PASADENA—A miracle happens every Monday through Friday on Sinaloa Avenue in the City of Pasadena. The miracle happens in a small but sturdy building, tucked between a tree-lined street and a bustling Washington Boulevard. There, in this special building, a band of remarkable teachers are driven by love and fueled by educational excellence to teach a new generation of Armenian American children. This special place on earth has a name, Levon and Hasmig Tavlian Armenian Pre-School and kindergarten.
For twenty years the Tavlian Armenian Pre-School has had a singular goal. That goal has been and remains to this day, to send healthy and happy children with high self-esteem and self-confidence to the first grade, ready to absorb anything taught to them. By all accounts, the school has achieved this worthy goal and more since its doors opened in 1992. Hundreds of bright, articulate, and thoughtful children can be counted among the school’s alumni, along with their very proud parents.
The miracle of the Tavlian Armenian Pre-School started like most remarkable things – it started small. In the Fall of 1992 a grand total of four children enrolled at the school – in what would be the first generation of children to experience the warmth and love of a school that has become a shining standard of excellence when discussing any pre-school in the San Gabriel Valley.
“This year we will be marking the 20th anniversary of the Tavlian Armenian Pre-School by praising those, past and present, who built this school into the proud institution it is today,” remarked Souzi Zerounian-Khanzadian, who is serving as the chair of the Tavlian 20th anniversary committee. “We will be reaching out to our entire community to tell the wonderful story of our school and why this special pre-school deserves their full and generous support,” added the committee chair.
Among the many positive characteristics of the Tavlian Armenian Pre-School is the fact that it is accredited by The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). For knowledgeable parents, the NAEYC Accreditation has become the mark of quality, helping parents find the best possible early childhood experience. Tavlian received its accreditation from NAEYC in 2009, has gone through the re-evaluation process this year and has granted this class-worthy recognition through June 31, 2014.
On May 4, 2012 a broad and diverse number of dedicated Armenian Americans will gather at a celebratory banquet to mark the 20th anniversary of the Tavlian Armenian Pre-School. The banquet will be held at Armenian Society of Los Angeles Additional information on the banquet may be secured by contacting the school office by phone at 626-398-8199.
Background on the Tavlian Armenian Pre-School, which has served our community with distinction for over two decades, may be found at the school’s user-friendly website: www.tavlianpreschool.org.
