March 16, 2011

St. Stephen's School celebrated its 25 years

More than 350 friends and supporters of the St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School (SSAES) of Watertwon, Massachussetts, gathered on November 20 at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel to celebrate the school’s 25 years of dedication to Armenian education. The Gala Celebration, presided over by His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of Eastern United States, raised approximately $150,000 in funds for the school.
Dr. Avak Kahvejian was the event’s master of ceremonies, while Rouzan Abrahamian headed  the Gala Committee.
The keynote speaker for the gala was Dr. Joyce Barsam, a Tufts University Life Trustee Emeritai, member of the Board of Overseers of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and Vice President and Trustee of the Tavitian Foundation. Barsam spoke about her delight at becoming familiar with the workings of the school and its track record. “It is obvious that those civilizations and cultures that are successful in retaining their identity are those that are able to transmit their values, their customs, their beliefs and particularly their language to the next generation. Our Armenian Churches need our children to carry on the faith of the ages– children who are exposed to and understand its language, its liturgy and its life. Our Armenian cultural institutions– whether they are preserving books and artifacts, or supporting historians and scholars, or musicians and artists– all require a dedicated and literate audience that values their work. The only way to create such an audience is to begin with the education of our youth,” stated Dr. Barsam.
“What a gift it is that St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School gives our children — the fertile and nurturing environment in which to easily absorb the Armenian and English languages together, endowing our children with a bilingualism which will serve them the rest of their lives. How fortunate we are to have this model institution in our community! And it is our duty to support the institution that provides our community with such a precious resource for our children,” she added.
In her overview of the past 25 years, Principal Houry Boyamian said, “Since the very beginning, we have been aware of the challenge facing us. In a region that is home to some of the finest educational institutions in the world, an Armenian school would have to offer an exceptional program in order to meet the demands of our community, while preserving our Armenian culture and heritage. Over the past 25 years, we have succeeded in offering an excellent educational curriculum with a strong foundation in Armenian language and culture. And, here in this hall, I renew the pledge we made 25 years ago. We will continue to provide an excellent bilingual education. And we will continue to make it accessible to every Armenian American child in the community.”
Archbishop Choloyan presented one of the veteran teachers of the school, Anahid Joubanian, with Sourp Mesrob Mashdots Medal for 45 years of dedicated service to Armenian education. This medal is one of the highest honors bestowed on an individual by the Armenian Church.
A video of the school, produced by Sandy Bedrosian and the school’s Public Relations Committee, and narrated by Emmy Award winning broadcast meteorologist and environmental reporter Mish Michaels, touched many in the audience.
Next, major donors to the Gala were recognized, followed by a Candle Lighting Ceremony conducted by alumni representatives.
Exhilarated by the success of the evening, young and old, parents and students danced into the early hours of the morning to the sounds of the Kevork Artinian Band.

About the SSAES
Since opening its doors with a handful of students in 1984, St. Stephen’s has become a vital force in the Armenian American community of greater Boston. The school emphasizes a rigorous bilingual program in a warm atmosphere of family and community. Students receive in-depth instruction of the Armenian language, culture, and history in addition to the high level of education provided at any top private school.
In 2003, the prestigious Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE) accredited the school, making it the only Armenian school in the region to achieve this status.
St. Stephen’s is the only Armenian day school to be fully accredited by the Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE), the accrediting body for independent elementary schools. AISNE has commended the school for “creating an environment where all the students love to read and appear committed to academic excellence”. The AISNE team also commended the school and the principal for recruiting a remarkably talented and dedicated staff. The AISNE accreditation puts St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School academically on par with other prestigious private schools in the region.
Since 2004, every fifth-grade graduating class takes a two-week field trip to Armenia as part of their curriculum. The trip connects students to their ancestral homeland and creates a lasting bond between them.
Said the school’s principal of 23 years, Houry Boyamian, “We are passionate about the school. I am putting in a lot of effort to keep us on such a high level that parents would not hesitate to enroll their children. We have many second-, third-, and fourth-generation American Armenians who bring their children here, in order to foster their Armenian spirit while giving them a first-rate education.”
The school keeps up with the latest educational approaches and the students consistently achieve top marks on the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills.
Currently, the school has about 180 students, many of whom live in communities with excellent public school systems.
A recent study by Harvard University showed the importance of a strong kindergarten education, as well as the impact of a rigorous academic curriculum at a very young age. In addition, studies have shown that learning a second language at a young age can increase a student’s creative and complex thinking, as well as more fully develop neural pathways. Part of that rigorous yet child-friendly education at SSAES is a full-immersion bilingual education.
The school has experienced organic growth; within the past decade, it has added a separate nursery building to accommodate the growing list of enrollees.
Housed in the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center (ACEC), the elementary school has become an established institution thanks to its Armenian character, academic strength, devoted staff and low student-to-teacher ratio.

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