California Courier – 11/6/2002
By Anouche Yezeguelian
Special to the Courier
TUJUNGA, Calif. – The Mekhitarist Armenian School is part of the worldwide
Mekhitarist Congregation founded in 1701 in Constantinople by Abbot
Mekhitar of Sebastia. The religious and scholarly order, with its two
headquarters in Venice (Italy) and Vienna (Austria), owns several schools
in countries such as Italy, France, Syria, Argentina, Lebanon, Bolis
(Turkey) and the United States. It is renowned for its excellence in
education.
After 14 years of leasing a school facility in La Crescenta, The
Mekhitarist Fathers School relocated to a location of its own in the
neighboring community of Tujunga in 1998.
With an annual budget approximating $700,000, the school derives its
funding mainly from its headquarters in Venice, tuition fees ($350 for
pre-K and $325 from first to eighth grades), and small community donations.
Though 25 percent of the students are given a discount, the school has
always been self-sufficient.
“In all our schools we try to provide culture, religion and teach the
students to love their nation,” said Fr. David Ghazarian, vice-principal
since 2000.
He pointed that the school enrolls students from all religious background
because what really matters is the fact that the students are all
Armenians. He further explained that the only distinction that can be found
in the school consists in the Mekhitarist ideology. That ideology,
Ghazarian added, is to help students develop an Armenian national spirit
and an Armenian Christian soul.
Arsineh Shahmelikian, who has been teaching Armenian for 20 years at the
school and who is also PTA and student council president, added comments on
the Mekhitarist father’s ideology. She said their missions mainly consists
in 1) developing an Armenian national spirit, 2) preserving the motherland
and 3) maintaining a strong religious ethic.
Currently, the 4 ½ acre property houses 220 students from pre-K to eighth
grade, 20 teachers and four staff members. By walking up the stairs above
the classrooms and the administration building one can see a basketball and
large open-air soccer field, surrounded by green mountains. The premises
count a computer lab and a science lab, as well as a well-equipped library.
Each grade has its own classroom and this reporter noticed a small
student-teacher ratio, which probably enables students to learn more
adequately. From grades three to nine, students score an average above the
65 percentile on the Stanford 9 Test. According to Ghazarian, eight out of
10 students are admitted to high schools where they achieve good academic
results. Those high schools include Providence High School, Alex Pilibos
Armenian School, Holy Martyrs Ferrahian High School and AGBU
Manoogian-Demirdjian School.
“Aside from academic results, we want our students to have good morals and
be prepared for the life of tomorrow,” Ghazarian added.
This Christian spirit can be found in the student council activities. The
members organize many events such as collecting food for the poor,
recitation competitions, field trips and theatre. They also write poetry
and essays in Armenian in the school’s monthly journal.
In addition, students enjoy a range of extra curricular activities. The
school offers martial arts and participates in the inter-Armenian schools
‘Hi-Quiz’ and the ‘Kaham games,’ in which students have earned first place
trophies in soccer, as well as second and third places in basketball
competitions.
Throughout the world, and in the United States, the Mekhitarist
Congregation has achieved quite a success with all its schools.
The future
also seems promising since the school is actively looking to expand its
facilities in order to add a high school building as well as an athletic
indoor gymnasium and a banquet hall. Though the PTA counts very devoted
members who, according to Shahmelikian, are always present when needed and
make donations to the school, more funding is necessary.
Therefore, Ghazarian said, the school is actively planning fund-raisers
which will provide the necessary funds to realize those projects.
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