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ASA Celebrates 30 Years of Academic Excellence
by Armenian Weekly
March 9, 2012
By Lalig Musserian
LEXINGTON, Mass. - `I watch the growth of spirit in the children who
come to my class,' wrote William Saroyan in `The Human Comedy.' There
were no more appropriate words to describe the sentiment of the
teachers and guests that gathered at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel
in Boston on Feb. 11 to celebrate the 30thanniversary of one of our
Armenian educational treasures, the Armenian Sisters' Academy of
Lexington. The event raised close to $90,000 for the school.
More than 200 guests and dignitaries attended the black tie-optional event.
More than 200 guests and dignitaries attended the black tie-optional
event, including Ambassador and Mrs. Rouben Shougarian, Rev. Raphael
Andonian of the Armenian Catholic Church of Belmont, and Rev. Fr.
Arakel Aljalian from the St. James Armenian Apostolic Church of
Watertown. Middlesex County Sherriff Peter Koutoujian, who has three
children at the school, served as master of ceremonies for the
evening. Guests included alumni, the parents of alumni, current
parents, teachers, staff, and friends and supporters of the school
from across the Boston-Armenian community.
The evening's formal program began with the singing of both the
American and Armenian national anthems by Ani Zargarian, the lead
singer for the Arev Armenian Folk Ensemble and an ASA alumnus.
Principal Sr. Cecile Keghiayan presented the mission and history of
the school, and Vice Principal Mayda Melkonian gave an overview of
recent school accomplishments and investments. She also highlighted
that the school holds membership with two different accreditation
organizations, NEASC and AISNE. Rev. Andonian offered words of
inspiration to those gathered, and a slide show took everyone down
memory lane, remembering all those who had walked through the school's
doors over the past 30 years.
In his keynote presentation, Shougarian conveyed the important message
that Armenian schools are an asset not only for the families they
directly serve, but also for the future of Armenian communities more
broadly. He concluded by pointing out the collective responsibility of
the Armenian community in supporting schools such as the ASA so that
it can continue the mission they embarked on so long ago.
The school's academic success is directly linked to its noteworthy
faculty and staff. Accordingly, an important part of the evening's
program included formal recognition of each teacher and staff member
for their numerous years of service and dedication to the school.
A live auction raised additional funds, with guests bidding on several
items, including three Boston Harbor cruises, two lithographs by
renowned French-Armenian painter Karzou, a pair of diamond earrings,
and a painting by Boston-based artist Daniel Varoujan Hejinian.
Following a sumptuous meal and a cake-cutting ceremony, the Ellie
Berberian Band from Montreal, Canada, provided multilingual
entertainment for the evening, with renditions of old favorites and
new songs that delighted the audience and moved everyone onto the
dance floor.
This elegant event offered the opportunity for new and old friends to
come together for an evening of joy and the celebration of an
institution that has given so much to the Boston-area Armenian
community and is a treasure for our youth and our parents.
The enthusiastic and devoted Parents Committee, as well as several
members of the school's Advisory Board, worked tirelessly to plan this
event down to every minute detail. The school administration would
like to thank all the parents, friends, and committee members who came
out for this event and helped make the evening so successful.
From: Baghdasarian
by Armenian Weekly
March 9, 2012
By Lalig Musserian
LEXINGTON, Mass. - `I watch the growth of spirit in the children who
come to my class,' wrote William Saroyan in `The Human Comedy.' There
were no more appropriate words to describe the sentiment of the
teachers and guests that gathered at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel
in Boston on Feb. 11 to celebrate the 30thanniversary of one of our
Armenian educational treasures, the Armenian Sisters' Academy of
Lexington. The event raised close to $90,000 for the school.
More than 200 guests and dignitaries attended the black tie-optional event.
More than 200 guests and dignitaries attended the black tie-optional
event, including Ambassador and Mrs. Rouben Shougarian, Rev. Raphael
Andonian of the Armenian Catholic Church of Belmont, and Rev. Fr.
Arakel Aljalian from the St. James Armenian Apostolic Church of
Watertown. Middlesex County Sherriff Peter Koutoujian, who has three
children at the school, served as master of ceremonies for the
evening. Guests included alumni, the parents of alumni, current
parents, teachers, staff, and friends and supporters of the school
from across the Boston-Armenian community.
The evening's formal program began with the singing of both the
American and Armenian national anthems by Ani Zargarian, the lead
singer for the Arev Armenian Folk Ensemble and an ASA alumnus.
Principal Sr. Cecile Keghiayan presented the mission and history of
the school, and Vice Principal Mayda Melkonian gave an overview of
recent school accomplishments and investments. She also highlighted
that the school holds membership with two different accreditation
organizations, NEASC and AISNE. Rev. Andonian offered words of
inspiration to those gathered, and a slide show took everyone down
memory lane, remembering all those who had walked through the school's
doors over the past 30 years.
In his keynote presentation, Shougarian conveyed the important message
that Armenian schools are an asset not only for the families they
directly serve, but also for the future of Armenian communities more
broadly. He concluded by pointing out the collective responsibility of
the Armenian community in supporting schools such as the ASA so that
it can continue the mission they embarked on so long ago.
The school's academic success is directly linked to its noteworthy
faculty and staff. Accordingly, an important part of the evening's
program included formal recognition of each teacher and staff member
for their numerous years of service and dedication to the school.
A live auction raised additional funds, with guests bidding on several
items, including three Boston Harbor cruises, two lithographs by
renowned French-Armenian painter Karzou, a pair of diamond earrings,
and a painting by Boston-based artist Daniel Varoujan Hejinian.
Following a sumptuous meal and a cake-cutting ceremony, the Ellie
Berberian Band from Montreal, Canada, provided multilingual
entertainment for the evening, with renditions of old favorites and
new songs that delighted the audience and moved everyone onto the
dance floor.
This elegant event offered the opportunity for new and old friends to
come together for an evening of joy and the celebration of an
institution that has given so much to the Boston-area Armenian
community and is a treasure for our youth and our parents.
The enthusiastic and devoted Parents Committee, as well as several
members of the school's Advisory Board, worked tirelessly to plan this
event down to every minute detail. The school administration would
like to thank all the parents, friends, and committee members who came
out for this event and helped make the evening so successful.
From: Baghdasarian