St. John Garabed San Diego Celebrates Armenian Sunday School Graduation Ceremony

Under the auspices of Very Rev. Fr. Pakrad Berjekian, the St. John Garabed Armenian Sunday School celebrated its annual Graduation Ceremony (Hantes) on Sunday, May 19. The children performed, songs, recitations and prayers and original writings of their own. The cover of the printed program was drawn by student Yvette Chadergian. The masters of ceremonies were St. John Garabed Interns Ani Kradjian and Stephan Ohannessian.

More than 50 students and 5 interns registered for Armenian Sunday School in San Diego this year.  There were 8 classes: 3 Eastern Armenian, 1 Western Armenian, 3 Sunday school classes, and 1 Teen Fellowship (led by Dr. Claudia Der Martirosian). Students participated in Vartanantz, the Armenian Genocide Commemoration and many other events through the year at church. They also did many service projects (handprint quilt making for infants in Berd, Armenia; food drive for San Diego Food Bank, Armenia Tree Project, and more). Students also joined the newly-formed Junior ACYO this year.

This year’s dedicated teachers and officers were: Lisa Kradjian, Superintendent; Ruzanna Ohannessian –Recording/Corresponding Secretary; Natalya Hovsepyan - Treasurer; Dr. Claudia Der Martirossian - Teen Fellowship; Kamilia Arakelian - Sunday school Gr. 1-3 Teacher; Natalie Arshakian - Sunday School Gr. 4-6 Teacher; Narine Babayan - Eastern Armenian Gr. 1-3 Teacher; Arshalous Buchaklian - Western Armenian Teacher; Seda Filenko - Assistant Eastern Armenian Teacher; Karine Sargsyan - Eastern Armenian Gr. 4-6 Teacher; Lana Abd Alnour Hanounik - Pre-K/K Armenian Teacher; Lauren Vartanian - Pre-K/K Sunday School Teacher and Zholi Minasyan - Pre-K/K Armenian Teacher.

The program culminated in a beautiful slideshow of photos from the entire year, created by St. John Garabed Armenian Sunday school alum, Sophia Ohannessian, a film major at Cal State Northridge.

Click here to view slideshow: https://youtu.be/sSVmXt-GLGI