PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: info@armenianprelacy.org
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian
July 22, 2004
ANEC Awards Ancient Armenian Coins to Students
NEW YORK, NY-“Year after year students have watched their peers receive this
award, and I find it very hard not to give this precious award to more
students.” So said the principal of an Armenian school recently. The awards
in question, ancient coins depicting Armenian royalty, are annual gifts
bestowed on a select few students who have excelled in Armenian studies. The
coins, courtesy of the magnanimity of Mr. Gary Setian of Massachusetts, is
awarded by the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC) and
traditionally presented to the students during their schools’ year-end
pageant. In addition to the awards, ANEC provides the students informative
data about coin collection, courtesy of Dr. Levon Saryan, as well as
information about the kings depicted on the coins. This year, the coins were
those of the Cilician King, Levon I.
“According to medieval historians, Levon received the right to a throne in
1197 when he started striking his royal series coins. The obverse was
patterned after the contemporary bracteates of Henry VI of the Holy Roman
Empire and the reverse displayed a single lion turned to the left. However,
for his coronation he received two crowns, one from Henry VI of the Holy
Roman Empire and another from Alexius III of Byzantium. Upon his coronation,
Levon struck in silver the coronation and regular tram series of coins with
two lions, symbolizing the two crowns sent by the two emperors,” Dr. Saryan
explained.
The coins have been presented this year to students from the following day
and one-day schools.
SINGLE DAY SCHOOL
Talar Turbendian
St. Sarkis Suzanne & Hovsep Hagopian Armenian School
Douglaston, NY
Victoria Frounjian
St. Gregory Armenian School,
North Andover, MA
Vahe Hovhannissian
St. Stephen’s Armenian Church
New Britain, CT
Lisa Ohanian
Taniel Varoujan Armenian School
Glenview, IL
Sevan Simonian
Aline Kazandjian
Hamasdegh School,
Bethesda, MD
Vazrig Chiloyan
Garen Chiloyan
St. Stephen’s Saturday School
Watertown, MA
Arev Vavdeveld
ARS Zavarian School
Detroit, MI
Chris Yakoubian
Nareg School
Ridgefield, NJ
Marina Topalakian
Sipan Armenian School
Paramus, NJ
Adrine Krikorian
Mariam G. Krikorian
Mesrobian School,
Granite City, IL
Vazken Voskian
Elo Maghakian
Sourp Hagop Saturday School,
Montreal, Canada
Sylvie Aghjanian
Marie Demirchian
Massis Sarkissian
Mark Yetemian
Siamanto Academy,
New York, NY
DAY SCHOOLS
Ohan Manoukian
Ohan Shant Manoukian
St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School
Watertown, MA
Levon Stepanyan
Kristen Santerian
Armenian Sisters Academy
Philadelphia, PA
Pauline Barmakian
Anna Valedi
Armenian Sisters Academy
Lexington, MA
Anoush Gulian
Natalie Diratsaoglu
Hovnanian Armenian School
New Milford, NJ