Annual Leadership Conference
The Committee for Armenian Students in Public Schools (CASPS) presented its annual leadership workshop, “Connecting to Your Community” on March 2, 2019. High-achieving Armenian juniors in the four Glendale Unified School District high schools were invited to attend. Seventy students braved the rainy weather and accepted the invitation by attending the workshop at the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic church in La Crescenta.
CASPS Executive Director, Arsineh Hovannisian, welcomed the students and opened the workshop with the flag salute. After a brief description of the goals of CASPS, she introduced the Board members present. She welcomed Executive Team member and organizer of the leadership workshop, Mrs. Medea Kalognomos, who gave the students a brief description of what the day had in store for them.
Mrs. Kalognomos presented the first speaker of the day, Melina Sardar, M.A., CPLC, a life coach and counselor in the areas of career and emotional awareness. Ms. Sardar connected with and engaged the students by sharing her personal life journey. She used her life’s story to explain the difference between Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and Emotional Quotient (EQ). She explained that EQ is the ability to identify, understand, evaluate, and control one’s own emotions as well as the emotions of those around you. Speaking to the group of academically high achieving students, she reminded them that IQ “can get you in the door, but EQ will get you the promotion.” She urged the students to evaluate and monitor their EQ in order to be successful and a leader. She concluded her talk with a quick summary of the stepping stones of how to become a transformational leader.
Glendale Mayor Zareh Sinanyan and California Assembly member Adrin Nazarian, representing the 46thAssembly District were the next two speakers. Both civic leaders shared their life experiences and their views on what activism and leadership mean. Both leaders also implored the students to expand their horizons by volunteering. Mr. Sinanyan informed the students about the Student Ambassador Program. He urged them to apply to this program in order to gain an understanding of how city council meetings are conducted.
Subsequently, Dr. Hayk Jernazian, a licensed clinical psychologist, specializing in depression, anxiety, trauma, substance abuse, and grief/loss gave a presentation to the students titled “Balancing Success and Psychological Health.” As with all the speakers of the day, Dr. Jernazian spoke to the students about the qualities of being a successful and healthy leader. He then led the students in case analyses, through which he elaborated on the ideas of identity development, confidence, and the importance of social interaction and relationships.
A group of enthusiastic young men from the UCLA’s AEO fraternity introduced the different Armenian organizations at the university and stated that the fraternity is considering how best to connect with Armenian high school students. The possibility of mentorship and/ academic tutoring is being discussed within the fraternity. They encouraged the high school students to persevere in the application process and extended a helping hand to anyone who needed their help in that process. The young men were met with great enthusiasm and many questions.
The workshop was brought to a close by Mr. Serob Abrahamian, Government Relations Coordinator at ANCA. Mr. Abrahamian familiarized the students with the mission and goals of the organization and introduced new opportunities available for growth. At the conclusion of the day, CASPS members were gratified to hear expressions of thanks from the high school students, and hope to see many of them apply the ideas and suggestions from the day and become our future leaders.
Art Contest for middle school and high school
The Committee for Armenian Students in Public Schools (CASPS) held its annual Art Contest awards reception in the Board Room of the Glendale Unified School District (GUSD) on Friday, December 14, 2018. Present were GUSD Superintendent Dr. Winfred Roberson, GUSD Board member, Mr. Shant Sahakian, CASPS Board members, as well as participating art-contest students and parents.
Mrs. Arsineh Hovannisian, Executive Director of CASPS, introduced Mrs. Annette Zarian, Mistress of Ceremony for the evening. Mrs. Zarian welcomed all present and explained that CASPS had been organized about 25 years ago by a group of Armenian educators to support immigrant students of Armenian descent in the Glendale public schools. She outlined a few of the programs and services provided by CASPS, such as:
- Clinical group counseling in several elementary schools
- Tutoring in middle and high schools
- Leadership Workshop for high school juniors
- Recognition of high-achieving graduates of GUSD
- Art contest for high schools
The art contest is sponsored each year by CASPS and the information is disseminated to high schools by the District. Mrs. Zarian explained that CASPS chooses a thought-provoking theme which is meant to stimulate high school students to think deeply about a particular subject and to express their thoughts, ideas, and emotions creatively through visual art. This year’s theme was “Peace.”
Submitted art work is then evaluated by three judges on artistic merit, creativity, and interpretation of theme, and winners are presented with monetary awards. Our judges this year were: Mrs. Caroline Tufenkian of the Tufenkian Fine Arts Gallery in Glendale, Ms. Jaclyn Scott, principal of Mountain Avenue Elementary School and former head of GUSD’s Visual and Performing Arts department, and Mr. Harry Vorperian, a graphic artist with a variety of works.
Before the awards were presented to students, Mr. Sahakian, on behalf of the Glendale Board of Education, congratulated students and parents for their participation in the contest, and wished them much success in the future.
Certificates of participation were then awarded to all contestants, with 9 contestants receiving monetary awards.
GUSD Sr Honoring
On Tuesday, May 14th, CASPS hosted its 17th annual reception honoring the 2013 outstanding graduating Armenian students from the Glendale Unified School District (GUSD). Over 190 students who earned a grade point average of 3.5 or higher were honored at the reception hosted at The Glendale Adult Recreation Center. Joining the honorees were their parents, teachers, school counselors and administrators as well as GUSD and community leadership.
In his invocation, representing Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, Very Reverend Father Muron Aznikian commended the honorees and encouraged them to remember the community from which they came and to make use of their education to give back to the community.
David Khachatrian, Mihran Hovhannesyan, Ani Avoundjian, and Pauline Pechakjian, the four honorees with the highest grade point average from each school represented addressed the attendees. Each thanked the key people in their lives and expressed enthusiasm for the new chapters ahead. All of the honorees distinguished themselves not only academically, but in their extracurricular activities and community service as well. The evening’s program highlighted their many accomplishments as students and members of their respective school communities.
In her keynote address, Professor Anahid Gharakhanian, Vice-Dean at Southwestern Law School and Hoover High School graduate, inspired the students with words of wisdom for their personal and academic growth.
Attendees also enjoyed pianist and junior at Clark Magnet High School, Allen Dishigrikyan who performed two traditional Armenian songs.
The evening’s ceremonies were concluded with congratulatory remarks by GUSD Board President Nayiri Nahabedian and the presentation of monetary awards and certificates by board member Laura Atoian. Honorees from each school received certificates from CASPS, U.S. Representative Adam Schiff, and State Assemblymember Mike Gatto. The four honorees with the highest grade point average received a $500 award sponsored by the Armenian Educational Foundation. CASPS thanks the Western Prelacy, and the Armenian Educational Foundation for their continued support.
Tereza Yerimyan, the mistress of ceremonies did a great job conducting the program and stressing this event’s unique opportunity to celebrate the positive aspects of our community.
