NRA DELEGATES LEARN ABOUT PRELACY CHRISTIAN AND ARMENIAN EDUCATION PROGRAMS
On Thursday, April 22, the NRA 2021 Department series presentation focused on the ministry of the department of Christian education, presented by Archdeacon Shant Kazanjian, director, who updated the NRA delegates about the Prelacy’s Christian educational programs and projects.
Deacon Shant presented the work of the department under three major headings: 1) St. Gregory of Datev Institute, 2) Sunday School, and 3) Community-wide programs and projects. He discussed the work that was done last year, along with the challenges and opportunities that the pandemic has presented us, and then highlighted the programs and projects for the coming year. Mrs. Sonia Tekeyan and Mr. Arto Kiremitdjian, co-directors of Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church of Ridgefield, New Jersey, were invited to give a brief reflection about what it was like doing a virtual Sunday School program.
Programs and projects for the coming year will include the weeklong St. Gregory of Datev Institute Summer Program (for youth ages 13-18), Sunday School teacher training opportunities, podcasts on exploring tools for prayer, the Prelacy Lenten program, preparing educational resources (text and video), virtual Bible studies and adult Christian educational programs.
On Tuesday, April 26, Ms. Mary Gulumian, director of the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC), made an update on the Prelacy’s work in the field of Armenian education.
Ms. Gulumian focused first on the innovative Teachers Training Program launched online this year in collaboration with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. The program has been received with great approval by teachers of the East Coast and Midwest. She highlighted the main characteristic of the program and its impact over educational programs of Saturday schools under jurisdiction of ANEC.
Another highlight was the Siamanto Academy program, which has developed online on a weekly basis, attracting a high number of students from all over the East Coast, with a program based on Armenian language, culture, and history. Mrs. Taline Artinian, Principal of the Taniel Varoujan Armenian School of Glenview (Illinois), offered her perspective on both the teachers’ program and the Siamanto Academy.
The presentation also noted the publication of “Let’s Chat 4,” the newest addition to the series, and other projects to be carried out in the 2021-2022 period.
Tonight, April 29, Gregory Dosttur will present the latest developments in the area of Communications of the Prelacy to end the series of Department presentations.