2006-2007 Wilmington Junior Academy Staff
Dedicated to providing a well-balanced education.
Mike Marinkovic (Principal, Teacher)
Mr. Marinkovic received his Bachelor of Arts degree in History Secondary Education from the University of Delaware in 1992. For the past seven years he has worked in Christian Education as a teacher of several different grade levels. He taught 1st through 3rd as part of a team of teachers. He has taught 4th through 8th in a single classroom, multiple-grade setting much like an old “one-room school house.”
Keith Acker (Teacher)
Pastor Keith Acker teaches Bible to grades 7 & 8. He has taught at WJA for 2 years. He enjoys working with these young, impressionable minds and directing them towards a closer relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Pastor Keith Acker was educated at Southern Adventist University, where he earned a Batchelor of Arts degree in Theology with a minor in Biblical Languages. He continued his education at Andrews University, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree. He has been a Pastor for 10 years and came to West Wilmington Seventh-day Adventist Church as our Associate Youth Pastor. He interned in Hagerstown, Md, and was a District Pastor in Elkton, Norrisville, & Waldorf, Md. His favorite thing in ministry is to teach the Bible to the youth and be involved in molding them into strong Christians.
Amy Cromer (Teacher)
Mrs. Cromer has been a member of WJA for twenty two years. She graduated from Southwestern Adventist University in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education. She is also certified by the North American Division K-12 Board of Education. She has completed additional continuing educational studies at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan and at the University of Delaware, Newark.
During her tenure at WJA, Mrs. Cromer has taught kindergarten, pre-first, and grades one to four. She has served as the director of the school’s musical concert series and also as a music teacher. In addition to her teaching duties, Mrs. Cromer has served as a member of the Board of Education for the Chesapeake Conference.
As kindergarten teacher, she provides a caring, nurturing environment where her students enjoy learning, discovering, and exploring in a strongly “play”-based environment. She encourages independence and teaches students to treat each other with respect. Mrs. Cromer especially enjoys teaching her students about their friend Jesus and how much He loves them.
In recognition of her excellence in teaching, Mrs. Cromer has been nominated for the Zappara Teaching Award and the Disney Teacher’s Award.
Cheryl Hewlett (Administrative Assistant/Art Teacher)
Ms. Hewlett has never regretted transferring her 12 years of experience in providing extensive administrative, secretarial and personnel support in the banking industry to the Christian non-profit sector. She feels blessed to have been able to work in various Christian settings, beginning with The Salvation Army Property Management Department in Phoenix, AZ and then as Executive Secretary to the Divisional Commander of The Salvation Army in Denver, CO. Ms. Hewlett found her “dream position” working first in the school office of Tempe Adventist Christian School in Arizona and now at WJA since 2003.
As Administrative Assistant at WJA, Ms. Hewlett enjoys the variety of daily responsibilities in the office and throughout the school, as well as the interaction in this family-like environment between students, teachers, parents and board members.
Ms. Hewlett also exercises her creative side by teaching art once a week to kindergarten through 8th grade where she encourages students to explore a variety of media and study master artists. She looks forward to the twice a year art shows when the student artists can showcase their masterpieces.
