ARMENIAN NATIONAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE AWARDS ANCIENT ARMENIAN COINS TO STUDENTS

NEW YORK, NY—With the ending of the school year, some lucky (and exceptional) students at Armenian schools heard an extra jingle in their pockets. The jingle was not the traditional noise of change, but ancient coins depicting Armenian royalty, specifically during the reign of King Levon II of Cilicia. Donated by Mr. Gary Setian of Massachusetts, each year coins are presented by the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC) during the year-end ceremonies at several Armenian schools. Only a select few students, who have excelled in Armenian studies and are active members of the Armenian community, receive this special annual recognition. “It was heartwarming to see the joy and pride in the eyes of those students who I had the privilege of personally presenting the ancient coins,” said Mrs. Nayiri Balanian, chair of ANEC. This year, 45 students received the awards at 19 schools throughout the Eastern United States. In celebration of “The Year of the Armenian School,” ANEC awarded more coins than in previous years. Levon II was crowned King of Armenia in 1198 and he started striking his royal series of coins. The obverse was patterned after the contemporary bracteates of Henry VI of the Holy Roman Empire and the reverse displayed a single lion turned to the left. However, because he received two crowns at his coronation (one from Henry VI and another from Alexius III of Byzantium), Levon struck a series of silver coins with two lions, symbolizing the two crowns sent by the two emperors. The coveted awards this year went to the following students: Antranik Pogosian, St. Sarkis Suzanne & Hovsep Hagopian Armenian School, Douglaston, NY; Natalie Kublbeck, Michael Guzelian, Megerditch Kassabian, Justin Gostanian, St. Gregory Armenian School, North Andover, MA; Mardiros Afarian, St. Stephen Armenian School, New Britain, CT; Mary Daniel, Taniel Varoujan School, Glenview, IL; Aline Vosganian, Tsoghig Hovhannessian, Hamasdegh School, Bethesda, MD; Talar Manjikian, Lorig Manjikian, Ani Zarifian, Sosse Beujekian, St. Stephen School, Watertown, MA; Ashod Oshagan, ARS Zavarian School, Detroit, MI; Kevork Torossian, Nareg School, Ridgefield, NJ; Vana Ekmekjian, Sipan School, Paramus, NJ; Arakel Khaligian, ARS Marzbed School, Racine, WI; Ann-Marie Manougian, Vicken Bastajian, Sourp Hagop Saturday School, Montreal, Canada; Missak Sarkissian, Vatche Asadourian, Shogher Baronian, Chris Baronian, Tamar Samuelian, Siamanto Academy, New York, NY; Talene Taraksian, Rita Minasian, Mourad School, Providence RI; Ari Kazanjian, Varteni Jamakorzian, Jirair Manoukian, Rose Arslanian, St. Stephen Elementary School, Watertown, MA; Sara Selverian, Anna Selverian, Armenian Sisters’ Academy, Radnor, PA; Sarkis Mesrobian, Elizabeth Bekilian, Armenian Sisters’ Academy, Lexington, MA; Alexandra Kaprielian, Marielle Jamgochian, Emmadora Boutcher, Hovnanian School, New Milford, NJ; Jessica Megerian, Andrew Reed, Holy Martyrs Armenian Day School, Bayside, NY; Nayiri Mardiros, Serge Bourkoulian, Nayiri Iwazian, Tavit Kojaoghlanian, Vigen Endinian, Sourp Hagop Armenian School, Montreal, Canada.