On Sunday, January 25, 2015, the Committee for Armenian Students in Public Schools (CASPS) celebrated twenty years of service to the community with a luncheon held at Anoush Restaurant in Glendale presided over by H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate. Rev. Fr. Vazken Atmajian accompanied His Eminence. Executive Council member Dr. Kaloust Agopian and Prelacy liaison with CASPS Dr. Hagop Der Megerdichian were among the guests in attendance.
The luncheon began with welcoming remarks and introductions by Master of Ceremonies Alex Kalognomos. Rev. Fr. Vazken Atmajian delivered the invocation and blessed the tables. During lunch, guests enjoyed a video presentation chronicling the Committee’s work over the past two decades and a student performance.
The Prelate was then invited to deliver his congratulatory remarks and message to the Board members, volunteers, educators, parents, and students present. His Eminence began his message by lauding the Committee’s two decades of dedicated service, then, citing a quote by Franklin D. Roosevelt, “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future,” stated that is the very reason CASPS came to be and why they continue to work tirelessly year after year. The Prelate stressed that the physical, mental, and emotional development and wellbeing of our youth is of utmost priority, for as the Proverb states, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
His Eminence noted that serving under the auspices of the Prelacy, CASPS has the full support and assistance of the Prelacy, however, the moral and financial support of the community is also vital. Thus, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary, he urged the guests to pledge their continued support, because “investing in CASPS means investing in our future, our youth. You are doing your part in the development of our youth into healthy and productive members of society and of the Armenian nation, and there is no greater reward than contributing to the successful future of our collective life.”
Noting that the majority of Armenian students attend public schools, the Prelate highly commended the members of CASPS who dedicate their time and resources to meeting this need. He commended in particular two of the members who have worked incessantly since the inception of CASPS, co-founders and co-chairs Mrs. Medea Kalognomos and Mr. Rouben Gourjian, who were invited to the podium to be presented with plaques by the Committee in recognition of their devoted service. The honorees conveyed their appreciation and remarks, after which Mr. Gourjian delivered the Committee’s address.
