Last year, after selling over a hundred tri-colored graduation cords to graduating students across the country, the All-ASA raised nearly a thousand dollars for OneArmenia’s campaign focusing on building sustainable economies in Armenia by initiating beekeeping initiatives in the border village of Baghanis.
Due to popular demand, the tri-color graduation cords are back this year. In order to support local business initiatives in rural Armenia, All-ASA will be purchasing the cords from craftsmen in Armenia. They will be made by locals at a small sewing factory in Stepanavan. The materials have been purchased in Armenia and the cords will be crafted there in the coming months.
In order to keep the funds in the local community, the All-ASA will be donating the proceeds of the graduation cords to the renovation of a school in the small village of Medovka, Armenia. The funds will be used for infrastructure repairs in the school, as well as the construction of a gym and library for students’ use. The students in the village are not able to partake in physical education classes during the long winters due to the lack of a proper gymnasium. The school’s existing library is in an unusable condition and there is an urgent need to renovate this space. As a project of the All-ASA’s Homeland Initiative Committee, the All-ASA hopes to lend a hand to fellow Armenian students by providing for the development of a productive learning space.
This initiative is led by Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Shant member and All-ASA Homeland Initiative Committee member, Khachig Joukhajian, who is currently Teach for Armenia fellow. Khachig teaches Armenian and world history at the school in Medovka. He notes “We have an opportunity to provide current and future generations of youth in the village of Medovka with spaces for self-development, discovery,INQUIRY, and learning. In basic terms, we want to provide the students with an indoor space where PE classes can be held (as well as an exercise space for afterschool programs), and a comfortable library space for study and reading. The population this project will serve is the current students of Medovka School, which is at 56 students currently. Fortunately, because the population is small so is the space we want to build and therefore, a little funding will go a long way”.
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The campaign welcomes Armenians graduating students from around the country from different institutions and levels, ranging from elementary to doctorate to purchase cords to wear at their graduation ceremonies. The cord is also a wonderful gift for any graduating student. The deadline for putting in orders is March 19, 2017 and may be done so at the following link: all-asa.org/gradcords. The All-ASA will be in contact with all those who place orders.
The All-Armenian Student Association (All-ASA) works to unite various Armenian-American college student organizations and serve the greater Armenian-American community through cultural, social, educational, and activist programming. As the largest confederation of ASAs in the nation, All-ASA is dedicated to collaboration among its constituent organizations, leadership development of its members, and community service.