WATERTOWN, Mass.—St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School (SSAES) is proud to announce that it has successfully completed its 37th academic year. Last month, the Watertown school celebrated its class of 2021 with graduation ceremonies for its kindergarten and outgoing elementary students. Due to current State Health and Safety Regulations, only the parents of the graduates were invited to the ceremonies, which were held in the Hovnanian Hall of the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center (ACEC).
The young graduates presented poems and performed an Armenian dance. In addition, the kindergarten students presented a short play, while the elementary students read their farewells.
In her remarks, Principal Houry Boyamian announced that in addition to successfully completing the curriculum in each grade, the school was able to conduct many extra-curricular activities throughout the pandemic year. The school hosted virtual programs for Armenian Cultural Day, Vartanants, May 28 and the Armenian Genocide. There were also talent shows, a state of the school address, a virtual visit to the Armenian Museum of America, guest authors, alumni rountables, and a one-week virtual trip to Armenia for fifth graders. Boyamian said she is looking forward to the upcoming school year and increased enrollment with the addition of many new students. She concluded her remarks by expressing her profound gratitude to the teachers, administrative staff members, the school board, and the Education, Health and Technology Committees. She also expressed her appreciation to Rev. Archpriest Antranig Baljian, the St. Stephen’s Church Board of Trustees and the many proud parents in the room for their encouragement and unwavering support in this most challenging year.
On June 17, 15 students graduated from SSAES kindergarten program. They are Fiona Abidian, Mona Arzunyan, Alec Avakian, Samuel Barsoumian, Ellen Boyamian, Areni Garabedian, Olivia Ghazaryan, Areni Hamalian, Serop Khatchadourian, Haig Mardiros, Aiki Mikaelian, Hovhannes Sargent, David Simonyan and Lyanna Thompson.
On June 18, 14 students graduated from SSAES, bringing the number of graduates to 348. They are Nellie Aghajanyan, Nara Potookian Behbahani, Avedis Bell, Emma Fontes, Isabel Fontes, Armen Galaian, Stepan Guzelian, Julia Kebadjian, David Oganesian, Lori Panossian, Gassia Sarkissian, Tatevik Sarkissian, Bella Tamburrini and Talia Tarabelsi.
In his remarks, Fr. Baljian expressed his appreciation to the administration and faculty for their dedication and efforts in providing an excellent education to all students. Then he joined Principal Boyamian to present the diplomas and awards to the graduates.
2021 Graduating Class Awards
Prelacy Award for Excellence in Armenian History (silver coin of Levon the 1st): Avedis Bell.
President’s Education Awards– Gr. 5
Presidential Award for Educational Excellence: Recognizing the academic success of students who have excelled in their studies and who have earned high scores in the Standardized Tests.
Presidential Award for Academic Excellence: Talia Tarabelsi, Bella Tamburrini, Avedis Bell
Presidential Award for Educational Achievement: Recognizing students who work hard and give their best effort in school.
Presidential Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement: Nellie Agajanyan, Julia Kebadjian, Tatevik Sarkissian
Certificate of Recognition for Special Strength (Armenian Studies)
Nellie Agajanyan: Hardworking, takes initiative
Nara Behbahani: Great interest in Armenian language
Avedis Bell: Great interest in Armenian history and world history
Emma Fontes: Great interest in Armenian history
Isabel Fontes: Great Interest in Armenian history
Armen Galaian: Demonstrates Armenian spirit
Stepan Guzelian: Tends to always do his best
Julia Kebadjian: Inventive, skilled in Armenian grammar
David Oganesian: Reads with expression
Lori Panosian: Great interest in Armenian history
Gassia Sarkissian: Skilled in Armenian language
Tatevik Sarkissian: Hardworking, expresses herself well in Armenian
Bella Tamburrini: Conscientious, hardworking
Talian Tarabelsi: Conscientious, hardworking
Certificate of Recognition for Special Strength (All Subjects)
Nellie Agajanyan: Spirit of adventure, always willing to try new things, Bud not Buddy Award
Nara Behbahani: Hardworking, Esperanza Rising Award
Avedis Bell: Most inquisitive about space, NASA and solar system, Spaceship Earth Award
Emma Fontes: Special strength in spelling, able to recall and correctly place spelling words in context, Super Speller Award
Isabel Fontes: Special strength in history, Class Historian Award
Armen Galaian: Special strength in social interaction, helping others to feel included, The Wonder Award
Stepan Guzelian: Special strength in grammar, Grammar Detective Award
Julia Kebadjian: Most inventive in math connections, story predictions, history explanations, The Inventor Award
David Oganesian: Special strength in reading, reads with great insight to characters’ emotions, Reader’s Theater Award
Lori Panossian: Interest in history, The Jamestown Colony Award
Gassia Sarkissian: Strength in math, understanding and working with inverse operations, Factor Families Expert Award
Tatevik Sarkissian: Recognized for her bravery, unafraid of what others will think or say, Number the Stars Award
Bella Tamburrini: Special strength in understanding graphs and interpreting data sets, Golden Graph Award
Talia Tarabelsi: Recognized for her leadership, helps others, shares her voice, President Washington Award
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