WORCESTER, Mass.—Four academic centers and institutions have teamed up to organize a conference on “Manufacturing Denial and the Assault on Scholarship and Truth,” to be held on Friday and Saturday, October 24-25, 2014, at Worcester State University and Clark University in Worcester.

The academic conference will bring together, for the first time, social scientists and natural scientists to discuss the analogous and interrelated, though not always identical, phenomena of genocide denial and the denial of scientific truth—from evolution to climate change.

The conference is co-sponsored and organized by the Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies; the Kaloosdian/Mugar Chair in Modern Armenian History and Genocide Studies, Clark University; Worcester State University; the Armenian Genocide Program, CGHR, Rutgers University-Newark; and the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR).

The conference will open at Worcester State University on Oct. 24 with a keynote address by Prof. Brendan J. Nyhan and a response by Prof. Henry Theriault.

Professor Nyhan is assistant professor in the Department of Government at Dartmouth College and a former Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Scholar in Health Policy Research at the University of Michigan. His research focuses on political scandal and misperceptions about politics and health care. His work has been published in several prestigious journals and he has served as contributor to the New York Times politics/policy website The Upshot, and media critic for Columbia Journalism Review. Nyhan is co-author of All the President’s Spin, a New York Times bestseller.

Prof. Theriault is chair of the Philosophy Department at Worcester State University. His research focuses on philosophical approaches to genocide issues, especially genocide denial, long-term justice, and the role of violence against women in genocide.

The following day, sessions held at Clark University will explore “Modern Strategies and Rhetoric of Denial,” “Political Uses of Denial,” and “Countering Denial: How and When?” The conference will conclude with a summing up and open discussion session. Further information about the participants and schedule will be released at a later date.

Since the 1980s, genocide denial, particularly of the Holocaust and the Armenian Genocide, has generated a substantial body of literature analyzing and documenting the methods and rhetoric of those who seek to negate or obscure documented cases of mass violence. More recently, an impressive amount of literature has explored the ways in which various industries and political operatives have used the strategy of “manufacturing doubt” to undermine the scientific consensus on smoking, pollution, evolution, and global warming. Nonetheless, the corruption and co-opting of scholarship for the purposes of fomenting denial continues.

Although these efforts stretch from governments to corporations to grass roots organizations, the focus of this conference will be on the ways in which the corruption and co-opting of scholarship and the academy function as part of a struggle that resonates far beyond academia.

For more information, please contact Sarah Cushman, Strassler Center Academic Program Liaison Officer, at 508-793-7764 or scushman@clarku.edu.

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What a great theme for the upcoming 81^st Annual AYF Olympics in Detroit: “Roots Run Deep.”

In 1938-40, a woman named Sydney Robertson Cowell organized and ran a WPA Folk Music Project. She and her colleagues went around to various parts of California recording all kinds of American, American Indian, and other ethnic folk music. They went to Fresno and recorded the Armenian immigrants playing instruments and singing songs they had brought with them from the “old country.” One of the songs they recorded was of a man singing a diasporan version of “Hoy Nazarim Yarim,” an old Armenian folk song. It was a diasporan version because the verses were referring to the Armenian girls of New York, Fresno, Detroit, and Boston, and their taste in potential husbands. The song was sung by one Ruben J. Baboyan:

Bostoni hay aghchigner, hoy nazarim yarim Doctor pastapan guzen, hoy nazarim yarim

Fuh-res-no-in aghchigner, hoy nazarim yarim Hayruir aker hogh guzen, hoy nazarim yarim New Yorki hay aghchigner, hoy nazarim yarim Khali dzakhoghner guzen, hoy nazarim yarim

Dee-troy-ee-tee hay aghchigner, hoy nazarim yarim Fordi ashkhadogh guzen, hoy nazarim yarim

Back in the 1930’s, there were clearly four song-worthy Armenian towns, and Detroyeet was one of them. Roots run deep. The 1930 Ameriga-Hye words to this old song tell a story. They tell a very simple story of where Armenians first migrated to in this country. Armenians went to Fresno for a reason. They ended up in Andover, Mass. for the same reason. Armenians who had been farmers could farm in these places. You could almost envision the first immigrants coming to these places with a sack of seeds. Literally, for these Armenians, roots ran deep.

The Findlater as it appears today as a dance hall.

Armenians went to New York to be merchants and Boston to continue or start professions. As highlighted in this song, Armenians also went to Detroit. They came to Detroit because of Henry Ford, his factories, and the $5/day wages he was paying. My grandfather, Levon, worked in one of Henry Ford’s factories. He worked in the foundry. I always thought of the dichotomy of he and his friend growing up in a rural and agrarian Armenian village and ending up in, what was at that time, the industrial epicenter of the world. What a contrast. He was not alone. A lot of Armenians were uprooted and made new homes in Detroit with the lure of becoming a Fordi ashkhadogh. Roots run deep.

The auto industry is still important to the Armenian community of Detroit. Many Armenians work for or have worked for Ford, GM, or one of the suppliers over the years. There are numerous examples of families with two, three, and even four generations working for either Ford or GM. Armenians have made significant contributions to the industry in terms of general management, assembly, engineering, and quality at the VP and director levels. Roots run deep. Armenians from certain villages in the old country tended to immigrate to the same places in the United States. Detroit had Armenians coming from everywhere, but the bulk of the immigrants were from Sepastia, Van, and Kghi. They came together in Detroit, still rooted in their villages that were no more, to create a new Armenian village in Detroit. To this day, the Vasbouragan Society meets and holds events. The children and grandchildren of the original immigrants from Keghi recently regrouped and held a very successful pagharch dinner in 2012. These roots run very deep. The immigrants got married and had children. They worked to preserve a sense of being Armenian in the gritty industrial boomtown that was Detroit. In 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation was founded and provided a natural way to bolster the Armenian Spirit in the youth, and slow down the very strong lure to melt and meld into the American culture. They had planted new roots in this gritty industrial city and wanted to nurture the coming generations. They built churches and community centers, called getrons.

The children of the survivor generation made the AYF strong. This generation, my parent’s generation, embraced American and Armenian life. They fought in World War II and Korea. They married, often have found their spouse in the AYF.

At first, like many regions, the metropolitan Detroit area had several AYF chapters, from Pontiac to Melvindale. Over time, as transportation advances made the geography more compact and the demographics of the community changed, chapters merged to become bigger and stronger. When I first became aware of the AYF, there were two chapters in Detroit: Christopher and Mourad-Zavarian. In the 1960’s, the two chapters became one. They took a new name, Koppernick Tandoujian, a member of parliament of the first Armenian Republic who had settled in Detroit…and made new roots. His granddaughters were members of the chapter at the time.

This year, the Olympics return to Detroit. Detroit hosted its first Olympics in 1950. In that first year, the local chapters—Detroit Christopher, Detroit Mourad, Detroit Zavarian, Windsor, Melvindale, and Pontiac—all had representation on the organizing committee. Detroit has hosted the Olympics in 1961, 1975, 1980, 1986, 1993, 2000, and 2008. The 2014 Olympics will be the 9^th AYF Olympics in Detroit.

For the 1950 Olympics, the ARF gave a room at the Armenian Getron on Lafayette to the AYF. The local AYF chapters raised funds and transformed this room into a lounge and clubhouse for AYF members. At that Olympic weekend, the room was inaugurated. It was jam packed with AYFers for an epic Friday night hook-up and impromptu talent show.

After that first Olympics in Detroit, the AYF room was open every night for AYF members to meet and socialize. One had to actually show an AYF membership card to get in. The AYF continued to use that room into the 1970’s. The older men had their srjaran, the youth the AYF room.

Detroit had a few Olympic firsts. In 1950, Detroit held the track and field games at a University of Detroit stadium. This was the first university venue for the AYF Olympics. In 1975, the Detroit AYF alumni organized and hosted the first Alumni Night on Friday. It was completely complimentary and set a standard that has become a highlight of the Olympic weekends for the alumni. Roots run deep.

Clearly, the theme for this year’s AYF Olympics is a good one. Make your travel plans, book your rooms, place an ad in the Ad Book. Come and join the Detroit AYF community for a weekend full of athletics, dances, meeting old friends, and making new ones. Come and experience the Armenian side of Detroit. Come and contribute to strengthening our roots that, indeed, run deep.

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YEREVAN—Line Knudsen doesn’t have a single drop of Armenia blood. So what could possibly make her want to volunteer in Armenia, not once, but twice? Her childhood friend Tatevik Revazian, of course! Line, 24, and Tatevik grew up in the same neighborhood of Kastrup, just outside Copenhagen, and became best friends. Through Tatevik, Line discovered a burning interest in learning more, dreamed of visiting Armenia (a country most Danes had never even heard of until this year’s Eurovision contest,) and even dreamed of learning the language.

Line, Tatevik, and AmStream at work in Copenhagen

In 2008, Line’s dream came true. She came to Armenia with Tatevik and her family and had a personally rewarding experience that included lots of sightseeing, but also lots of time spent with Tatevik’s extended family. Line delighted in exploring the beautiful natural and historic sites of Armenia, and savoring the wonderful hospitality and foods. At the end of that trip, Line promised herself that she would return, but for longer the next time.

Line did just that in 2011. She came to Armenia for three months as a volunteer with Armenian Volunteer Corps (AVC). She was just starting her social work studies at the time and says that the experiences she had as a volunteer in Armenia inspired her, enabling her to decide on the specifics of her studies. They also helped her discover her self-reliance and determination, and hone her openness and flexibility. And she got to study Armenian together with other AVC and Birthright Armenia volunteers.

Back in Denmark, always active Tatevik, a business school graduate, had a vision of connecting Armenia to Scandinavia. She founded a new organization, AmStream.net, whose mission is to create an innovative pipeline for streaming opportunities and principles between Armenia and Scandinavia in the fields of business, education, science, and culture. Line has been an active member of that organization from the outset.

Flash forward to 2014. Line is nearing the end of her studies and can now do an internship abroad, and she has chosen to return to Armenia with AVC. Her next “big Armenia experience,” as she calls it, will center on her professional internship as a social worker working with special needs children. It will surely be an opportunity for her to gain some valuable real experience in her field. But knowing Line, it will be so much more.

Armenian Volunteer Corps is Armenia’s leading volunteer organization based in Armenia, customizing job placements for some 550 global volunteers aged 21 and up, and working to create a connection between people around the world and Armenia. AVC volunteers have hailed from the 4 corners of the world—35 countries to date—with the oldest so far a dynamic 72-year-old. In addition to placements, AVC provides all logistical support from airport pick-up, to host-family living arrangements, Armenian language classes, and more, in partnership with its sister organization Birthright Armenia. For more information, visit www.armenianvolunteer.org.

The post From Denmark with love: Meet Line (and Tatevik) appeared first on Armenian Weekly.

YEREVAN, Armenia—From May 24-30, cyclists in the Bike for Hope for Armenia group rode in a Bike-a-Thon called the Spectacular Armenia Ride to support scientists at the Cosmic Ray Division (CRD) of the Yerevan Physics Institute (YerPhI). Riders from the United States included Jamie Kolar, a Los Angeles firefighter medic and Birthright participant who founded Aid to Armenia and spent a year on sabbatical teaching the latest first aid techniques to medics, schools, and village residents in Armenia; Roffi Petrossian from Seattle, also on a year of discovery in Armenia volunteering on environmental projects that included planting trees for Armenia Tree Project (ATP), video graphing for Civilinet, and applying to the American University of Armenia (AUA) program on Armenia’s Birds of Prey; and Anahid Yeremian, a particle accelerator physicist at Stanford and co-founder of the Support Committee for Armenia’s Cosmic Ray Division. The riders from the U.S. were joined by Rafael Paremuzyan, a physicist at YerPhI, and by the junior riders from the Armenian cycling team, including the two-time world junior silver medalist Mher Mkrtchyan.Coordinating the 15-plus riders and 4 support personnel was the ride leader, world-renowned master cycling trainer Albert Soloyan.

Some of the riders at the conclusion of the Bike-a-Thon. In the middle, in blue, is two-time world silver medalist Mher Mkrtchyan.

For seven days, the riders braved rain, wind, and the hills of the majestic Armenian landscape from Yerevan to Aparan to Ijevan, Dilijan, and Sevan. Camping by rivers and groves of trees, each morning checking for water in the tents, making soup on camp stoves, singing by the bonfire, and dancing shourchbar whenever possible was all part of the activities that bonded the group together.

The Armenian Roadway Police skillfully escorted the riders through the congested streets of Yerevan on the first day and back to Republic Square on the last day, delivering the tired riders safely to the finish line. Among those welcoming the cyclists back were the scientists, staff, and head of the CRD and director of the Yerevan Physics Institute, Prof. Ashot Chilingarian, together with friends and reporters from the local news media.

At the conclusion of the Spectacular Armenia Ride, the cyclists joined the CRD staff and supporters at CRD’s Nor Amberd Research Station on Mt. Aragats for a celebration dinner and a tour of the facility. Young students in the cycling team said they were inspired to do well in science and maybe one day become scientists themselves. The scientists, in turn, said they were inspired to exercise more and possibly join the ride next year. Chilingarian said that he has added bicycle parking stalls at the Yerevan Physics Institute to encourage scientists and staff to come to work on their bicycles.

The celebration dinner included a recognition of decades of service by two of Armenia’s talented and inspiring leaders: Albert Soloyan, who has trained many cycling world champions in Armenia and abroad and who breathed a breath of fresh air into Armenia’s cycling tradition after independence, and Ashot Chilingarian, who has brought life back to the Yerevan Physics Institute and its Cosmic Ray Division by encouraging and supporting Armenian youth to embrace and satisfy their scientific passion in Armenia.

The post ‘Bike for Hope’ Cyclists Ride for CRD in Armenia appeared first on Armenian Weekly.

VAZASHEN, Armenia—VivaCell-MTS volunteer staff members and the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia (FCHA) team met up again recently for a “build day” in the border village of Vazashen. This time, the partners helped the extended family of the Bakhchagulyans rebuild their home, fulfilling the dream of the family’s grandmother, Zhenya Bakhchagulyan, and guaranteeing a reliable future.

Construction

A mine explosion during the Nagorno-Karabagh War had claimed the life of Zhenya’s husband and ruined their house, which still carries traces of the war. Having to raise and support five children alone made Zhenya’s dream of one day rebuilding the house nearly impossible.

Four years ago, her son Albert began rebuilding the house, but for a family that had to earn its daily bread by farming and cattle breeding only, the construction stalled. Instead, the family focused on raising the remaining three under-age sons.

Yet, with the partnership between VivaCell-MTS and the Fuller Center, the Bakhchagulyans will soon be able to live under a safe roof, and Zhenya will be an eyewitness to her grandchildren’s happiness.

“The project implemented with the financial support of VivaCell-MTS allows us to build and renovate homes for deprived families of bordering villages of Armenia, strengthen our borders, reduce migration, and improve the living conditions of the people,” said Ashot Yeghiazaryan, the president of the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia. “Giving them the opportunity of living in their own reconstructed houses is very important, as homeland begins from the home one lives in.”

According to VivaCell-MTS, the company is guided by the conviction that our compatriots living in the borderline areas are the live shields of our country, and they deserve our care and support. By the end of the year, 25 families from the borderland villages will be able to enjoy the happiness that comes with living under a safe roof. Armenia VivaCell-MTS has invested 55 million AMD and the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia has undertaken the implementation of the project.

The Fuller Center for Housing Armenia is a non-governmental, charitable organization that supports community development in the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh (Karabagh) by assisting in building and renovating simple, decent, and affordable homes, as well as advocating the right to a decent shelter as a matter of conscience and action. FCHA provides long-term, interest-free loans to low-income families. The monthly repayments flow into a Revolving Fund, which is used to help more families, thereby providing a financial foundation for sustainable community development. In its five years of operation, the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia has assisted 286 families. For more information, visit www.fullercenterarmenia.org or e-mail fcarmenia@fullercenterarmenia.org.

VivaCell-MTS (K-Telecom CJSC) is Armenia’s leading mobile operator, having the widest 2G/3.75G/4G network reach and spreading a wide range of voice and data services across Armenia. Since its launch in 2005, VivaCell-MTS drives innovation and aims at being at the forefront of any development serving the Armenian mobile communications market. The company follows the guidance provided by ISO 26000 (International Standard of Social Responsibility). For more information, visit www.mts.am. Mobile TeleSystems OJSC (“MTS”) is the leading telecommunications group in Russia and the CIS, offering mobile and fixed voice, broadband, pay TV, as well as content and entertainment services in one of the world’s fastest growing regions. Including its subsidiaries, the group services more than 100 million mobile subscribers. The group has been awarded GSM licenses in Russia, Ukraine, Turkmenistan, Armenia, and Belarus, a region that boasts a total population of more than 200 million. Since June 2000, MTS’s Level 3 ADRs have been listed on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol MBT). For more information, visit www.mtsgsm.com.

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ATP’s new 20th anniversary video is available at www.tinyurl.com/planthope

WATERTOWN, Mass.—On the occasion of its 20th anniversary, Armenia Tree Project (ATP) has released an uplifting video highlighting its tree planting, environmental education, and poverty reduction programs. The 13-minute film, “Plant a Tree, Plant Hope,” features founder Carolyn Mugar who reflects on some of the motivations and challenges of the early years. The film can be viewed on ATP’s YouTube Channel via www.tinyurl.com/planthope.

ATP planting on Earth Day

“I’m sure you’ll agree this video is quite an uplifting message and a much-needed dose of hope and good news,” says Managing Director Tom Garabedian. “Often people don’t realize the magnitude of the work we’ve achieved. Over the past 20 years, we have planted nearly 4.5 million trees! And this is at the grassroots, community level, at more than 900 sites in every region of Armenia including Artsakh.”

Narrator Roffi Petrossian, a diasporan who was an ATP volunteer last year, really hits home when he says, “Each tree [planted by ATP] is a manifestation of human dedication and care. It is bought with an investment made from abroad, planted in Armenia through the hands of an Armenian, and it grows and bears fruit for everyone. Each garden and forest connects Armenians scattered around the world to Armenia.”

The film was produced in Armenia by CivilNet.TV and directed by Seda Grigoryan. CivilNet’s young, vibrant, and multilingual team worked with ATP to create something that is educational, uplifting, and a call to action to support the organization’s environmental programs. The script supervisors were Maria Titizian and Sara Anjargolian.

The production is just one part of ATP’s 20th anniversary outreach. The organization hosted a lively event at the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens in California in May, and has launched a new logo with a fully rebranded website to follow this summer. The celebration continues on Sat., Nov. 8, when ATP will host an event at the grand atrium of the John Joseph Moakley Courthouse overlooking Boston Harbor.

Since its inception in 1994, ATP has planted more than 4.4 million trees during 41 seasons of planting, established 3 nurseries and 2 environmental education centers, and has greened villages, churches, parks, and open spaces throughout Armenia. In the process, the organization has provided employment for hundreds of people and provided vital resources to thousands of villagers throughout the country.

The post New Video Explains How ATP Connects Diaspora to Armenia through Trees appeared first on Armenian Weekly.

The Selection Committee of the Peter and Alice Koomruian Armenian Education Fund recently announced the award of scholarships to the following students for the academic year 2014-15: Ani Aghajanyan, $5000, in the field of visual communications; Alexander Bedrosyan, $5000, international law; Aren Dabaghian, $5000, pharmacy; Andranik Demirchyan, $5000, law; Kasania Khachadourian, $2500, business administration; Rebekah Stites, $5000, biology; and Sarah Stites, $2500, business.

The Peter and Alice Koomruian Armenian Education Fund was established in 1986 with a generous testamentary donation in the sum of $425,000 from Alice Torigian Koomruian. In the last 15 years alone and up to the date of this announcement, the fund has distributed $335,600 to 197 scholarship recipients of Armenian descent in numerous fields of study, ranging from the arts and sciences to veterinary medicine.

Applications for the academic year 2015-16 may be obtained from the Koomruian Armenian Education Fund by e-mailing terenikkoujakian@hotmail.com; by writing c/o Terenik Koujakian, 15915 Ventura Blvd., Suite 201, Encino, California 91436; by writing to the Koomruian Armenian Education Fund, c/o Bank of America Trust Services Center, 100 Westminster Street, RI1-536-05-03, Providence, RI 02903; or by e-mailing rima91436@gmail.com. The deadline for filing the application is April 30, 2015. Requests by mail for applications must include a self addressed and stamped envelope.

Applicants must be of Armenian ancestry and enrolled as full-time students at a university or college in the United States. The award is based on a student’s academic performance and financial need.

The post Koomruian Armenian Education Fund Announces Scholarship Recipients appeared first on Armenian Weekly.

On Sat., May 17, Chicago community leaders and activists came together at Arpy Seferian’s home to celebrate the 115^th anniversary of the Hairenik and the 80^th anniversary of the Armenian Weekly. The evening was made even more memorable with special guest Prof. Richard Hovannisian, accompanied by his wife Dr. Vartiter Hovannisian, among other attendees from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Eastern Region Central Committee, including Chairman Richard Sarajian, members Antranig Kasbarian, Ari Killian, and Angele Manoogian, and Hairenik Weekly editor Zaven Torigian.

A scene from the event (Photo by Tina Cholakian)

Guests were greeted by members of the Chicago Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) “Ararat” Chapter and welcomed graciously by Seferian and her son and daughter-in-law, Serge and Nadine. Following dinner, Kasbarian opened a brief program expressing the importance of Hairenik publications to the hearts and minds of Armenians everywhere, and especially to the Eastern USA as a connection and attachment to our nation and spirit. Remarks by Torigian conveyed the same sentiments and emphasized the importance of the Hairenik Weekly in preserving the Western Armenian language. Arpy Seferian shared her enthusiasm for Hairenik publications and its impact on her life, beginning with her father, who was a contributing writer for many years.

Guests that evening were also privy to Hovannisian’s private recollections and photos of his study in Beirut as a young university graduate at the Neshan Palanjian Jemaran. Amidst interesting stories and humorous anecdotes, Hovannisian told of the extraordinary place that Jemaran was in the late 1950’s, and his great fortune to have been there at the same time as so many of the quiet heroes of the Armenian nation, who served as the school’s teachers and administrators. Notably, Hovannisian established a close mentor-pupil relationship with Jemaran’s principal, Simon Vratzian, the former prime minister of the First Republic of Armenia. Vratzian advised the young American, and the two later became friends. The Neshan Palanjian Jemaran instilled a distinct “Armenianess” in its students—love, faith, and honor for the nation—that would never be forgotten nor repeated. Hairenik Publications aims to do the same.

More than $25,000 was raised at the event. In appreciation, guests received a copy of Hairenik Publication’s most recent work, Voices from the Past, translated by Vahe Habeshian.

(Photo by Tina Cholakian)

(Photo by Tina Cholakian)

(Photo by Tina Cholakian)

(Photo by Tina Cholakian)

(Photo by Tina Cholakian)

(Photo by Tina Cholakian)

(Photo by Tina Cholakian)

(Photo by Tina Cholakian)

The post Chicago Celebrates Hairenik, Armenian Weekly Anniversaries appeared first on Armenian Weekly.

The Eternal torch will light the Waterfire on June 28, originating at the North Burial grounds, followed by a procession to the State House grounds which will conclude at the Waterfire.

Third- and fourth-generation descendantsof survivors of the Armenian genocide will gather to receive the Eternal Flame—a torch that represents theeverlasting faith and passion of the Armenian nation as they have survived the horrors of the Armenian Genocide for an entire century, and are now reborn, thriving, and growing in Rhode Island and throughout the entire world.

The torch will be passed through communities and at events where Armenians and human rights activists gather to commemorate the atrocities of the Genocide. The torch began in Yerevan, Armenia in April and has made its way to Rhode Island from Massachusetts. It will then be passed to New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, en route to Michigan and on to California. It will then go to Canada and eventually end in Western Armenia, which is present day Turkey.

When and where: Saturday, June 28, gather at 6:30 p.m. at the North Burial Ground, followed by a march to the Rhode Island State House; Ceremony on the State House grounds at 8:00 p.m.

The post Eternal Flame’s Global Trek Comes to Providence appeared first on Armenian Weekly.

The reconstruction of the 116-kilometer Vardenis-Martakert Highway, which includes the renovation and incorporation of the Vardenis-Drmbon route, is currently under way. By the end of 2014, when the earthwork is expected to be finished, the highway will begin to accommodate passenger-car traffic between northwestern Armenia and Artsakh’s Martakert region, resulting in significantly reduced travel times.

The reconstruction of the 116-kilometer Vardenis-Martakert Highway is currently under way.

The earthwork is being performed simultaneously in 12 sections of the highway and comprises rock-blasting, surface-leveling and -widening, and transposing of existing engineering structures. In addition, crews are installing gutters and building embankments and crash barriers.

When completed, the Vardenis-Martakert Highway will function as an additional lifeline between Armenia and Artsakh (Karabagh). It will also help boost socio-economic development in the close-to dozen communities located across its length.

The highway will become fully operational when it is completely paved and all safety elements, including traffic signs and lane marks, are installed. These components, representing the project’s final phase, are expected to be implemented with proceeds from the 2014 Telethon of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, to be held in November.

The post New Highway to Connect Armenia to Martakert appeared first on Armenian Weekly.

LOS ANGELES—On the evening of June 1, a banquet honoring the 30^th anniversary of Prof. S. Peter Cowe’s scholarly career and the 45^th anniversary of the Narekatsi Chair in Armenian Studies at UCLA was held in Los Angeles. The jubilant event, which took place at the London, West Hollywood, was organized jointly by the 30^th Anniversary Committee and the Friends of UCLA Armenian Language and Culture Studies, in support of the expansion of the Armenian Studies Program and particularly Western-Armenian instruction at UCLA.

Prof. Cowe flanked by a group of present and former Armenology students. (L-R) Narine Jallatyan, Ceyda Tinmaz, Shushan Karapetian, Rosie Aroush, Talar Chahinian, Lilit Keshishian, Myrna Douzjian, and Sona Tajiryan. (Photo by Yerevan Studio)

The more than 200 guests included community leaders, scholars, and Armenology students. Also present were a number of academics from Armenia, Europe, and the Americas who were participating in a UCLA conference organized by Dr. Grigor Areshian on “Current Practices in Armenian Studies: the Creation and Visibility of New Knowledge.” Most of the evening’s speakers were UCLA alumni of Armenian studies.

Two elements were particularly noteworthy about the evening: one was the warm atmosphere between students and teacher; and the second, the impressive growth of Armenian studies as a highly sought-after field among the present generation—marked by the large number of local scholars in the field, as befits the largest Armenian Diasporan community, and reinforced by visiting colleagues from different parts of the world.

Following a cocktail reception and book exhibit at the London’s Marble Terrace, the banquet began inside the Kensington Ballroom. Welcome remarks were delivered by Shahane Martirosyan and Gayane Khechoomian, and grace was said by the Very Rev. Fr. Dajad Yardemian of the Western Diocese.

In his opening address, Ben Charchian said, “At UCLA, walking around the campus, learning that the language you speak is thousands of years old and your alphabet is over 1,600 years old, you hold your head up high. Prof. Cowe was instrumental in instilling in me, and hundreds of other students, that sense of pride.”

An early highlight of the banquet was the ritual presentation of haggis, a traditional Scottish dish, as a surprise tribute to Cowe’s Scottish descent. The colorful presentation, complete with bagpipe music, comprised a procession around the hall led by the piper and a thunderous haggis oration delivered by Dr. Neil McLeod, followed by a performance of the Scottish sword dance. The haggis was subsequently served to the guests.

An encyclical from Catholicos Aram I, congratulating Cowe on his achievements as an outstanding Armenologist, was then read by Right Rev. Fr. Boghos Tinkjian. “We have known Dr. Cowe closely over the last 30 years, both personally and through his serious investigations and critical studies, which have contributed to the advance of Armenian studies,” the Catholicos wrote. “Therefore, this initiative to celebrate Dr. Cowe’s 30 years of academic activity is to be warmly welcomed.”

Presenting the 45th anniversary of the Narekatsi Chair was Shushan Karapetian, the most recent PhD recipient in the Armenian Studies Program at UCLA, who in turn was introduced by Ani Shirinian. As she reminisced about her experiences as a student of Cowe’s, Karapetian said, “A few years into my graduate program, as I had just completed Intermediate Classical Armenian, I walked into Prof. Cowe’s office and told him, ‘I wish there were more; I wish we could pursue studies in Classical Armenian as well.’ And he said, ‘The advanced level has never been offered.’ So I shrugged, disappointed. But he said, ‘I don’t see why it shouldn’t be.’ So, with no further ado, he inaugurated an advanced series of Classical Armenian at my simple little request, after which my fellow students and I had the most amazing year of our lives studying the subject. We also created a team name, ‘Team Grabar,’ whose leader was Prof. Cowe—labeled ‘The Michael Jordan of Grabar’ by fellow student Ara Soghomonian. We were all aspiring players who knew we would never be as good as our teacher but we were going to die trying!”

Karapetian’s address was followed by the screening of a short documentary, “Inside the Academic Studio,” directed and produced by Armenian studies doctoral student Ara Soghomonian. The film featured humorous, highly engaging conversations between Cowe and a number of his students, shedding fresh light on his life and career as a beloved Armenologist.

Subsequently Dr. Talar Chahinian introduced the event’s keynote speaker, Theo van Lint, who is a Calouste Gulbenkian Professor of Armenian Studies at Oxford and a Fellow of Pembroke College. As he presented the honoree’s career and accomplishments, van Lint said, “When Peter sets out a scholarly position, his work is always carefully contextualized, with all caveats and nuances required to tackle all facets of a problem. This innate fairness, coupled with a sharp mind and an absolute passion for the subject at hand, can lead to a feast of conversation.”

“Many of us familiar with Peter’s scholarly work, and particularly his style, are used to long sentences in which the various aspects of a position are carefully considered while the reader longs for a period,” van Lint continued jokingly. “Fifteen subordinate clauses are no exception to Peter. And it’s all one sentence, one big thought, which he will bring to a brilliant end and it will be like a fugue. That is what he does: He thinks in terms of music. That’s quite rare in Armenian studies. It’s quite rare among scholars. It’s quite rare among human beings.”

After a musical interlude featuring a performance on traditional Armenian instruments, Ardashes Kassakhian, Glendale City Clerk and a former student of Cowe’s, took the podium. As he drew parallels between the great Armenian translators of the Middle Ages and present-day Armenologists, Kassakhian said, “Today, as the Armenian nation is dispersed around the world, it is thanks to scholars and translators like Prof. Cowe that Armenian history and the masterpieces of the Armenian intellectual legacy are being brought forth for the enjoyment of the world and diaspora Armenians such as myself.” Kassakhian then invited the evening’s honoree to the stage.

“When I started out as an Armenologist, I couldn’t imagine my journey would be so enriching and rewarding,” Cowe began. “It has proved beyond my expectations. Yet I had an inkling then that Armenology was an idea whose time would come, and the subsequent proliferation of the field, as testified by so many in our midst tonight, has confirmed my impression.”

“I also appreciate the tribute to my Scottish background tonight,” Cowe continued. “In this respect, it gives me great pleasure to know that one of my longstanding goals has been met, that Armenian is now being taught in Scotland, in our oldest university, at St. Andrews.”

Cowe closed his remarks by stating, “My wish is that all of you, and Armenians as a whole, would step back from the immediate pressures of your surroundings to recenter, to reintegrate with your core, and reenergize your cultural capacity to creatively engage with the current environment. Yours is not a culture that is on its last legs, that needs to be artificially ‘preserved’ in an oxygen tent; rather, it is one that is actual and vital, seeking new modes of expression to be authentic to its reality. You have not only a legacy, but a potential, one you must claim and make your own.”

The banquet concluded with a benediction, followed by a Scottish-Armenian musical composition arranged by Artashes Kartalian combining the bagpipe and zurna.

Accompanying the event was a beautiful booklet featuring the honoree’s biography, publications, awards, and list of PhD students supervised, as well as congratulatory letters and notes from colleagues around the world, including the following commendation from his senior colleague at UCLA, Prof. Richard G. Hovannisian: “S. Peter Cowe has given strong impetus to Armenian studies in the United States and abroad. His erudition and broad horizons allow for a useful comparative approach that helps to integrate Armenian studies into world history and culture. I welcome the opportunity to congratulate him on his 30th anniversary in the field and to wish him many productive years of research, publication, teaching, and community participation as the Holder of the Narekatsi Chair at UCLA.”

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Gala Sponsored by Alex and Ani, Rafaelian Family

FRANKLIN, Mass.—Camp Haiastan will host a Tribute Weekend on Sat., July 26 and Sun. 27, which will be highlighted by a Tribute Gala event on Saturday evening to honor the camp’s past and present summer directors, and a Road Dedication Ceremony on Sunday afternoon to honor past director Bob Avakian.

The Tribute Gala event will be a dinner and dance held at the Gillette Stadium Putnam Club in Foxboro. Tickets are $125 for adults and $50 for children age 16 and under, and must be purchased by July 11 (details are available on the camp’s website at www.camphaiastan.org/events). Tables of 8 may be reserved when ordering tickets. Also available for purchase are digital ads to honor our past summer directors. Admission to the dance only ($50 after 9:30 p.m.) will be available for purchase at the door.

The Tribute Gala is being sponsored by Alex and Ani and the Rafaelian family, who are donating special commemorative Camp Haiastan bracelets and necklaces. The jewelry will be sold exclusively by Camp Haiastan, with 100 percent of all sales donated to the camp.

A silent auction will also take place at the Tribute Gala with items donated from the New England Patriots, Bose, Michael Aram, and others. Musical entertainment will be provided by John Berberian (oud), Leon Janikian (clarinet), Michael Gostanian (vocal), Ara Dinkjian (guitar), Stepan Megerdichian (bass guitar), and Jay Baronian (dumbeg and vocal).

On the same night as the Tribute Gala is the New England Revolution soccer game against the Columbus Crew. Admission to the Tribute Gala will allow access to the Putnam Club stadium viewing area to watch the game, which starts at 7:30 p.m. The Tribute Gala will have dedicated free parking just for Putnam Club West visitors.

Founded in 1951, Camp Haiastan is celebrating its 64th year as the first Armenian camp in America. “The camp has had 32 summer directors and we have invited them all to this event, including the families of those that have left us,” noted David Hamparian, the camp’s executive director, who was also a summer director in 1990. “We are looking forward to having the largest gathering of Camp Haiastan summer directors ever assembled.”

Camp Haiastan has reserved hotel rooms with special Tribute Gala rates at two nearby hotels. The hotel nearest to Gillette Stadium is the Renaissance Hotel at Patriot Place with a room rate of $163 per night. Although the camp’s block of rooms is nearing capacity, the Renaissance Hotel will likely have rooms available at slightly higher rates. Camp Haiastan has also reserved rooms at the Hampton Inn in Franklin at $119 per night. This is the closest hotel to the camp. For more details, visit the “Events” section on the camp’s website.

On Sun., July 27, the day after the Tribute Gala, Camp Haiastan will be dedicating the main road that runs through the camp to Robert (Bob) Avakian, past executive director/summer director. “Bob has done so much for Camp Haiastan throughout its 64-year history that this recognition is well deserved. I am pleased we will be honoring him with the dedication of Bob Avakian Way,” noted John Mangassarian, chairman of the road dedication event. The dedication will take place at 2:30 p.m. in Camp Haiastan’s Tzamhour Hall. The event is free and open to the public, and will take place during the AYF Picnic.

Mark your calendars and make your reservations today to join the many friends of Camp Haiastan for these two historic events. For additional details regarding the Tribute Weekend, visit www.camphaiastan.org/events or e-mail gala-info@camphaiastan.org.

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BOSTON, Mass.—He grew up in nearby Lowell, the son of a dentist and dental hygienist, bent on cutting his own teeth in the business world.

Gerald Chertavian hit the national spotlight with a TV stint on ‘Sixty Minutes’ as founder and CEO of ‘Year Up,’ an intensive one-year education program that serves low-income young adults.

Today, Gerald Chertavian is riding his own crest as a social entrepreneur, founder and CEO of a nutmeg called “Year Up,” an extensive one-year education and training program that serves low-income young adults between the ages of 18-24.

He helps 2,100 young adults every year, including African-Americans, Hispanics, and the downtrodden; has visited 63 countries including Armenia; has written a best seller; and has compiled a resume that reads like a “Who’s Who.”

As if his notoriety didn’t already precede him, a recent stint on TV’s “Sixty Minutes” vaulted him over the top.

The sequence showed the value of Year Up both to the young adults in the program as well as to corporate partners like JPMorgan Chase and American Express. Most importantly, the 20-minute stint had significant impact in changing perceptions of what talent looks like today by showing urban young adults as valuable assets—skilled, motivated, resilient employees—rather than as liabilities.

Year Up’s communications firm, Tager & Company, introduced the idea to a story editor at “Sixty Minutes,” who recommended it to a producer after hearing about the program’s impact and scalability, as well as Chertavian’s best-selling book, A Year Up: Helping Young Adults Move from Poverty to Professional Careers in a Single Year.

Chertavian was interviewed by Morley Safer following a year of preparation for the show. They filmed in four different sites: Boston, New York, the Bay Area, and Miami while interviewing two CEOs and three Year-Up graduates that were impacted by Chertavian. The segment aired Jan. 26 and got immediate results.

“A CEO of a Fortune 500 company saw the segment and immediately called us up to participate in our program,” said Chertavian. “His company will sponsor 100 interns a year at $24,000 an intern.”

Who is Gerald Chertavian and what makes him such a hot commodity in the world of business dynamics?

It’s the case of a local boy who’s made good, attending local schools, plying the neighborhood playgrounds, and stomping around local ball fields.

His dad Levon was the product of Armenian immigrants and worked as a dentist while his mom Joyce was employed as a dental hygienist. The family has been supportive of Armenian charities while catering to a large ethnic clientele. A tiny beach cottage in Seabrook, N.H., has served as a family get-away.

Gerald graduated summa cum laude from Bowdoin College with a degree in economics, later earning a master’s with honors from Harvard Business School. He and his wife Kate (Smallwood) live in Cambridge with their three children.

“My brother Lee and I were schooled early in Dad’s uncompromising work ethic,” he recalls. “Beginning at 12 or 13, we always had summer jobs and the money went straight into a savings account.”

Chertavian went on to say how a history teacher at Lowell High inspired him with his lectures on Jacksonian Democracy and the Manifest Destiny. “If you were good enough, you simply had to attend his alma mater [Bowdoin], which he considered a Valhalla of enlightened education,” he brought out.

Chertavian began his career on Wall Street as an officer of the Chemical Banking Corporation. He moved on to become head of marketing at Transnational Financial Services in London, then co-founded Conduit Communications in 1993.

In short order, he fostered its growth to $20 million in annual revenues and some 130 employees in London, Amsterdam, New York, and Boston.

Within five years, Conduit ranked as one of England’s fastest-growing companies before Chertavian cut the cord and turned his full attention to social entrepreneurship.

In 2000, he founded Year Up, which combines hands-on skill development, college credits, and corporate internships designed to promote such qualities as effective communication, leadership, and teamwork.

In the inaugural year, 22 students began classes in downtown Boston. Since then, the organization has served over 4,000 students and partnered with more than 200 major corporations across the country.

Just last year, three major awards came his way, including one from the White House for being “a champion of change.” Mount Ida College presented him with an Honorary Doctorate of Human Letters.

Looking back on his Armenian side, a grandfather immigrated here in 1917. Following a stint in the woolen mills, he became a cobbler and worked seven days a week for decades to put four children through college.

“I learned the value of hard work from my Armenian heritage as well as the constant quest for knowledge,” Chertavian proudly said.

As to the future, Chertavian is looking ahead with gusto, working to scale up his program through community college partnerships and other channels to be able to serve 100,000 young adults annually over the next decade.

“For me, this is a matter of social justice,” he pointed out. “I believe that young adults deserve opportunity and that the country needs to better utilize its human capital. This has been my dream for decades and I feel lucky to help it come true.”

The post ‘Sixty Minutes’ Lifts Chertavian into National Prominence appeared first on Armenian Weekly.

NEW YORK (A.W.)—On Thurs., June 26, community leaders gathered at a reception hosted by Virginia Davies and Willard Taylor to welcome Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, the Republic of Armenia’s newly appointed ambassador to the UN.

Guests with Ambassador Mnatsakanyan (third from right)

Attending the event, which was jointly organized by the ARF Eastern Region and ARS Eastern Region, were representatives of the ARF, ARS, Near East Foundation, Hamazkayin, ANCA, area clergy, as well as correspondents for the Hairenik and Armenian Weekly.

Following the reception, Davies spoke about her long-term involvement with the Armenia Mission in the UN and wished Mnatsakanyan a successful and prosperous tenure in his new post.

“We’ve seen a number of ambassadors come and go over the past 23 years, but the level of cooperation with Ambassador Garen Nazarian reached a new level,” said ARS UN NGO chair Valentine Berberian. “Now, it gives me great pleasure to have the opportunity to welcome Mr. Zohrab Mnatsakanyan. Your Excellency, welcome to the Big Apple.”

Guests with Ambassador Mnatsakanyan (third from right)

Following Berberian’s speech, Mnatsakanyan extended his thanks to the host and the attendees for their warm welcome. “I am not going to stand here and pretend like I am telling you something original. The challenges facing our nation are common knowledge. During my tenure, I hope to strengthen the Republic of Armenia’s ties with different states and international organizations,” he said. “I am confident that the local communities and organizations will support our mission to ensure a secure and prosperous future for both Armenia and the Nagorno Karabagh Republic.”

ARF Central Committee chair Richard Sarajian welcomed Mnatsakanyan and expressed the ARF’s commitment to support Armenia’s Mission to the United Nations.

“Most of the people present here today remember our struggle for the independence of the Republic of Armenia and its consequent membership within the UN,” said Sarajian. “The ARF and its sister organizations are here to support your efforts. The Armenian National Committee of America is eager to support you in finding a just and peaceful solution to the Artsakh [Karabagh] conflict.”

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Robert Megerdichian is ready to catch a sinking glove.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—It’s the All-American game. And Robert Megerdichian is giving baseball a new lease on life—at least the glove part of it.

Bats are swinging. Balls are being hit out of the park. Runners are stealing bases. Teams are celebrating championships.

But what do you do with a dilapidated mitt that has seen its better days? You could give it the last rites or simply hand it over to this Armenian for repair.

The 60-year-old enjoys a rather obscure hobby: He re-laces, repairs, and reconditions baseball gloves. You’ll find him at www.glovesredone.com.

It’s quite the diversion from his regular job as principal of Robert Megerdichian & Associates where he measures and draws floor plans, converting blueprints to computer-aided designs for landlords and engineers.

By night and weekends, there he is repairing gloves.

It all started quite accidentally a few years ago while watching an adult son Greg play baseball in a men’s league. Megerdichian noticed some of the players using gloves that required attention.

Without any formal training, he started breathing new life into old equipment. On his own, he picked up the art of re-lacing, beginning with old gloves he still had from his softball playing days.

“The best clients are older guys because they have a glove that they love and it’s usually all beaten up,” he says. “But they don’t have the heart to throw it away and are more willing to pay to get it fixed. The younger guys want it done really cheap or they’ll just buy a new one.”

The talk around the dinner table these days with his wife Becky (nee Dagley) isn’t so much about new clients for her husband’s regular job but what glove is next. She has her own catcher’s mitt from when she played catch with her son.

Megerdichian lives in the same home he was raised in, in Cambridge. Besides his regular work and glove business, he’s remained very active with the Armenian community. A former AYFer, he has served as an officer of the Tufts University Armenian Club, and as a trustee of both the Armenian Museum of America and St. Stephen’s Armenian Church.

A younger son Eddie is a member of the Sayat Nova Dance Company of Greater Boston and a professional ballroom and Zumba dance instructor.

Last September, the Dagleys were instrumental in organizing one of the largest benefit dances ever seen in the Greater Boston Area, as hundreds showed up in Watertown for the event.

Proceeds went toward educational costs for their niece and nephew, Sona and Sarkis Dagley, who lost their parents at a young age. Both children will be spending time in Armenia this summer.

The Dagleys have opened an exhibit of metal miniatures created by Megerdichian’s late father, Abraham, who died in 1983. The Attleboro Area Industrial Museum is displaying 35 items of his dad’s nearly 400 collection pieces, all milled out of solid metal.

Megerdichian jokes that someday he’ll slow down measuring buildings and pick up more gloves to revive.

“There’s no greater satisfaction than meeting a soldier who needs a glove in good working order for use at his military base,” he brought out.

“Or putting a restored glove into the hands of a kid who might otherwise not have a glove to use.”

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YEREVAN (A.W.)—Armenian activists working for the advancement of human rights and democracy in Armenia were honored on June 19 at the Universal Rights Awards Ceremony in Yerevan, organized by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and others.

The Woman of Courage Award was presented to Lara Aharonian of the Women’s Resource Center.

Among those honored were Davit Tonoyan, Armenia’s first deputy minister of defense. Presenting the award, William Hanlon, the deputy head of the OSCE office in Yerevan, said, “Mr. Tonoyan has been an ardent champion of human rights mainstreaming as well as democratic oversight of Armenia’s armed forces. We appreciate his commitment and efforts to reform the security sector of Armenia and to promote the universal values of security, prosperity, and democracy that bind us together.”

The Freedom Defender Award was given to lawyers Artak Zeinalya and Ara Chazaryan. The Civic Activism Award was given to activists who spearheaded the campaign against the increase in public transport prices.

The Woman of Courage Award was presented to Lara Aharonian of the Women’s Resource Center, while Hetq.am’s Edik Baghdasaryan received the Media Excellence Award for his coverage of the human rights conditions of prisoners serving life-sentences.

Lusine Avetyan, head of the Karahunj community, received the Local Government Reformer Award. The Community Service Award went to Laura Movsisian, director of the Pediatric Rehabilitation Center of Yerevan, for her work with disabled children.

The Universal Rights Awards were first held in 2012 and aimed to highlight the dedication of Armenia’s activists, government officials, and members of the media who have worked towards the advancement of human rights.

The event was co-organized with the U.S. Embassy, the Delegation of the European Union to Armenia, the British Embassy, the Council of Europe’s Office in Yerevan, the UN Armenia Office, and the NGO Counterpart International. Around 200 guests attended the event, among them government representatives, foreign diplomats, representatives of NGOs, and the press.

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More than 150 students from Armenian schools across the eastern United States participated in the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) Eastern USA’s Annual Essay Contest. The ARS sponsors the annual event for all ARS-sponsored one-day schools and every day schools, in an attempt to encourage students to think about topics of importance to the Armenian people and how issues may impact their young lives.

This year’s essay contest participants were asked to address the following question: “If you had the chance to visit Armenia during your summer vacation, what historical site would you want to visit and why?”

Participating Armenian one-day schools were Marzbed School, Racine, Wisc.; Mourad Saturday School, Providence, R.I.; St. Stephen’s Saturday School, Watertown, Mass.; Taniel Varoujan Armenian School, Glenview, Ill.; Nareg Saturday School, New Jersey; Zavarian Saturday School, Detroit, Mich.; and Haigazian School, Philadelphia, Pa.

Participating Armenian day schools were Armenian Sisters’ Academy, Lexington, Mass.; Holy Martyrs Armenian Day School (HMADS), Oakland Gardens, N.Y.; and St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School, Watertown, Mass.

Contest rules permit students to write their essay in English or Armenian. Students compete according to their grade and day school or one-day school participation. Essays written in Armenian and English are judged separately. Students’ names are never disclosed to the essay contest judges.

The 2014 essay judging committee was comprised of members of the ARS Chicago “Zabelle” Chapter and of the Chicago community. The judges were Anahid Sarrafian, Arpy Killian, Nairee Hagopian, Sanan Haroun, George Boursalian, and Talin Eugenis. The committee was led by Silva Bedian.

The ARS Eastern USA Board of Regional Directors extends hearty congratulations to all participating students for devoting time and effort to the ARS Essay Contest, and sends its gratitude to the principals and teachers for their cooperation in this mutually beneficial educational effort. Essay contest winners were awarded Amazon gift cards. (Shopping with Amazon allows the ARS to earn 0.5 percent of shoppers’ total purchase, by visiting smile.amazon.com and choosing the charity “ARS of Eastern USA.”)

Essay Contest Results

One-day schools (English)

Grades 3 and 4

1^st place: Armen Surenian, Taniel Varoujan Armenian School

2^nd place: Harry Torian, Taniel Varoujan Armenian School

3^rd place: Talar Simon, Taniel Varoujan Armenian School

Honorary Mention: Alex Esenyan, Haigazian School

Grades 5 and 6

1^st place: Zovenar Talarian and Ally Devedjian, Taniel Varoujan Armenian School

2^nd place: Vahe Mouradian, Taniel Varoujan Armenian School, and Rozalin Sarkisian, St. Stephen’s Saturday School

3^rd place: Teny Topouzian, ARS Zavarian Schools, and Alidz Khaligian, Marzbed Armenian School

Grades 7 and 8

1^st place: Andrew Devedjian, Taniel Varoujan Armenian School, and Tamar Hovsepian, Haigazian School

2^nd place: Lori Simonian, Mourad Saturday School

3^rd place: Vanessa Kholamian, Taniel Varoujan Armenian School

One-day schools (Armenian)

Grades 3 and 4

1^st place: Alex Varjabedian, Nareg Saturday School

Grades 5 and 6

1^st place: Nayiri Ovannesian, Nareg Saturday School

2^nd place: Isabella Terzian, St. Stephen’s Saturday School

3^rd place: Talin Chaprazian, St. Stephen’s Saturday School

Honorary Mention: Aram Elmayan, Mourad Saturday School

Grades 7 and 8

1^st place: Anahid Donoyan, Mourad Saturday School

2^nd place: Taleen Donoyan, Mourad Saturday School

3^rd place: Armen Yeghyaian, Mourad Saturday School

Everyday schools (English)

Grades 3 and 4

1^st place: Gabriella Minasian, Armenian Sisters’ Academy, Lexington

2^nd place: Ava Pioli, Armenian Sisters’ Academy

Grades 5 and 6

1^st place: Peter Koutoujian and Adriana Minasian, Armenian Sisters’ Academy

2^nd place: Michelle Ashbahian, HMADS

3^rd place: Nikoletta Tavitian, Armenian Sisters’ Academy

Everyday schools (Armenian)

Grades 3 and 4

1^st place: Alexander Hananian, Armenian Sisters’ Academy

2^nd place: Arin Sullahian, Armenian Sisters’ Academy

3^rd place: Ella Deirmenjian and Sevag Glorigian, Armenian Sisters’ Academy

Grades 5 and 6

1^st place: Nicole Issagholian, HMADS, Oakland Gardens, NY

2^nd place: Aleen Karakouzian, Armenian Sisters’ Academy, and Elizabeth Krmzian, St. Stephen’s Elementary School

3^rd place: Ani Ourfalian and Lori Ganjian, St. Stephen’s Elementary School

Honorary Mention: Alicia Mordjikian, HMADS

Below are some of the winning essays:

Gabriella Minasian

Grade 3, Armenian Sisters’ Academy

If I could go anywhere in Armenia it would be Lake Sevan because it is the only one left of the three great lakes of historical Armenia. The other two lakes are Lake Van and Lake Urmia.

I choose Lake Sevan because Lake Sevan is very beautiful. Lake Sevan is still in Armenia. It has been there for many years. It is the largest lake in Armenia. It has man-made beaches all around it. It is surrounded by Keghama Mountains. Lake Sevan is considered one of the three great lakes of historical Armenia and it is the only one left today.

I want to see the three churches alongside the lake. I have a picture of Lake Sevan in my family room that reminds me of my homeland. There is a type of fish that only grows in Lake Sevan. It is called Ishkhan. I would love to taste that. I hope my wish will come true one day and I will visit my country Armenia.

Armen Sourenian

Grade 4, Taniel Varoujan Armenian School

If I were to go to Armenia and visit one place, I would visit Khor Virab. I would visit this place because it is very important to all Armenians. It is important because this is when us Armenians turned Christian. We used to be pagan so we worshiped the sun, fire, etc.

The king at that time was King Drtad. They were worshiping a Goddess one day and Drtad called his servant named Krikor. Drtad told Krikor to take presents and put it on the Goddess’s statue. Krikor refused because he believed in Christianity. The king got angry and he ordered to throw Kirkor in a deep hole. They left him to die there.

Little did the king know that Drtad’s sister was Christian as well. She was throwing in the hole bread and other things that would make him live. Meanwhile, the king was out on the streets killing every Armenian Christian in sight. Because of the bad things Drtad did, people believed he was punished by God and then Drtad got very sick. He was acting like he was an animal and running away from everyone. Drtad’s sister still cared about him and she really wanted him to be cured. The doctors tried everything they could to try and cure Drtad, but nothing worked.

Drtad’s sister was sleeping one night and she had a dream. In the dream, a man came to her in her dream, the man told her if she wanted Drtad to be cured, she responded yes. The man told her that there was only one person that could cure Drtad. That person would be Krikor, the man in the dungeon. That morning Drtad’s sister told a governor to go get Krikor from the dungeon. The governor wasn’t believing what Drtad’s sister was saying. The man told her that Krikor had to be dead because he has been in that hole for so long. Drtad’s sister knew that he had to be alive. She ordered him to go down. He did.

When they brought Krikor up he cured Drtad and the Armenians turned Christian. This is why I would go here. I wouldn’t be an Armenian Christian now if it wasn’t for this dungeon. I would be a pagan now if this didn’t happen, I wouldn’t be writing this if it didn’t happen. And the best part about going to Khor Virab is that you can see the beautiful Mt. Ararat from here. This is where I would go if I ever visited Armenia for vacation.

Zovenar Talarian

Grade 5, Taniel Varoujan Armenian School

There are many beautiful and important historical cities to visit in Armenia, but in my opinion if I were to go to Armenia and visit one of them it would be Dzidzernagapert. Dzidzernagapert was created in 1965. It is located on a hill which is overlooking Yerevan, Armenia. I would like to visit Dzidzernagapert because this historical site is dedicated to al of the Armenians who were victims and died in the Armenian Genocide. It is also a memorial for them. Every year on April 24, hundreds of thousands of Armenians visit Dzidzernagapert and remember all of those people who died on that tragic day.

The Dzidzernagapert monument has a fire in the middle of it that never runs out. The flames that never burn out represent the spirit of the Armenians and how even when a whole bunch of people died on the Armenian Genocide we still keep our culture and language alive. One portion of the monument is tall and is a needle-shaped shaft which represents the rebirth of the Armenian people. This historical site is very touching to many people who visit it.

The whole monument of Dzidzernagapert means “Citadel of Swallows” which is named for a bird that always returns to its nest even if its home has been destroyed, just like how the Armenians’ home got destroyed many times but we still keep going back to our homeland and keeping our language alive. Dzidzernagapert is a very, very important historical site not only to me but also many other Armenian people who visit it. So many people always ask me, “Zovenar, if you were to go to any historical site in Armenia what would it be,” and my answer would be and always will be Dzidzernagapert because it reminds me of how Armenians are always getting controlled by people and people are always trying to change us and yet we always win and we always get to keep our beautiful language and our culture alive. Dzidzernagapert is always reminding people of all of the people who died in the genocide and how we keep our language strong because of that day.

Peter Koutoujian

Grade 5, Armenian Sisters’ Academy

When I have the opportunity to visit Armenia, I want to see Karahunj. I want to visit this place because I want to know how they see the stars through a mound of rocks with a big hole in it. They thought if you look through the hole you can see all the stars in the night sky. There are stonehenges in England but now people are saying that the Armenian ones are older. Karahunj was built in 3000 B.C. It was built near Sisian in southern Armenia and was used as a fort in war time.

It was an observatory in the old days. It has been said that aliens visited Karahunj once. When I go there I will feel that Armenia is one of the oldest countries in the world and had some bad and sad times like the Armenian Genocide and other wars, but fought through them and are still living years later. And standing up alive like these stones.

The Karahunj stones are 3,500 years older than England’s stonehenges and 3,000 years older than the Egyptian pyramids. It also used to be a temple to worship Armenia’s main God Ari (meaning the sun). The stones sit like toy soldiers huddled together. The stones have been described with mystical and cosmic powers. That is why I want to visit this place.

Tamar Hovsepian

Grade 7, Haigazian School

The question is “If you could go to Armenia for one day, where would you go?” The answer does not come easy for someone like me who never visited Armenia and would like to go and visit very badly.

There are so many beautiful historical sites, sacred churches, and monuments in our homeland, Armenia, that I heard about and would love to see. However, there is one place that stands out for me: the Armenian Genocide Memorial at Tsitsernakaberd in Yerevan.

The Armenian Genocide Memorial is found in Yerevan and construction started in 1966 after 1 million Armenians demonstrated in Armenia on the 50^th anniversary of the genocide. The construction of the monument was completed in 1968. Every year on April 24, thousands of Armenians from Armenia and around the world commemorate the anniversary of the genocide by laying flowers around the eternal flame. I have never been to Armenia, but when I do go, the first place I want to visit will be the Armenian Genocide Memorial because it will be the place where I will lay flowers and say our Lord’s Prayer “Hayr Mer” for the souls of my ancestors who perished away at the hands of the Turks.

I would like to see the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan, first because this memorial represents a sad and very emotional part of my ancestors’ history. I would want to go there to light a candle and say a prayer for my family members who had died during the genocide.

This genocide monument in Yerevan is dedicated to the memory of all my ancestors who perished in the first genocide of the 20^th century at the hands of the Turkish government. This is a very painful history and human disaster and a very personal one for me because my great-grandparents and family members from both my mother and father’s side were victims of this terrible crime. They lost their lives, their farmland, and their homeland. Listening to very personal stories about genocide from my mom, who heard about it firsthand from her surviving grand-aunt, definitely makes me want to go and visit the Armenian Genocide Memorial to remember and pay my respect and honor the victims by lighting a candle and laying flowers on the ground, as so many millions of people did and will continue to do it.

Andrew Devedjian

Grade 7, Taniel Varoujan Armenian School

I’ve been asked multiple times by my friends on numerous occasions, “What does it mean to be Armenian?” It could be on April 24^th or by simply seeing the Armenian flag as my cover photo on Facebook. Whenever that question comes up I can’t put it into words. I sometimes use William Saroyan’s quote of, “I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race. This small tribe of unimportant people whose wars have all been fought and lost and structures have crumbled. Literature is unread, music is unheard, and praises are no longer answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia. See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread nor water, and see if they will not laugh, sing, or pray again. For if two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a new Armenia.”

That quote gets the point across and how much willpower Armenians have, but there is so much more. Armenians have seen beyond the depths of hell, and have fought, stumbled, and fought again for symbols of what they believe makes them up. If I could go anywhere it would be Van where the Siege of Van happened, or where Lake Van is, or I would go to the Avarayr plains. All these places are coincidentally in one place…Vaspurakan. I would want to visit Vaspurakan in the summer because the province of Greater Armenia holds loud marks that showcase what it means to be Armenian.

Van, a beautiful place that may no longer be a part of Armenia but holds a landmark of no other, Lake Van. Stories upon stories surround this great lake. To any other person in the world it may be thought of as just a body of water, but to Armenians it’s a home that is no longer with them. I have grown up hearing of the town and of course the lake. I’ve heard stories of death and life like the Romeo and Juliet like tale of the prince who died in the lake. The historical sight is a place I could only dream of seeing, for Armenians for ages fought to protect this lake. Van holds not only this lake, but the entire town holds an event known as the Siege of Van.

Van is a great historical landmark for Armenians, but its beauty is not the only thing it has; the great city has seen battle after battle such as the Siege of Van. Lake Van makes up the beauty of being Armenian, but the Siege of Van represents the struggle and blood of what it means to be Armenian. On April 24, 1915 Armenia’s darkest days fell upon it. The extermination of all Armenians was ordered by the Ottomans. Death followed, with death marches, gun shots, and rape. It was chaos and heartbreak, but a few in Van refused. My first year at AYF Seminar, the director summed up what the select few said, “We will not go quietly into the night! We are going to live and we are going to survive! I refuse to die without a fight!”

With the stage set the men, women, and children of Van fought. They loved this town, they loved being Armenian, and they refused to give up, proving to the Turks that their version of being Armenian is to get up and fight. They fought and fought until their last man, but they lost and their town was taken. Yes the town was taken, but if anyone could say another word it would be, “It was worth it. I fought for my culture, my family, my country. For that I wouldn’t rather die any other way in this chaos.”

Van held beauty and the blood of Armenians, but now I would shift to the Avarayr plains of Vaspurakan. I can only imagine how many people didn’t think of this when this essay was announced, and this place may be a key reason why they are here today. Willpower to me is a central part of being Armenian, as William Saroyan’s quote explained to him as well. That willpower may come from the plains where Vartan Mamikonian gave his life. Persians surrounded him in his final battle, swords to his neck and arches all around. The Persians finally had the general of the resistance of Armenians wanting to stay Christian. There was no way out for Vartan, he would die. Any man would stop close his eyes and prepare to die, but he was not any man. He was Armenian. Vartan got on his knees and began to pray. The Persians exclaimed, “How could you pray, you are about to die and turn tour state polytheistic, and yet you pray to your God?” He died on the Avarayr plains with honor and showing the world how much willpower Armenians have.

Vaspurakan is a place I would want to visit over the summer for it is home to places that show what it means to be Armenian.

Beauty, blood, and willpower are three concepts and places that showcase what it means to be Armenian. Now can I say what it means to be Armenian by reading this essay or saying these places? No. While writing this I realized that the best part about being Armenian is the fact that so many different things make up the blood that flows through our veins. My sister Ally Devedjian wrote about an institution of knowledge as a place she wants to visit. She may think that the legacy of knowledge is what it means to be Armenian, while I think it’s willpower, while my friend Robert thinks it is the beauty of land marks. My three historical places I want to visit for different reasons are just a taste of what it means to be Armenian. Hundreds of ideas and different perspectives make me up and I will never and don’t really want to know all of them. The next time my friend asks me that question I hear all the time, I will say with a smile, “There is not enough paper, time, or Armenians in the world to answer that question. You can dig up and bring back to life a thousand Armenians and you still wouldn’t get an answer. The best part of being Armenian is trying to figure it out but never actually doing it, but at the same time not really wanting to know at all. What would be the fun in that?”

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WASHINGTON—The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) 2014 “Leo Sarkisian” interns quickly immersed themselves in the full range of Armenian American advocacy activities, as the program kicked off its 29th season of youth leadership training in the nation’s capital.

From Left: Alina Sarkissian, Inna Mirzoyan, Armen Sahakyan, Raffi Karakashian, Congressmen Eliot Engel (D-NY), His Grace Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Sevan Agopian, and Anahis Kechejian.

“The ANCA Leo Sarkisian interns have had an incredibly busy two weeks—working on everything from securing legislative support for ‘Return of Churches’ legislation to campaigning for Armenian American candidate Hrant Jamgochian, to protesting Turkey’s targeted attacks on the Armenian community in Aleppo, Syria,” said ANCA Legislative Affairs Director Raffi Karakashian.  “Their energy, creativity, and tenacity all speak powerfully to their awesome potential as our next generation of leaders.”

From Boston and Los Angeles to Vancouver and the American Midwest, this year’s intern group includes: Sevan Agopian, Tamar Alexanian, Anahis Kechejian, Inna Mirzoyan and Alina Sarkissian. All have been active in various Armenian American organizations such as the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) and the Armenian Student Association (ASA).

Within hours of arrival, the interns hit the ground running, joining with the ANCA of Greater Washington DC in calling on the White House to take immediate steps to stop the Turkey-supported bombing of Armenian communities in Aleppo, Syria. Then, the team turned their attention to pending Congressional foreign aid legislation, urging key Senate and House appropriators to support Artsakh assistance and a host of other Armenian American community priorities.  Last week, their focus turned to the Turkey Christian Churches Accountability Act (H.R. 4347), which was adopted overwhelmingly by the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

In between, interns honed their networking skills, participating in a professional development seminar organized by the the ANCA’s Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program and AGBU Young Professionals DC.  In their rare off-hours, they volunteered for Hrant Jamgochian’s campaign for Maryland State Delegate.

The Leo Sarkisian Internship Program is an integral part of a growing effort to provide Armenian Americans greater opportunities to explore careers on Capitol Hill, in the foreign policy field, and in key Washington, DC, think tanks. It is a part of the larger ANCA “Hovig Apo Saghdejian” Capital Gateway Program, which is designed to help university students and graduates find internships and permanent positions in Congressional offices as well as a host of other government agencies and political and policy-related groups.

Interns, who each participate in a wide variety of projects based on their individual interests, are given the opportunity to gain hands-on experience within the American political system. They participate in a bi-weekly lecture series featuring guest lecturers, including U.S. and Armenian officials and Armenian American leaders.

For up to date photos, blogs, and information on the 2014 Leo Sarkisian interns, follow the ANCA Facebook page – facebook.com/ancagrassroots – as well as the Asbarez and Armenian Weekly websites.

From Top Left: Tamar Alexanian, Raffi Karakashian, Anahis Kechejian. Front Row: Alina Sarkissian, Inna Mirzoyan, Sevan Agopian.

Spotlight on the 2014 Leo Sarkisian Interns

Sevan Agopian is originally from Vancouver, Canada and is currently residing in Toronto. She is studying Marketing Communications at York University and hopes to pursue a career in media and public relations. Agopian is responsible for strengthening the Vancouver AYF “Arshavir Shiragian” chapter and is also the chapter president of York University’s Armenian Student Association.

“I hope that through the Leo Sarkisian Internship, I can amplify my passion and unceasing efforts to better help the Armenian culture and cause in both Vancouver and Toronto, in addition to learning and gaining invaluable experience under the guidance of our veteran ANCA DC team,” says Agopian.

Tamar Alexanian hails from the suburbs of Chicago and is currently enrolled in Vanderbilt University with a double major in English and Human and Organizational Development.  Since the age of ten, Alexanian has been engaged in her local AYF Chicago “Ararat” chapter, where she has held many key leadership positions. As a Junior member, she served as president for three years, and as an AYF Senior, she has served on the Central Educational Council. She is currently serving as treasurer of her Chicago chapter. Alexanian is a proud graduate of the Taniel Varoujan Armenian School.

“I am honored to be one of the Leo Sarkisian interns this summer because I enjoy grassroots organizational work and believe strongly in the purpose and goals of the ANCA,” notes Alexanian. “I know that the skills that I develop during this internship are valuable for me personally, but also for my larger community.”

Anahis Kechejian of Boston is a sophomore at Northeastern University studying Behavioral Neuroscience. She has been an active member of the Boston community, engaged in the AYF Greater Boston “Nejdeh” Chapter.  She is a proud graduate of St. Stephen’s Armenian Saturday School as well as St. Stephen’s Sunday School.  She also has strong ties to AYF Camp Haiastan, where Kechejian spent six years as a camper and one year as a counselor.  In 2012 she started the project “Stand Up for Your Survivor” which has been an important component of the annual Massachusetts State House Genocide Commemoration ceremony.

“It’s an honor to be serving the Armenian community. I hope to collaborate with my fellow Leo Sarkisian interns on current Armenian issues and how we as the Diaspora can be involved in advancing our Cause. It’s exciting to explore the perspectives of young American Armenians from all over the country,” said an enthusiastic Kechejian. “I hope to absorb as much information as I can while in Washington DC.”

Hailing from Glendale, California, Alina Sarkissian attends California State University, Northridge, where she is studying Business. Sarkissian currently serves as the President of her university’s Armenian Student Association, the largest chapter in the country. Sarkissian is also an elected official for her Associated Student government, a University Ambassador, and the University liaison for the American Association of University Women.

“Through the LSI experience, I hope to gain life skills and opportunities that are tailored specifically to my Armenian-American passions,” says Sarkissian. “I hope to give back to the Armenian community through this inspiring grassroots powerhouse, and I look forward to forming close relationships and lifelong friendships with my fellow interns.”

Inna Mirzoyan is from Detroit, Michigan, and recently graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Social Relations and Policy. At the University, Mirzoyan played an active role re-starting the Armenian Club, even repainting the school rock in honor of the Armenian Genocide on April 24th. She attended the AGBU Alex and Marie Manoogian school for fourteen years, where she developed a strong knowledge of Armenian history, culture and language.

“I wish to learn more about grassroots activism and to teach the general public that being Armenian is not just an identity but also a cause, with issues that are important to all Americans’ shared core values,” says Mirzoyan.

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Knowledge is an important factor in driving the economic, social, and cultural development of the 21^st-century economy. In 2012, the Embassy of Switzerland and the Luys Foundation established a partnership within the framework of the Swiss Government Scholarship Program. An important milestone in building Armenia’s knowledge economy, this fruitful collaboration has stimulated an exchange of knowledge and best practices across all domains of expertise.

A press conference was held on June 11 in celebration of the collaboration between the Swiss government and the Luys Foundation at Hyatt Place Yerevan. The press conference was led by Ambassador of Switzerland to Armenia Lucas Gasser, Luys Foundation Education Executive Director Jacqueline Karaaslanian, and Luys Foundation Public, Government, and Sponsors Relations Manager Elina Markaryan.

A scene from the press conference

Ambassador Gasser presented the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship for the 2014-15 academic year to Samvel Hovakimyan

Ambassador Gasser presented the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship for the 2014-15 academic year to Samvel Hovakimyan, an exceptional young Armenian researcher who will continue his research in geology in Switzerland as a postdoctoral candidate, analyzing the formation of mineral deposits in Armenia’s Syunik region. Speaking on how he envisions his research will be practically used, Samvel said, “My proactive results will enable mining companies to expand their expert systems and direct this toward new prospective mineral exploration projects.”

Gasser also announced a new competition to the public for the first time: the Dimitri Mirimanoff Prize in Applied Mathematics, a scholarship that will be available to high school and university students in Armenia who propose the best mathematical modeling projects that solve real-world issues.

Karaaslanian spoke about excellence and collaboration as important values to instill in Armenia’s youth, and expressed her thanks

Ambassador Gasser speaking during the press conference on June 11

to the Embassy of Switzerland for its partnership toward excellence. As a forward-thinking leader who continually keeps the future of Armenia in mind, Karaaslanian seeks to secure productive collaborations and increase the number of Armenian scholars in centers of excellence worldwide. In expanding this important collaboration with the Embassy of Switzerland, the Luys Foundation has opened up yet another path to connect the scientific diaspora to Armenia.

Tatevik Hakobyan, a Luys alumnus, expressed her deep appreciation for the scholarship at the press conference. “Our young students have the most important resource: their intellectual capacity,” she said. “Luys does everything for those youth to come together and puts them on the right track. When engineer-minded and business-minded people unite, together they can create new jobs and different professional work environments. Most importantly, together we can build a promising future for Armenia.”

The Luys Foundation envisions Armenia as an active participant in setting innovative research and market trends. Through partnerships with international centers of excellence, Luys creates and unites a generation of critical, creative thinkers and builds an infrastructure that supports the transition from academic to real-world achievement for Armenia’s benefit. The incredible wealth of knowledge of Armenia’s youth will ensure that Armenia participates on an equal footing with powerful nations in this new global economy.

For more information on the Luys Foundation’s mission and its collaboration with the Swiss Government Scholarship Program, visit www.Luys.am.

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ANDOVER, Mass.—The year was 1954. Roger Banister broke the four-minute mile barrier. Philly-born pool player Willie Mosconi sunk 526 pool balls without missing. Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren, and Lana Turner were sizzling Hollywood stars. Doris Day topped the song charts with “Secret Love.”

Olga Sarkisian during the early years, and as she appears now after 60 years with the Andover Companies.

And a young 16-year-old walked into the Andover Companies to fill a job slot recommended by her school—and never left.

Same job description. Same company. After 60 years, Olga Sarkisian will finally call it a career July 1 when she begins retirement. And it won’t be with a dry eye.

You might say she’s been a creature of habit all these years, living in the same home where she was raised, surrounded by her brother and other family members. She lived and cared for her mom Satenig, until she passed in 2008.

The myth around the company was that Olga would retire after her mother died. She worked another year…yet another…and several more after that.

“If you love your work, why leave?” she told 350 guests at a farewell party. “Overall, it’s been a wonderful career with a wonderful company.”

All of it was spent in the accounting department where Olga outworked everyone else, seldom missed a day, and was known for her extreme loyalty. There were various changes along the way with personnel and buildings, processes and equipment.

She learned it all, including the current process of online payments. Olga preferred the rolodex for looking up mortgage information rather than the internet. No such thing as voicemail or e-mail when she started. Policies were in paper form and letters were done with carbon paper in between.

Making a mistake meant changing three copies. She preferred the use of regular pencils and kept a sharpener handy while being the last puritan to relinquish a manual typewriter in the early 1990’s.

The swatter she kept handy was not for chasing flies, but was used to tap a careless employee’s shoulder when an error could have been avoided.

She has seen her staff grow from young adults to grown adults having children of their own and then retirement age. Rarely did she take a sick day, not when you have accumulated 400 of them over time.

What’s more, Olga drove the same car to work for 20 years. Her 1991 Honda Accord had fewer miles on the odometer than some of the newer models, thanks to a five-minute commute. It should be mentioned that she was also a Mercedes owner, but preferred the Honda for day-to-day.

Off the job, Olga’s passion has been her faith. She was a founding member of St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church in North Andover, where she’s maintained the books ever since its inception in 1970. So precise is her bookkeeping, you’d be hard-pressed to find one penny off balance.

A bad day with the Boston Red Sox usually meant a dour moment at work. Nothing that a frozen mudslide wouldn’t cure after business hours. Now that she’s leaving, someone else will have to draw the winning raffle ticket for a TV at the company’s Christmas party, ending a 30-year tradition.

As her co-workers so aptly put it, “One thing Olga will miss is the holidays. In retirement, there are no days off. You will be officially retired every day!”

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