Meet Dana Roberts

April 29, 2025

Meet Dana Roberts,

Alumnus and President of our First-ever Alumni Association

Aslan’s Voice caught up with Dana Roberts recently. Dana is an impressive child of God with a heart for serving the Lord and people, which all sparked at Dawn Treader, her safe space. Here’s what she had to say:

What was your experience like as a Dawn Treader student?
Looking back, I now see that my K-8th grade story at Dawn Treader was always part of God’s intricate design. Psalm 139:13 says, “For you created my inner being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” My life was never random. God’s hands were shaping every step, even when I didn’t understand. At the age of five, while most children in public housing attended public schools, I woke up every morning, put on my uniform, and took the journey to Dawn Treader Christian School (DTCS).

There, I met Ms. Young, who greeted me each morning with a warm smile and kind words. But Dawn Treader was more than just a school—it was a sanctuary. The teachers weren’t just educators; they were united in purpose, committed to teaching both academics and the Word of God. They modeled love, faith, and unwavering commitment to the body of Christ. Their influence went far beyond the classroom. They built a community—a family. Inside those walls, I was safe.I loved DTCS school so much that I would cry if I had to miss a day.

I would lay under my covers at night, reading by flashlight, eager to return to that sacred space. As the years passed, my life outside of school continued, and in the eighth grade, a friend invited me to try out for the city’s recreation basketball league. I made the team that night. Every day after, I wore shorts under my skirt so I could practice layups during recess. That one invitation led to junior varsity, then varsity and finally a Division 1 scholarship. I believe my entire life story begins at DTCS and look how God's plan brought me back to my beginning!

Where did you attend college?
I attended Savannah State University in Savannah Georgia, this is where that one invitation from my Dawn Treader friend led me. I was the captain of my team and later Assistant Women's Basketball Coach, I believe that it was my destiny to attend Savannah State. I lived in Savannah for eight years in total and it was there, I would later have my daughter.

How did Dawn Treader prepare you for success as a student, athlete and professionally--and as a Christian making a difference in the world?

DTCS introduced me to Christ, I was taught to trust in Christ from an early age, that factor alone, is the key to every success in my life. I attended public high school in my sophomore year after 11 years of Christian Ed, the difference was obvious. I learned and was in fact challenged in my public education. However, the covering of Christ, throughout the building, over the faculty and staff, in the teaching, was not present, and that's the difference Christian Education makes.

What would you like to say to supporters of Dawn Treader?
As believers in Christ, we are called to discipleship, and the greatest gift is receiving Christ in your life and being taught to live a life that reflects the same. That begins with opportunity and exposure. Supporting DTCS means you are assisting in building the Kingdom of God. The key to achieving excellence begins with a strong foundation and Dawn Treader provides that opportunity. Pouring into our children, our future, ensures that they are skilled leaders ready to lead with Christ, in this world. That's the goal!

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Ship's Log - School Update

By Taneka Darby • September 23, 2025

Cultivating Minds and Hearts It's a privilege to assist our teachers and parents in cultivating the young minds and hearts of our students. As an alumna of Dawn Treader Christian School and a former teacher, it's a full-circle experience to observe the many facets of education, such as admissions, academics, classroom instruction, assessments, and academic competitiveness. Student and Academic Growth We're grateful to have experienced growth in admissions this year. Our student body has increased to 117 students, and we're planning for more growth in each grade level in the months and years to come. With growth comes the responsibility to steward our learners, and our staff members are extremely excited and eager to instruct our students. Not only are they utilizing smartboards and Chromebooks in the classroom for instruction, visual aids, and classroom management, but students also have after-school activities available, such as classes in Coding, Math Enrichment, and STEM. Making STEM available to our students has been one of our top priorities as we train them to advance in their academics and beyond. Preparing for the Future As we prepare our students for middle school and high school, we use I-Ready Diagnostic Assessments and standardized testing tools to help teachers and parents understand the strengths and challenges of our students. Last year, we implemented an I-Ready Pep Rally to help ignite excitement in reading and mathematics. During each round of I-Ready, every class experienced growth in both subjects, and students were celebrated for their efforts. Our eighth-grade learners are also in the process of preparing for high school applications, open houses, and shadowing opportunities, which is always exciting. Extracurricular Enrichment This year, a plethora of events are planned for our students, including Hispanic Heritage Presentations, participation in the Northern NJ Christian School Spelling Contest, the annual D.T.C.S. Christmas Concert, Black History Month Presentations, Read Across America, and our annual Spring Concert, to name a few. We're looking forward to an exciting year full of growth and success for our students and staff. Thank you for your partnership and willingness to sow into the lives of our students as we help them tap into their God-given potential. We pray that the seeds that have been sown into Dawn Treader Christian School will, in turn, bless you richly. Ms. Taneka Darby Dean of Students and the Admissions Contact

From Ensemble to Elite Eight: Imani Baker's Journey of Praise and Purpose

By Robert Skead • June 23, 2025

Imani Baker , a rising 8th grader at Dawn Treader, seamlessly blends her passion for music with a deep-rooted faith. From harmonizing with her beloved Ensemblet o navigating the supportive halls of Dawn Treader since kindergarten, Imani's journey is a testament to the power of community, mentorship, and a clear vision for the future. Her story, marked by a love for abstract art, a dedication to her studies, and an ambition to return to Dawn Treader as a teacher, highlights a young woman already living out the quiet yet impactful life described in her favorite Bible verse. Favorite thing about being in the Ensemble: My favorite thing is praising God. I like the people too. It’s really fun. We have so much fun together. I especially like how we do harmonies for specific songs. It was sometimes tricky to learn, but Ms. Williams taught and encouraged us, and we got it. Favorite thing about Dawn Treader : My fellow students and the staff members. I’ve been at dawn Treader since kindergarten, so I’ve met lots of people through the years. Some have moved on, some are still here. Mr. Berra does everything and I know I can always go to him when I have a problem. When I need help, all the teachers are there to listen. They pray for me and give me Bible verses and biblical advice. Favorite school subject: Music On what she wants to be when she grows up: I want to come back and be a teacher at Dawn Treader. I’d love to be the music teacher like Ms. Williams, who has taught me so much, but I’d teach any subject. Hobbies: Singing, painting (abstract art), dancing, reading, swimming Favorite Bible verse: 1 Thessalonians 4: 11-12, NIV, which says, “and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that yo uwill not be dependent on anybody".