Four Decades Of Academic Excellence: Agbu Mds Marks 40Th Anniversary And The School'S Chairman Of The Board Of Trustees Mr. Sinan Sinanian Honored With The St. Gregory The Illuminator Medal

The AGBU Manoogian Demirdjian School marked its fortieth anniversary gala on Saturday, February 27, 2016. The celebratory banquet was held under the patronage of the AGBU Central Board of Directors at the prestigious Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.

The honoree of the evening was AGBU Vice-President and Chairman of the AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School's Board of Trustees. Mr. Sinanian, who has been an esteemed member of the school's Board of Trustees since 1986, was honored with the St. Gregory the Illuminator medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.

The Diocesan Primate attended the banquet accompanied by Joseph Kanimian, Esq., Chairman of the Diocesan Council, Diocesan Council members as well as Archpriest Fr. Shnork Demirjian and Archpriest Fr. Sarkis Petoyan.

In his remarks Archbishop Derderian stated "AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School has been a blessing in the life of the community for forty years. The venerable institution has instilled in the hearts of generations the love and respect for the Armenian language, history, literature, culture and sacred traditions. For thirty of those years, Mr. Sinan Sinanian has served the school with unrelenting dedication and enduring affection, earning the highest honor from the Catholicos of All Armenians."

In his Pontifical Encyclical His Holiness wrote in part "Dear Mr. Sinanian, throughout your life you have exemplified genuine love and selfless service to our people, the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, spiritual center of the Armenian people. It is with great pleasure that we present to you the St. Gregory the Illuminator medal, the highest honor of the Armenian Apostolic Church."  

All guests received a commemorative booklet which was printed especially for the auspicious occasion. It included congratulatory messages from His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the Diocesan Primate, AGBU President Mr. Berge Setrakian, AGBU Vice-President Mr. Sinan Sinanian, AGBU benefactors Mr. and Mrs. Nazar and Artemis Nazarian, AGBU PTO Chair Mrs. Aline Patatyan, AGBU MDS Principal Arpi Avanesian, His Excellency Grigor Hovhannissian, Armenia's Ambassador to the United States, the Honorable Congressman Adam Schiff, the Honorable Congressman Brad Sherman, the Honorable Eric Garcetti, Mayor of the City of Los Angeles, the Honorable Katcho Achadjian, California State Assemblyman (35^th district), the Honorable Adrin Nazarian, California State Assemblyman (46^th district), the Honorable Kevin DeLeon, California State Senator (24^th Senate District), the Honorable Ara Najarian, Mayor of the City of Glendale, Mr. Armen Der Kiureghian, President of the American University of Armenia, Joseph Kanimian Esq., Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Ararat Home of Los Angeles, Inc., and the Board of Directors of the House of Armenia.

Established in the heart of the San Fernando Valley in 1976, the AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School offers preschool through 12th grade (PK-12) classes in an Armenian environment. The school was originally founded on the grounds of the St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church and was called St. Peter-AGBU School, but moved to its current location in 1986. Over the years, the school has accommodated to the growing Armenian community and its educational needs by expanding the school through renovations and construction of new buildings to support more students.