Congratulations to these Prattville Area Students and Faculty.
River Region Parents joins with their families and schools to celebrate their achievements!
Pine Level Facility Dog Joins Summer School
Mrs. Ellender, 3rd-5th grade counselor at Pine Level Elementary, worked the summer program with 4th- and 5th-graders. She originally signed up to do art with the students, but it quickly became more than that. Ellender incorporated counseling and reading into the art lessons with a whole lot of fun!
She was fortunate in having a co-worker, facility dog Gunner, beside her each day. Gunner was there to provide comfort, joy and a smile to the students and so much more! He has quickly become part of the Pine Level family.
Prattville Intermediate Earns National Award
Prattville Intermediate School is a 2020-2021 National Beta School of Merit. The National Beta School of Merit award is given to honor a club’s dedication and commitment to academic excellence. To achieve this prestigious honor, a school must include members from all eligible grade levels in its Beta club. This year, only 29% of Beta Clubs across the country received this award.
“Thank you for your continued support of National Beta and commitment to developing future leaders!” CEO Bobby Hart said in a congratulatory letter to the school.
“Prattville Intermediate is very proud of the academic success of our students,” said Jessica Fuller, sponsor for the past six years. “The National Junior Beta Club is just one way we recognize their success.”
DPES Student Competes In Math Contest
Abhiraj Sarkar is a 5th-grade virtual student at Daniel Pratt Elementary. He competed in Math Kangaroo 2021, an annual international mathematical competition. Sarkar scored 1st place in the state and 4th place nationally. Math Kangaroo is the largest mathematical competition for school students in the world, with more than 35,000 students participating in 2020. Way to R.I.S.E. to the occasion!
PCA Named Distinguished STEM School
Prattville Christian Academy was recognized as a 2020-2021 Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Distinguished School for its Engineering Academy – the only PLTW-certified program in Alabama, in a private school setting. PCA’s Engineering Academy was one of 13 schools recognized in Alabama and the state’s only Distinguished High School honoree for the second year in a row. This national recognition confirms PCA’s commitment to empower students in industries that interest them.
“It is a great honor to recognize Prattville Christian Academy for its unwavering commitment to provide students with an excellent educational experience despite the unusual circumstances and unique challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic presented to the educational landscape this past year,” said Dr. Vince Bertram, president and CEO of PLTW. “They should be very proud of their achievements in unlocking their students’ potential and equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in life beyond the classroom no matter what career path they choose.”
PCA’s Engineering Academy is a four-year program that teaches critical thinking and reasoning skills as well as the opportunity for students to work with their hands in a technologically advanced setting. PCA’s Engineering Academy, along with similar programs, offers students the chance to learn more about the profession they possibly want to pursue after graduation. These courses, Engineering Design, Principles of Engineering, Civil Engineering and Architecture, and Engineering Capstone, allow students exposure to the industry while learning valuable skills that will assist them in furthering their interests beyond high school.
Greek Mythology at PJHS
Summer enrichment students at Prattville Junior High learned about Greek mythology from Ms. Meherg!
PJHS Band Holds Summer Camp
Band directors Mr. Hall and Mrs. Williams hosted Summer Band Blast camp at Prattville Junior High.
PCA Hires New Upper School Principal
Marla Evans, a 22-year veteran of education, has been hired as Prattville Christian Academy’s Upper School Principal. She will manage the daily operations of the secondary building by assuring that all upper school teachers and students in grades 8-12 are meeting established expectations.
Evans has spent the entirety of her educational career at Alabama Christian Academy. She began teaching in the history and English departments, which included developing and redesigning curricula for AP U.S. History, AP English Language and Composition, various honors courses and an ACT prep class. She was named an assistant principal in 2018, where she was responsible for leading ACA’s middle and high school teachers and students, as well as curriculum development, technological advancement, and managing the school’s substitute teachers / schedules. In addition to her dual administrative and classroom roles, Evans led multiple student organizations, including the Student Government Association, Model United Nations, Key Club and ACA’s yearbook team.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in History and English Education from Faulkner University and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Fort Hays State University. She is married to Paul Evans, a published author and speaker, and they have two adult children: Sam (Maggie) and Steven (Paige). Steven currently serves as the youth minister at Hunter Hills Church. The Evans family actively supports Mtendere Village in Malawi, Africa; Ciudad de Angeles in Cozumel, Mexico; and Agape, a local adoption ministry. They attend Landmark Church of Christ.
“I am honored and excited to be joining the PCA family,” she said. “Christian education has been a passion of mine for more than 20 years, and as I think about plans for the future, ‘for such time as this’ comes to mind knowing that our collective efforts will impact not only the current student body and faculty but generations to come.” As Evans becomes active on campus and begins to settle into her new role, her goal is to model Christian leadership and develop student leaders “rooted and established in love” as prayed in Ephesians 3:17.
