as 22 points, the Warriors fought their way back into the game in the 3rd and 4th quarters. They got the lead down to 5 points, but could not get any closer. Nazareth Prep pulled away in the final minutes, winning the game 69 - 57. The Warriors had three players in double figures; Drew Lipinski led the way with 18 points, Thomas Medure added 15 points, and Eric Gronbeck added 12 points.

The Warriors are still alive for a trip to the PIAA basketball playoffs and await the result of the Vincentian vs. Nazareth Prep game.

GREAT WORK athletes and coaches!

VARSITY TEAM IN WPIAL PLAY-OFFS

The varsity boys played Greensburg Central Catholic on February 15 in the first round of the WPIAL basketball playoffs. After being tied at 13 after the first quarter, the Warriors took an 8 point lead into the half. That lead was down to a 3 point lead at the end of the third quarter. They built a 10 point lead in the fourth quarter and held on to it for the 66 - 56 win. Elijah Manges led all scorers with 25 points. Drew Lipinski and Thomas Medure both added 12 points.

The team advances to the WPIAL Quarterfinals and will play Nazareth Prep on Thursday, February 20, at 6:30 at Northgate High School.

Go Warriors!

At Eden Christian Academy, education is so much more than academics. It’s about equipping each child academically and spiritually to fulfill their God-directed future.

At the Berkeley Hills Campus, we recently opened a new STEAMS Lab integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics to engage and challenge your child to think critically and creatively, communicate effectively, and solve complex problems. 

The Robotics component of our STEAMS program was developed to provide visual and tangible application of programming concepts and develop skills in problem solving, perseverance, and teamwork.

GIRLS BASKETBALL 2020

The varsity girls basketball team played Clairton on Tuesday, February 18, in the first round of WPIAL playoffs. Trailing by as many as 12 points at times, the Lady Warriors kept fighting their way back into the game. They got it to a three point game with 25 seconds remaining and had two shots at tying it up. When the final buzzer sounded, they came up three points short with a final score Clairton 61 and Eden 58. Leading scorers were Taylor Haring with 18 points and Haylee Fleishman with 17 points.

Congratulations athletes and coaches on an exciting season!

Seventh and eighth grade students experienced a weekend to remember at the 2019 fall retreat in Ligonier.

Imagine the powerful atmosphere as this group of young people - with no distractions and no phones - chose to fully engage in worship! Mr. Kolarik told us, “Every student sang loud and I know it pleased the Lord. We spent time praying for each other and for the middle school class to lead at school, despite being young. I am still hearing amazing stories about what God spoke to individual students at that time.”

Pastor Seth Reichart, from Urban Impact Pittsburgh, delivered a compelling message from the book of Daniel about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who stood strong and would not compromise their faith in the one true God. His presentation challenged students to live genuine, God-directed lives especially in the face of cultural pressures in the world.

Members of the senior class were also on the trip to connect and mentor, as well as grow their leadership skills. They encouraged students to stand on God’s Word and step into all He has planned for them!

Through worship and God’s word, as well as awesome team building activities that had them laughing and thinking, students deepened their faith and encountered God in a profound way.

Experiences like the Middle School Retreat, help students connect with their God-given potential and direction for life. As a parent, you can be confident that the values you’re building in your child’s life at home are reinforced every day at school.

ECA's Board of Directors is excited to announce that after an extensive nationwide search and months of fervent prayer, Paul Fisher has been hired as Head of School.

Paul, and his wife Sheri, have three children; Elijah is a college freshman, Arden is in 11th grade, and Isaiah is in 9th grade. Paul grew up in Pittsburgh and was a student in the North Allegheny School District through middle school. He is looking forward to returning to his Pittsburgh roots including Steelers football! Paul received a BA in English with a minor in Bible and Religion at Harding University in Arkansas and a MS in Educational Leadership and Administration from Cairn University in Philadelphia. He is an avid outdoor sports enthusiast competing in 48 marathons and two ultramarathons. He has shared his love for running as a cross country and soccer coach.  

Paul has served in a variety of roles throughout his 22 years in education. During his 18 year tenure at Coventry Christian School in Pottstown, PA, Paul gained diverse experience as a teacher, principal, director of advancement, and head of school. For the past four years, Paul has served as academic dean at Harding Academy of Memphis. His passion for Christian education has led him to become a consultant to Christian schools around the country. He has been a trustee for the National Christian School Association (NCSA) and has presented for professional organizations such as the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) and NCSA.

God’s timing and provision allowed us to find an exceptional candidate well in advance of our expected timeline. This gives Paul and ECA's existing leadership team an opportunity to work together in the coming months to cast a vision for Eden's future. Todd Aiken, Kimberly Hyland, and Chuck Smullin will continue to serve as our interim heads of school until Paul officially joins us in July of 2020.

Paul tells us, “Sheri, the kids, and I are eager to build relationships with the Eden community for the purpose of engaging our students’ hearts and minds for Christ and his Kingdom. As we prayed over the opportunity to serve Eden’s students in partnership with parents, faculty, and staff, God impressed upon us the congruency of heart, mission, and passion between us and the Eden community.

As I help Harding Academy transition to new leadership this school year, I am spending scheduled time every week praying for Eden’s board, leadership team, and faculty by name and look forward to beginning to cultivate shared vision for Eden together even over the course of this school year as we gradually transition back to Pennsylvania. We are ordering our Eden spirit wear this week and will wear it proudly around Memphis until moving day, when we can wear it with the rest of the Eden community."

Did you know that your child can participate a one-of-a-kind program offered exclusively at Eden?

Learning Through Literature (LTL) was uniquely designed to integrate STEM initiatives and learning through purposeful play, and provide exciting and developmentally appropriate exposure to pre-reading and pre-writing for students in PreKindergarten 4.

LTL is offered as an addition to PreKindergarten 4 and the programs combined provide a five-day-a-week option for your child.

Here’s what your child will experience in LTL:

• Monthly author studies

• Pretend play that ties to literature and incorporates pre-reading, writing, and numeracy skills

• STEM investigations that link to literature

• Literacy skills such as retelling, identifying story elements, prediction, vocabulary building, phonemic and phonological awareness

• Story re-writes 

• Art in response to literature including exploring techniques of various illustrators 

• Learning through movement and play in a nurturing environment

LTL classrooms are creative and energetic. And, it's where students are developing a love for literature and contemporary children’s authors, learning and growing through creative play, and exploring and discovering with hands-on STEM activities.

Learn more or come for a tour! Contact Nanette Curtis at 412-364-8055 or ncurtis@edenca.org

WHY IS EDEN CHRISTIAN ACADEMY A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR YOUR FAMILY?

When we were first investigating educational choices as young parents we were interested in something more than just academics,  even though academics were very important to us. As a former public school teacher, I (Sarah) was aware of the growing number of options becoming available on the educational landscape, and as leaders in student ministry, we knew our choice had to reinforce the values we were teaching their children at home. Of course, we were happy with the Eden’s exceptional academic ranking on the state and national levels, but we wanted something more than that; we knew our kids would need an environment that would allow for their spiritual formation and the opportunity to be exposed to strong, God-honoring leadership in all areas, not just at home and church.  We believe Eden provides that in the classroom, on the playground, and even in extra-curricular activities.

HOW WOULD EDEN BE GREAT FOR OTHER FAMILIES?

Nineteen years later, as we celebrate our fourth Eden graduate, we are even more committed to the Eden experience. The foundation children receive at Eden cannot be matched. Someone had told us long ago that we just had to visit the school and walk the halls. The difference is obvious. They were right. We could encourage any parent to schedule a visit – Eden is worth it.

Aubrey Smith is an associate with DFL Legal. Ms. Smith focuses her practice on construction litigation and insurance coverage issues.

Ms. Smith was the first student to attend Eden from preschool through 12th grade. While at Eden, she was involved in mock trial, cheerleading, volleyball, student council, National Honor Society, and musicals. She was a member of the second graduating class (2007-2008).

Ms. Smith received her B.A. in Communications from Allegheny College in 2012, and her J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law in 2015. At Duquesne, Ms. Smith competed locally and nationally in trial advocacy competitions. She received the Katie Elisabeth Westbrook Award for outstanding academic achievement focused on trial advocacy, and the Lynette Norton Memorial Award for excellence in advocacy, ethics, and professionalism. She was invited to join the Louis L. Manderino Honor Society.

In addition, Ms. Smith has coached Eden Christian Academy in the Pennsylvania High School Mock Trial Competition since 2014 and has led the team to the state finals competition in Harrisburg four times.

She received the Pro Bono Certificate at graduation for her volunteer work at Christian Legal Aid of Pittsburgh, where she currently serves on the nonprofit’s board.

Ms. Smith has been named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer® “Rising Star” in 2018 and 2019, representing the top 2.5% of all Pennsylvania attorneys under the age of 40.

Congratulations to 2019 commencement speakers Paige Balla, Gideon Manges, Emma Steele, and Mark Williams!

These students were selected based on both an essay outlining Eden’s impact on them and their impact on the school spiritually, intellectually, academically, and in the areas of personal character development and personal leadership as well as the student’s representation of Eden’s mission and values.

The Class of 2019 Commencement Exercises will be held on Friday, May 31, 2019, 7:00 pm, at Christ Church at Grove Farm.

Congratulations to the cast, crew, set designers, and directors of Peter Pan on a fabulous production!

Students in grades 7-12 contributed their creative talents in music, dance, sound, lighting, painting, prop and set design to make the musical a grand success. Participating in the musical was an exciting opportunity for students to be engaged, build relationships, develop their creative talents and collaborative skills.

Enjoy performance photos HERE

Kindergarten students deepened their understanding and faith with a hands-on Easter lesson as they made resurrection rolls in class. They learned that Christ’s body (represented with a marshmallow) was anointed with oil (melted butter) and spices and herbs (cinnamon and sugar). His body was wrapped in white cloths (represented by a crescent roll) and then Jesus was placed in a tomb (the oven). And, on the third day His body was no longer in the tomb; He rose from the dead! When the rolls came out of the oven and were opened, they were “empty” just like the empty tomb. Students celebrated the wonderful news and remembered all that Jesus endured for them as they enjoyed their special snack.

Enjoy a few photos HERE

Update: Mock Trial Team Finishes as Semifinalists in the Pennsylvania State Championship

Congratulations on an Outstanding Season!

Eden Christian Academy was one of 14 high schools that advanced to the 36th Annual Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Statewide High School Mock Trial Competition on March 29 and 30 in Harrisburg. This year, 287 teams from 242 high schools competed in district and regional levels of Pennsylvania's mock trial competition for one of the 14 spots at the statewide competition. Pennsylvania's competition is one of the largest in the nation.

Eden’s team moved to the state level after winning the Region 1 area of competition that included schools in Allegheny County.

Eden’s Mock Trial team included students Joshua Barnhart, Leia Davliakos, Luke Delposen, Collin Hicks, Samuel Hogue, Vivien Kohler, William Lucas, Nathan Moore, Holly Nassif, Wesley Rodu, Benjamin Rogers, and Isaac Wick. Nancy Bishop served as the teacher coach and the team’s attorney advisor was Eden Alum, Aubrey Smith.

Eden, one of the 14 regional championship teams, participated in two rounds of competition at the Dauphin County Courthouse on March 29. One of the few teams that won both rounds of competition, Eden advanced to the semifinal round on March 30. After a hard fought trial, Eden narrowly lost to Germantown Friends School. Eden finished its mock trial season as semifinalists in the Pennsylvania State Championship, placing in the top 6 out of 287 teams across the state.

This year's hypothetical case was a criminal jury trial in which the defendant, a local pain management doctor, was accused of prescribing opiate painkillers outside the realm of normal medical practice, resulting in the overdose death of his patient.  During the competition, eight-members of Eden’s team argued the case in an actual courtroom before a judge.

"For participating students across Pennsylvania, this mock trial competition is more than an academic exercise," said Alaina C. Koltash of Harrisburg, chair of the association's Young Lawyers Division. "These students will gain a working knowledge of our justice system, plus successful dispute resolution techniques, and valuable presentation, critical-thinking and teamwork skills that will serve them well throughout their lifetimes."

Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association strives to promote justice, professional excellence and respect for the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access of legal services; and serve the lawyer members of the state's largest organized bar association. The competition is sponsored by the PBA Young Lawyers Division.

Undefeated! The Mock Trial Team completed the 2019 season with a win over Pine-Richland in the semi-finals and a 5 to 1 ballot win against Thomas Jefferson in the finals at the end of February. The team is now in the top 14 teams of over 300 participating in Pennsylvania!

Their undefeated season advances the students to Harrisburg in March to represent Allegheny County in the Pennsylvania State Mock Trial Competition. 

Congratulations to the team and coaches, Mrs. Nancy Bishop and Eden Alum Ms. Aubrey Smith! And, Go Mock Trial Warriors!

Seventh and eighth grade students had a weekend to remember at the 2018 fall retreat in Ligonier.

Building on the theme of living fearless lives, Eden staff members shared their personal middle school experiences and areas of their lives where they allowed fear to hold them back. They encouraged and challenged students to stand on God’s Word and step into all He has planned for them!

Eden seniors expressed their heartfelt thoughts about living genuine lives directed by a fearless and passionate relationship with Jesus. Through worship and the Word, as well as team building activities that had them laughing and thinking, students deepened their faith and encountered God in a powerful way.

Experiences like the Middle School Retreat, help students connect with their God-given potential and direction for life. As a parent, you can be confident that the values you’re building in your child’s life are reinforced every day at school.

Faith & Learning. At Eden, they go hand-in-hand.

When the third and fourth grade students at Wexford learned about a need in our community, they enthusiastically went to work and collected over 1,200 food items to place in bags through Blessings in a Backpack. This national outreach provides thousands of weekend meals to students in need and Eden's donations were connected locally in partnership with McFadden Chiropractic who supports Blessings in a Backpack for a designated number of meals for students in a local school district.

Eden students gathered around the donated items to pray that those who received them would understand the love of God and be reminded how valuable they are!

Growing in faith and making an impact; it happens every day at Eden.

With a fundamentals slant, 2D Design, offered first semester, had Eden’s serious art students fully immersed. Using charcoal as the medium for lights and darks and integrating the Essential Skeleton App, human form work by 11/12 students was displayed at the Mt. Nebo Campus. Fabulous work! This semester, companion class 3D Design is offered.

Students in Preschool 4 were excited and thoroughly engaged in a recent hands-on project that began after reading The Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett. Integrating STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) initiatives, students worked together to create a plan, build a ginger bread trap, and go on a class adventure through the hallways to discover that their trap was a success and the Gingerbread Baby left them cookies. They love learning!

Expanded STEAM initiatives are the focus of Eden’s 35th Anniversary Campaign.

Northland Public Library commemorated the signing of the U.S. Constitution with activities, demonstrations, and a poster contest. The event, for students and families, was sponsored by the library and the Kushkushkee Trail Chapter of the National Society Daughter of the American Revolution (NSDAR). Special guests, the Wildwood Long Rifle group, brought American Revolution history to life and fired a time period canon. Eden Christian Academy Kindergarten students were awarded for their entries in the “We The People” poster contest. Congratulations to Pearl, 1st place; Lucas, 2nd place; Caleb and Emmalyn, tied for 3rd place! Great work!

Hands-on, interactive learning happens every day at Eden.

Sixth grade history students put their heads together on an exciting project as they learned about the Great Wall of China. Working collaboratively, they researched facts and used details to map out the wall and build a replica displaying noteworthy data throughout the maze. All the students at the Wexford Campus were then invited to tour the wall, too.
 

Another exceptional learning experience!

Fourth grade students are taking what they’ve learned about organ systems in class and recreating the parts of the digestive system into mazes as part of a MakerSpace project. After sketching and painting each part, they used straws to separate them and then release a marble to flow through entire the “digestive system,” simulating the route food travels.

If you're new here, welcome! We are so glad to have you, and we hope to see you on campus soon!  

Schedule a tour

Current families: Join us in welcoming prospective Eden students and their families, and encourage your friends and neighbors to check out Eden too by following us on Facebook and sharing our Admissions Week posts. Listen for Admissions Week ads on WORD-FM and KLOVE!

Second grade students kicked off the fall growing season with hands-on learning in the Berkeley Hills Garden, a new addition this year at Eden’s Berkeley Hills campus. They filled cups of dirt and planted beans and peas and said they’re looking forward to watching the sprouts emerge.

The garden project emphasizes community service and encourages students in grades Kindergarten to 6th grade to expand their knowledge of nutrition and connect to God’s created natural world. Students will plant, water, care for, and harvest vegetables that will be donated to a local food pantry.

For more information about the school garden, please contact Heidi Pollick at hpollick@edenca.org.

Fifth and sixth grade students traveled to Lutherlyn for a daylong retreat in September. They talked about the food chain and then found living animals in a creek. They were able to practice orienteering using compasses, and they played pioneer-style games. Finally, they heard a devotional from a Lutherlyn staff member that incorporated what they had learned about the compass. It was a wonderful day in the woods!

At Eden, learning isn’t always from a textbook.

Project based learning gives students the opportunity to solve real world problems by applying lessons learned in the classroom while they grow in:

• Teamwork and collaboration skills

• Self-understanding

• Problem solving skills

• Communication and interpersonal skills

And, students are having so much fun they don’t realize all that they are learning!

Last week, students at Berkeley Hills were excited to officially launch the School Garden - a hands-on learning experience that will benefit each students and our community!

The School Garden project provides cross-curricular integration, community service, expanded knowledge of nutrition, and connection to God’s created natural world and all He has blessed us with! As the project moves forward, students will plant, water, care for, and harvest vegetables that will be donated to a local food pantry.

Enjoy some photos from the project HERE

Eden is committed to help students grow in the likeness of Christ by working with parents to educate the whole child – academically, spiritually, physically, socially, and emotionally.

If you would like to contribute to or help with the School Garden, please contact Heidi Polick at hpolick@edenca.org

Earlier this month, Trey auditioned for the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association All-State Concert Band and placed first chair out of five bass clarinets. Over 110 schools participated at All-State in six different concerts - all-state band, wind ensemble, jazz band, vocal jazz, chorus, and orchestra.

Looking ahead, Trey will audition for the 2019 Eastern Division Conference Honors Ensemble.

Congratulations, Trey!  You have worked hard and we are so proud of all you have accomplished.

In March, Eden Christian Academy inducted the National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society Class of 2018. The Honor Societies represent five pillars that are identified attributes of inductees and existing members: Honor, Scholarship, Leadership, Citizenship, Service and Character. 

Please join us in congratulating the Honor Societies Class of 2018!

View more photos HERE

On Friday night, the varsity boys defeated Johnsonburg to advance to PIAA Round 2!

EDEN VS. SHANKSVILLE-STONYCREEK
March 13 at 8:00 pm
Hempfield Area High School
4345 PA-136, Greensburg, PA 15601

GAME TICKETS ON SALE in the Mt. Nebo athletic office
Monday and Tuesday, March 12-13, from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm

• Tickets are $6 adult and $3 student

• Fan Bus leaves Eden Mt. Nebo at 6:00 pm and tickets are $7 per person 

• Student tickets will not be available at the door on game day. All tickets at the game site on game day will be $6.

• If you plan to attend, please purchase your tickets at Eden - we get a percentage of our advance tickets sales!

• A fan bus may be scheduled, depending on the game location.

GO WARRIORS!

The Varsity Boys Basketball team qualified for the PIAA State Playoffs for the fourth consecutive year!
 

EDEN VS. JOHNSONBURG
MARCH 9 at 7:30 pm
Clarion University Tippin Gymnasium
Greenville Avenue, Clarion, PA 16214
 

Game tickets, $6.00 adult and $3 student, are on sale at the Mt. Nebo Campus athletic office Tuesday-Friday (March 6-9), 8:00 am - 3:00 pm. All tickets at the gate on game day will be $6. 

FAN BUS tickets are $7 per person and are also on sale at the athletic office. The bus will leave Eden Mt. Nebo on Friday at 5:00 pm.

FEB 21:  Trey earned principal chair bass clarinet in the PMEA Region 1 Band and performed on February 23 at Plum Senior High School auditorium along with students representing over 60 high schools. Trey advances to States in Lancaster, PA.

We are so excited for you, Trey!

Upper School student Trey, grade 10, recently competed in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District Band West Festival along with students representing 45 local high schools. Trey sat principle chair bass clarinet at the festival and was one of the students chosen to advance to regional competition on February 21-22 at Plum High School.

Trey is Eden’s first musician to qualify for district competition.

Congratulations, Trey! The whole Eden Family is cheering for you!

FEB 22: The Warriors played the Union Scotties in the WPIAL Quarterfinals at Fox Chapel High School. After taking an early lead, they fell behind by 8 at the end of the first. They fought back and tied the game 29-29 just before the half but the Scotties pulled away in the third quarter outscoring the Warriors 23-8 in that frame. The Warriors could not get back inside double digits and were eliminated from the WPIAL playoffs. Final score: Union Area 67, Eden 52. Chase Haring led all scorers with 27 points.

Congratulations to the players and coaches on a successful season.

Thank you to all the students, parents and Eden staff that came to support!

The Varsity Boys Basketball team is advancing to WPIAL Quarterfinals! Game tickets will be on sale in the athletics' office (field house) today from 11:30am-3pm, Wednesday 8am-3pm, and Thursday 8am-5pm. The price for adults is $7 and the price for students is $5. Student tickets will not be available at the door on game day. All tickets at Fox Chapel on game day will be $7.
 

Eden vs. Union Area
Thursday, Feb 22 at 8:00 pm
at Fox Chapel High School
611 Field Club Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15238
 

Tickets on sale now

Last year, Margaret, Kylee, and Hannah set a goal to raise $4500 to build a home for a family in need through Homes of Hope in Costa Rica. They went to work planning and organizing their senior project, a Dance-A-Thon held last November, and raised over $2500 at the event! Determined to meet their original goal, Margaret found a sponsor who donated the difference and they were able to provide $4500 to Homes of Hope to fully fund a home.

This June, Margaret, Kylee, and Hannah, along with Eden high school students who participate in the Costa Rica mission trip through Joshua Expeditions, will have the awesome opportunity to serve Homes of Hope on the “Aphesis” house build that was paid for by these contributions. These students are truly sharing their faith both in words and action.

Here is a portion of an email from Joshua Expeditions:  “Aphesis” (what we are calling the house build) is the Greek word for Freedom/Pardon. Jesus uses Aphesis in Luke chapter 4 to describe the act of liberating souls from captivity, freeing them from an obligation (debt) they could never pay. Just as we have been freed from a debt that we could never pay, this ministry can bring freedom to others through the Gospel of Christ. We are looking forward to this year as not only physical needs are met, but more importantly spiritual needs.  Both Mario & Teresa have a heart for the people and they are not just organizing house builds for Joshua Expedition groups, but they are allowing God to use them to change the lives of a community.”

GO WARRIORS!
 

BOYS WPIAL PLAYOFF GAME

EDEN VS. GEIBEL CATHOLIC
FRIDAY, FEB. 16
8:00 PM
AT BALDWIN HIGH SCHOOL
4653 Clairton Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15236
  

GIRLS WPIAL PLAYOFF GAME

EDEN VS. ROCHESTER
SATURDAY, FEB. 17
12:00 NOON
AT NORTH HILLS HIGH SCHOOL
53 Rochester Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15229

Tickets on sale now

Wexford Campus Warrior Leadership Team students put their faith into action at the January 20 Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser at The DoorWay, a ministry for youth in Pittsburgh. Nearly 40 families enjoyed the event where Eden students performed songs from their Christmas musical and provided dessert and raffle baskets. Half of the $1300 event proceeds will fund ministry at The DoorWay and the other half will help fund the Warrior Leadership Team’s spring project.

Enjoy a few photos HERE

Second grade students applied problem-solving, teamwork, and planning skills as they built Conestoga wagons using only yardsticks, cardboard, paper, and tape. Learning about the Oregon Trail came to life as the students engaged in this creative, hands-on MakerSpace project.

Enjoy photos of their ideas and energy HERE

Berkeley Hills students on the Warrior Leadership Team (WLT) recently joined forces with the Ross Township Police Department to lead a campus-wide toy drive for children in our community who wouldn’t have a gift to open on Christmas morning.

It was exciting to see the collection box beginning to fill and soon overflowing with marvelous gifts! Early in December, the WLT gathered them and traveled to the Ross Township Police Station to work alongside officers organizing hundreds of toys into gift bags for each child. The students did a great job and, afterwards, the officers gave them an awesome tour of the station (including a five-minute stint behind bars) and hosted them for a pizza party. A week later, the WLT was escorted by Ross Township police officers to deliver some of the toys to families in the community.

Thank you, Eden families, for your generous support of the project. And special thanks to all the Ross Township police officers for allowing us to partner with you and for your courageous service to our community.

Eden students were blessed by this opportunity to serve others, share the love of Christ, and make a difference in the lives of families in our neighborhood.

Enjoy some photos HERE

Eden Alumnus, Jake Murphy '17, was recently featured on KDKA for the Snow-Delay Alarm App he developed with a friend. “The app is an independent alarm clock, and when you go into the app and set an alarm, it will wake you up in the morning,” Murphy told KDKA money editor Jon Delano. “However, if your school delays, it will push your alarm two hours. And if your school cancels, it will terminate your alarm entirely, so it is completely based off your school status.”

Currently, the app includes school districts in the Pittsburgh and Boston regions and, for a limited time, is free.

Read more HERE 

Eden Ranked #1 Best Christian High School in Pittsburgh Area and #6 Best Private K-12 School in Pittsburgh Area. See 2018 Niche.com rankings at https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-christian-high-schools/m/pittsburgh-metro-area/

and 

https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-k12-schools/m/pittsburgh-metro-area/

From wearing red, white, and blue to collecting items for care packages, students honored veterans and those who are currently serving in our armed forces in celebration of Veterans Day. Artwork lined the hallways at Berkeley Hills and cards were displayed outside the school office in Wexford. Students spent time in prayer for these heroes, remembering their service and the privilege of living in a free nation.

Enjoy some photos HERE.

Eden's first All-Class Reunion was held on November 25 with nearly 70 Eden Alumni in attendance. Graduates from the class of 2007 through 2017 toured the new Mt. Nebo Campus academic building, reconnected with former classmates, and shared laughter and great food! 

Enjoy some photos HERE.

Congratulations to cross country runners, Emma Steele and Eric Gronbeck, who will compete on November 4 in the 2017 PIAA Championships in Hershey, following their qualifying runs at the WPIAL Championships at Cooper’s Lake in October. All the best to Emma and Eric as they head to the state championships!

Enjoy Cross Country Team photos at Eden's SmugMug

We are proud of the Eden students recently recognized in an awards ceremony at Northland Public Library for their winning posters in the “We the People” contest.

Read more at http://triblive.com/local/northhills/12756808-74/poster-contest-celebrates-constitution-week

George Ebenezer talked with Eden students at the Mt. Nebo Campus about the Beyond Barriers ministry in India.It was an honor to have him and his wife, Manju, visit us in chapel.

When Eden students learned that their friend, Brianna, would not be able to attend the high-school Homecoming Dance, they put their faith and love in action to bring the dance to her - at Children's Hospital! This caring group of young women dressed for the dance and brought food, gifts, fun, and laughter to Brianna's hospital room. Special thanks to Miss Cassie Herbert, English Department, who organized, coordinated, and led the wonderful celebration!

Enjoy some photos from the day at Eden's SmugMug

Todd Aiken, Chief Academic Officer and Principal at Eden’s Mt. Nebo Campus, was featured in Pittsburgh Parent’s September Face to Face with Education Leaders edition. Todd’s leadership has been instrumental in the success of the Upper School Campus. Read the full article here https://www.pittsburghparent.com/5%20-%20FaceToFace/FaceToFaceSept17.pdf

Imagination comes to life as kindergarten students visit the Farmers' Market for hands-on exploration and cross-curricular challenges. Learning is fun as they count, sort, weigh, price, and sell produce; pretend to plant and harvest a garden; and read and draw!

Enjoy Impagination Station photos at Eden's SmugMug

Generous donations to our Warrior Classic Golf Outing helped fund the purchase of a brand new van for Eden! Athletic Directors Steve Good and Greg Foltz are thrilled to start the school year with transportation for student athletes to events.