NEW YORK, NY—At the conclusion of the Festival of Armenian Schools that took place in New Jersey in March, Archbishop Oshagan addressed the students with this question: “Dear children, do you know where Armenia is?” The Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy quickly answered his question by telling the students, “Today, Armenia is here, because for the past three hours you all spoke, sang, danced, acted and recited in Armenian. I am very touched and very proud,” he told them.

The Festival of Schools was presented by the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC), which is co-sponsored by the Eastern Prelacy and the Armenian Relief Society (Eastern Region), in celebration of the Year of the Armenian School proclaimed by His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia.

“In celebration of the Year of the Armenian School, we decided it would be appropriate to have a Armenian School Festival bringing together students from various Armenian schools,” said Mrs. Nayiri Balanian, chairperson of ANEC. The Festival was dedicated to the 1600th anniversary of the invention of the Armenian alphabet and the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

Seven schools and The Yeraz Dance Ensemble participated in the Mid-Atlantic Festival, which took place at Dwight-Englewood School, a private school in Englewood, New Jersey. Participating in the Festival were the Hamasdegh School, Washington DC; Haigazian School, Philadelphia, PA; Siamanto Academy, New York; Holy Martyrs Elementary School, Bayside, NY; St. Sarkis School, Douglaston, NY; the Armenian School of Brooklyn, NY; and the Nareg School, Ridgefield, NJ.

An impressive parade of students entered the auditorium, following the bearers of the Stars and Stripes and Tricolor flags. They filled the large stage and offered inspiring interpretations of the American and Armenian national anthems, as well as Ov Metrzaskantch Too Lezou, Yerevan Yerepouni, and Chan Haiastan, under the talented direction of Maestro Vagharshag Ohanian.

During the main portion of the program each school presented its own well prepared program of songs, recitations, plays and dances.

Mrs. Hermine Menakian, a Armenian teacher in New Jersey for many years, was so impressed and proud that she congratulated all of the students, their teachers and the Festival committee, which included Knar Apkarian, Silva Kouyoumdjian, Prof. Asbed Vassilian, and Nayiri Balanian.

Mrs. Zarmine Boghosian, a well-known teacher, principal, writer and intellectual, attended with her mother and later wrote: “I returned home from the Festival with a satisfied heart. My mother was so happy, she forgot her heart problems. Well done!”

Mrs. Balanian expressed her deep thanks to Archbishop Oshagan and to V. Rev. Fr. Shahe Panossian, pastor of Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, for their support and presence. She also expressed thanks to the Yeraz Ensemble and their dance instructors, and to the Festival’s guest conductor, Vagharshag Ohanian.

Mrs. Balanian acknowledged the deep gratitude that must go to the teachers, 44 of whom participated in the Festival. They were honored by ANEC with special certificates and 1600th anniversary commemorative pins which will be presented to them during public ceremonies in their respective communities.

Mrs. Balanian concluded with this observation: “When I was a teacher, I would give my 8th grade graduating students an “Armenian Passport.” Each student had the duty of being an Ambassador of Armenia, so that they would go and present their fatherland to others with pride. Today, I issue each of you an “Armenian Passport” and give you the duty to be Ambassadors of Armenian Schools. Go and tell everyone that Armenian Schools are the backbone of our nation, and encourage parents to send their children to Armenian day schools or one-day schools.”

For more than 45 years the Armenian National Education Committee has risen to the challenge of helping transmit the Armenian legacy, upholding it as a vibrant, evolving gift bestowed on the hearts and minds of emerging generations. ANEC provides educational leadership and guidance to Armenian schools under its jurisdiction, ensuring that high standards are maintained and that changing needs are addressed. Beyond offering logistical support at the administrative level, ANEC also directs a number of programs that bolster the long-term viability of Armenian education in America, including educators’ seminars and forums, curricula direction and support for schools, cultural presentations for the community, and specialized programs for young adults like the Siamanto Academy, which offers college-level courses in Armenian studies.

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