St. Sarkis School End of Year Hantes

St. Sarkis Rocks the Hantes in Dallas/Ft. Worth
By Mary Mukhtarian
 
The St. Sarkis school of DFW had its year-end hantes on Sunday May 19th, 2019 at the Kechejian Hall filled to the brim with everyone in the community.  The hantes was the culmination of a year of learning of our language, faith, culture and history, and everyone was in for a treat as the school children performed a variety of skills and showed their talent in Armenian, English, poetry, history, culture, dancing and singing.  They had the audience in the palms of their little hands!
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The St. Sarkis church school boasts over sixty students supported by a team of over thirty educators, board and staff.  The classes were divided into Nairi, in which the youngest children recited poetry, sang and danced to the utter enjoyment of the audience; Yerevan, where we all got an update on history and language; Sevan, where the students demonstrated their versatility by performing a skit in different languages yet united in their Armenian language; Gyumri, where the students introduced outstanding monuments in Armenia;  Keghart, whose students taught all how to make a cheese boreg;  Karni, whose students presented different cities in Armenia. Students also demonstrated their faith education by explaining Bible verses such as John 3:16 and Romans 8:28.

The school highlighted the achievements of former students several of whom graduated from high school this year.  Their inspiration was captured in their words, with all thanking their teachers for broadening their minds by teaching them the richness of their Armenian culture. “I don’t think I would be the person I am without St. Sarkis School” said Arman Aznavour, who was inspired to study Game Design at the University of Texas at Dallas because of entrepreneur and St. Sarkis benefactor Elie Akilian. While every graduate echoed the same sentiment, Taniel Katanjian added his future plans by promising: “I look forward to serving my church and my community in the way God has planned for me.”

As Rev. Fr. Ghevond Ajamian took the podium he brimmed with pride at the achievement of the St. Sarkis School, declaring “We have gems in this community!” and told everyone that this success was not lost on other parishes who would contact him regularly to find out his secret for a dynamic school.  He added humbly : “I am not doing anything.  It is the parents, teachers and others who stay closer to the children and Christ every day.”
The audience was so overjoyed by the performances that any idea about food had escaped all until the picnic style lunch of hamburgers and hotdogs was served to their delight.